How to switch business bank account UK: the practical 7-day guide

Switching business bank account is usually less dramatic than people expect. The risk isn't the switch itself — it's forgetting everything connected to the old account.

By Sam Morris

If both your old and new providers use the Current Account Switch Service, switching a UK business current account can be completed in seven working days.

Your new bank handles the switch. Your old account is closed. Your balance moves over. Direct Debits, standing orders, regular incoming payments and saved payees are transferred. Payments sent to the old account are redirected to the new one.

That's the clean version.

The messy version is that not every business account sits inside the switching service, and not every business should do a full switch straight away. If you have an overdraft, merchant services, marketplace payouts, accounting bank feeds, payroll, tax Direct Debits or lending tied to the old account, you need to check those before you press the button.

Switching is easy. Switching without thinking is where problems start.

What is the Current Account Switch Service?

The Current Account Switch Service — usually shortened to CASS — is the UK account switching system run by Pay.UK.

For business accounts, it's designed to move an eligible business current account from one participating provider to another in seven working days. The service is backed by the Current Account Switch Guarantee.

In practice, this means your new bank or building society takes the lead. Once your new account is open and you request the switch, the new provider contacts the old provider, moves regular payments, transfers the closing balance and arranges for the old account to be closed.

The switch date must be a working day. Not a weekend. Not a bank holiday. You need to allow at least seven working days from the point the switch is agreed.

The important bit: CASS is a full switch. It isn't a gradual migration. Your old account closes.

If you want to keep the old account open, you aren't doing a full CASS switch. You're opening a second account and moving things manually.

Can business accounts use CASS?

Yes — but not every business.

CASS is available to smaller businesses, charities and small trusts that meet the service criteria. For businesses, the key limits are annual turnover not exceeding £6.5 million and fewer than 50 employees.

That covers a lot of UK small businesses: sole traders, limited companies, contractors, small agencies, shops, trades and local firms.

Larger businesses can still switch bank accounts, but they may need a more manual process arranged directly with the new provider.

Both the old and new account providers also need to participate in CASS. If one side is outside the scheme, you can't use the full seven-working-day service.

Which business banks support CASS?

Plenty of mainstream business account providers are listed for business switching.

Examples include Starling, Monzo, Tide provided by ClearBank, NatWest, Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC, Santander, Zempler, Co-operative Bank, Unity Trust Bank and several others.

That doesn't mean every product, account type or edge case is automatically eligible. Always check the official CASS participant list and the new provider's own switching page before relying on it.

Mettle is slightly awkward to describe because it's part of the NatWest group rather than always appearing as a separate named participant in the same way as some standalone banks. If you're switching to or from Mettle, check the exact route in the app or with Mettle/NatWest before assuming a full CASS switch is available.

This is also where e-money and specialist providers matter.

Wise, ANNA, Revolut Business, Airwallex and other international or e-money-style accounts shouldn't be assumed to support a full CASS business switch. Some may offer manual switching guidance. Some may be better used as second accounts rather than replacement current accounts.

If you're choosing between app-first UK banks, our Tide vs Starling business account guide may help before you switch.

The simple switching process

A normal CASS business switch looks like this:

1. Choose the new business account
2. Apply and pass the new provider's onboarding checks
3. Confirm that both providers support CASS for your account type
4. Download your old statements
5. Request the switch through the new provider
6. Choose a switch date at least seven working days away
7. Avoid setting up new payments on the old account during the seven-working-day switch window
8. Let the new provider handle the old account closure and payment transfer
9. Check everything after the switch completes

The temptation is to skip step four. Don't.

Your old transaction history doesn't move through CASS. The balance moves. Regular payments move. Saved payees move. Statements and historical transaction data don't magically appear inside the new bank.

Download what you need before the account closes.

For a limited company, that usually means keeping enough records for your accountant, Corporation Tax, VAT if registered, payroll if relevant, and any future HMRC questions. If you've just incorporated and are still choosing your first account, start with business bank account for a new limited company instead.

What moves automatically?

A full CASS switch should move the practical banking pieces most people worry about.

That includes:

• Your closing balance
• Direct Debits
• Standing orders
• Regular incoming payments
• Regular outgoing payments
• Saved payees
• Payment redirection from the old account

Payments sent to the old account are redirected to the new account. The originator is also sent a message with the new account details so they can update their records.

That's useful if a client forgets to update your bank details after you change invoices.

It's also useful if a supplier tries to collect a Direct Debit using the old details.

But "automatic" doesn't mean "never check". After the switch completes, log in and review your important payments manually.

What doesn't move automatically?

This is the bit most business owners underestimate.

CASS doesn't move everything around your banking life.

You still need to deal with:

• Old statements and transaction history
• Accounting software bank feeds
• Open Banking permissions
• Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Amazon or marketplace payout details
• GoCardless, Worldpay, Square or card terminal settlement accounts
• Invoice templates
• Payment links
• Saved card details with suppliers
• Accountant or bookkeeper access
• Payroll software bank details
• Pension contribution details
• Finance or loan repayment arrangements
• Merchant services tied to the old bank

This is why business switching is different from personal current account switching.

A personal account might have salary, rent, broadband and a few subscriptions. A business account might sit underneath your entire operating system.

If you use Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage, reconnect your bank feed after the switch. If Xero integration is a major reason you're switching, read business bank account with Xero integration UK before choosing the new provider.

Will HMRC payments move?

Regular payment arrangements should move through the switching service. That can include Direct Debits and standing orders.

But HMRC payments are too important to leave unchecked.

After switching, log into the relevant HMRC account and check the payment details for VAT, PAYE, Corporation Tax or Self Assessment. If you pay HMRC manually by Faster Payments, update your saved payee details and make sure your payment references are still correct.

For a small business, one missed VAT or PAYE payment can create more hassle than the bank switch ever would.

So yes, CASS is designed to move regular payments. Still check HMRC yourself.

Will you lose your payment history?

No — but it won't transfer into the new bank.

That distinction matters.

Your old bank statements remain your old bank statements. CASS doesn't import years of transactions into the new provider. If you need old records, ask the old provider or download them before the account closes.

For limited companies, VAT-registered businesses and anyone with an accountant, this is non-negotiable. Keep copies somewhere sensible, not buried in a downloads folder called "statement-final-final-2.pdf".

The same goes for cheque images, old remittance details, loan statements and merchant settlement reports if your old bank provided them.

Does switching affect your credit score?

Switching itself isn't the same as taking out a loan.

But opening the new account may involve checks. If you apply for multiple business accounts in a short period, or request overdrafts and lending at the same time, that can create a different credit footprint from a simple bank switch.

The official switching guarantee is also designed to protect you if something goes wrong with payments because of the switch. If a switch error causes charges or interest, the new provider should put that right when you raise it.

The sensible version is this:

Don't panic about switching. But don't shotgun applications to five banks in the same week either.

When you shouldn't switch yet

There are times when a full switch is the wrong move.

Don't switch yet if you have an active overdraft and the new provider hasn't agreed how it will be handled. CASS can be used where an overdraft exists, but you need either a new overdraft agreed or a plan to repay the old one.

Be careful if you have a business loan, card machine, merchant services or payment gateway tied to the old bank. The bank account might be part of a wider package.

Avoid switching in the middle of payroll week. Avoid switching just before a major VAT or PAYE collection. Avoid switching when a large client payment is due and the payer is slow at updating bank details.

Also be cautious if your old bank has restricted, frozen or threatened to close the account. You may still need to move urgently, but that isn't a normal clean switch. Open the new account first and get advice if the situation is serious.

And if you rely heavily on bank feeds, test the new account's accounting integration before closing the old one.

Should you fully switch or open a second account?

A full CASS switch is best when you want a clean break.

Maybe the old bank is expensive. Maybe support is poor. Maybe the app is awful. Maybe you're moving from a high-street account to Starling, Monzo or Tide. If you're ready to leave, CASS is clean.

But sometimes a second account is better.

Open a second account if you want to:

• Test a new provider first
• Separate tax reserves from operating money
• Use Wise, Revolut Business or Airwallex for international payments
• Keep a high-street bank for cash or lending
• Avoid disrupting merchant services
• Move accounting feeds gradually
• Keep an old relationship while trying an app account

This is common for contractors and consultants. A contractor might use one account for agency receipts and tax reserves, and another for expenses or international payments. If that sounds like you, see best business account for contractors UK.

The trade-off is admin. Two accounts means more reconciliation, more bank feeds, more places for mistakes.

For simple businesses, one clean account is often better.

Business switching checklist

Before you switch, check these:

• Is the new account approved and open?
• Are both providers part of CASS for business accounts?
• Have you downloaded old statements?
• Do you have an overdraft or loan with the old bank?
• Are merchant services tied to the old account?
• Have you updated invoice templates?
• Have you checked Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Amazon and other payout accounts?
• Have you told your accountant?
• Have you reconnected your accounting bank feed?
• Have you checked HMRC Direct Debits and manual payees?
• Have you updated payroll and pension payment details?
• Have you moved any card subscriptions?
• Have you told regular clients if needed?

The official switching process does a lot. It doesn't know how your business actually runs.

That part is on you.

Our view

Use CASS if you're moving from one normal UK business current account to another and you want the old account closed.

It's clean, guaranteed and much less scary than most business owners expect.

But don't treat it like changing a phone wallpaper. Your business account may be connected to HMRC, payroll, accounting software, clients, suppliers, Stripe, Amazon, PayPal, card terminals, loans and old records.

Open the new account first. Check CASS eligibility. Download your statements. Pick a quiet switch date. Then check the important payments after the move.

The best switch isn't the fastest one. It's the one where nothing important breaks.

FAQ

How long does it take to switch a business bank account in the UK?

A full Current Account Switch Service business switch takes seven working days, as long as both the old and new providers participate and your new account is already open.

Can limited companies use the Current Account Switch Service?

Yes, eligible small limited companies can use CASS. The usual business criteria are annual turnover not exceeding £6.5 million and fewer than 50 employees.

Does CASS close my old business account?

Yes. A full CASS switch closes your old account. If you want to keep the old account open, you need a manual or partial approach instead, and you won't get the full CASS Guarantee.

Will my Direct Debits move automatically?

Regular payment arrangements such as Direct Debits and standing orders should move automatically. Still check important payments after the switch, especially HMRC, payroll, insurance and merchant services.

Will HMRC payments move when I switch business accounts?

Regular arrangements should move through CASS, but you should still check your HMRC payment setup after switching. VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax payments aren't something to leave to hope.

Can I switch if my business account is overdrawn?

Possibly, but you need an agreement with the new provider or a plan to repay the old overdraft. Don't start a full switch without checking how the overdraft will be handled.

Does switching business bank account affect credit score?

Opening a new account can involve checks, especially if you ask for borrowing. The switch itself isn't a loan, and problems caused by the switch should be corrected under the Guarantee.

Can I switch to Wise, Revolut Business or ANNA using CASS?

Don't assume so. Some e-money or international providers may not support a full CASS business switch. Check the provider's own switching process before relying on CASS.

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Sam Morris is the pen name of the founder of comparebusinessbanking.com.