Savers missing out due to apathy over low interest rates

However, savers could be missing out on vital interest by not being savvy and switching to better deals and are missing out on savings rates six times has high as the average branch based account.

Bank of England data shows that the current average branch based savings rate is 0.26%, and on a £10,000 balance this equates to a paltry £26 in interest over a year before tax. By comparison the current market leading easy access account, BM Savings Online Reward, pays 1.70% AER. On a balance of £10,000 this will earn £170 in interest over 12 months, meaning savers could earn an extra £144 just by switching accounts.

Kevin Mountford, head of banking at MoneySuperMarket, said:

“It really is important for consumers not to be apathetic about their savings accounts or current accounts at the moment. Although rates may be low, the benefit of switching can be significant, and in some cases add up to hundreds of pounds if you have a sizeable savings pot. People can earn extra interest just by being proactive and switching to better paying easy access accounts or even current accounts.

“Incredibly, savers can earn more interest through their current account than most savings accounts at the moment. This is especially appealing for those savers out there who have been looking for decent returns on their savings over the last year. Whilst an easy access account paying 1.70% interest is a good deal and much better than the average branch based deal of 0.26%, the leading current account interest rate at present is 5.00%, which savvy savers shouldn’t ignore. Now is the time for savers and current account holders to start thinking about switching and taking advantage of the great product ranges available on the market.”