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The UK average instant-access rate was 2.07% in Aug 2026.
Holding £25k or more in cash? See how the other options compare for someone in your position. About a minute.
If you've got £25,000 or more on a rate that barely keeps up with prices, see what else is out there. Fixed income and loan notes that pay on a set schedule, plus alternative assets, side by side with your bank account. Check what inflation has done to your cash, then get a free call. No obligation.
No rates, no promises, just how each one works. Which is right depends on your circumstances, and some carry far more risk than a bank account.
| Easy-access savings | Fixed-term savings | Government bonds (gilts) | Private fixed income (loan notes) | Alternative assets | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who pays you | Your bank | Your bank | The UK government | The company that issues the note | No income as such. Any gain comes when you sell |
| How you're paid | Variable interest | Fixed interest for the term | Fixed coupon, plus or minus the price if sold early | Fixed coupons on a set schedule, if the company can pay | Depends on what the asset sells for |
| Getting your money out | Any time | Usually locked for the term | Can be sold, price varies | Usually locked for the term, hard to sell early | Can take months or years to sell |
| Main risk | Inflation outpacing interest | Inflation, and rates rising after you fix | Price falls if sold before maturity | The company fails and you lose some or all of your money | Value falls, or no buyer when you want to sell |
| FSCS protection | Yes, up to £120,000 per person per bank | Yes, up to £120,000 per person per bank | Backed by the government, not the FSCS | Not FSCS protected. Secured against company assets: if the company defaults, these are sold to recover funds, which may return less than you are owed | Not FSCS protected. Protection relies on the value of the physical asset itself, and on finding a buyer when you want to sell |
If prices rise faster than your interest, the same pounds buy less each year. Put your numbers in and see the real figure.
Holding £25k or more in cash? See how the other options compare for someone in your position. About a minute.
How much you're looking at, what matters most to you and when you'd want to start.
UK rules mean these options can only be discussed with high net worth investors. You'll see exactly what that means before you confirm.
A specialist from our partner calls at a time that suits you to explain the options. Nothing is decided on the call.
Beyond Your Savings helps savers understand the options beyond a bank account. We don't give advice and we don't sell investments. If you ask us to, we pass your details to one specialist partner, named before you submit, who will contact you. Our fees come from our commercial partners. You are not charged any fees for using Beyond Your Savings.
No. We explain how the options work and introduce you to a partner who can talk you through them. For a personal recommendation, speak to an FCA-authorised financial adviser.
One specialist partner, named on the form before you send it, at the time you choose. Your details aren't shared with anyone else, and you can ask us to delete them at any time.
UK financial promotion rules restrict who these investments can be promoted to. We only introduce high net worth investors, so we ask you to confirm this before anything else, and we keep a time-stamped record of your answer.
Our fees come from our commercial partners when we introduce someone to them. You are not charged any fees, and there's no obligation.