First Active savings rates — compare every account, plus switch offers and guides

Who they are

In early August 2026, NatWest Group relaunched the First Active brand as a new, completely digital savings service in the United Kingdom. The name has history: First Active plc was originally founded in Dublin in 1861 as the Workingman's Benefit Building Society, and in 2004 it was acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group - later renamed NatWest Group - and continued to operate as a separate brand until 2009 when it merged fully with Ulster Bank. Today the name is back, this time as a UK-focused digital savings proposition. First Active is a trading name of National Westminster Bank Plc (NatWest), which is part of NatWest Group, one of the UK's leading banking groups. Customers who open an account with First Active can manage their accounts via telephone support, web chat and email, but there is no in-branch support.

Savings accounts

First Active currently offers one product: an Instant Access Savings Account paying 4.55% AER variable. That headline rate includes a fixed bonus of 1.50% AER which applies for the first 12 months from account opening - you get 14 days' notice before the bonus period ends, giving you time to review your options. After the bonus drops away, the underlying rate will be lower, so it is worth keeping a note of when your 12 months are up. The account can be opened with as little as £1, and there is no requirement to be an existing NatWest customer. Rates are variable and can change at any time, so the live figures shown on this page are always the ones to go by.

FSCS protection - a key detail

Your deposits are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but there is an important nuance worth knowing about. Eligible deposits you hold across all NatWest brands, including First Active, are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 in total. First Active is a trading name of National Westminster Bank plc, so money held in a First Active savings account counts towards the same limit as money held with NatWest itself - anyone already holding a large balance with NatWest and treating First Active as a second, separately protected pot would be wrong. Ulster Bank sits on that licence too. Royal Bank of Scotland, despite the shared parent, has its own licence and is protected separately. If you already save with NatWest, check your combined balance before moving a large sum across.

Is it right for you?

First Active suits savers who are comfortable managing everything online and want a competitive easy access rate backed by a familiar banking group. The low £1 minimum makes it easy to try. The main things to weigh up are the bonus rate structure - the rate will fall after year one - and the shared FSCS licence with NatWest and Ulster Bank if you already bank with any of those brands.

Check the live rate shown on this page before you apply, as variable rates can move and the current figure is always the most up-to-date one.