AIB (NI)

AIB (NI) is a full-service personal bank in Northern Ireland, known until recent years as First Trust Bank. Its core product is the Classic Current Account, a personal current account for everyday banking, and around that it offers savings and deposits, personal loans, credit cards, mortgages and insurance¹. It also runs accounts aimed at students and graduates, and it is a significant mortgage lender in Northern Ireland, including lending for shared ownership through Co-Ownership. Its head office is at 92 Ann Street, Belfast³.

For everyday banking, AIB (NI) current accounts offer free daily banking, with no transactional fees or charges as long as you keep your account in credit³. The bank operates through branches, an app, online banking and a phoneline, and it is a member of the Current Account Switch Service, so moving your account to it follows the same guaranteed process as anywhere else in the UK. Money held with the bank is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and because AIB (NI) and Allied Irish Bank (GB) share one banking licence, eligible deposits across both brands count together towards one protection limit rather than one each⁴.

What AIB (NI) offers: current accounts, savings, loans, credit cards and mortgages

The AIB (NI) Classic Current Account is the bank's main personal account, described by the bank as offering "the freedom and flexibility to manage all" your day-to-day money¹. It comes with a Visa debit card, and charges may apply for using your card abroad¹. Alongside the Classic Account the bank offers a Graduate Account for recent graduates, with an interest-free arranged overdraft facility subject to status and associated benefits that run for a maximum of three years from opening, after which the account converts to a Classic Account with the same account details⁹. There is also a Student Account for young people aged 12 to 18, one of the accounts on which the bank pays credit interest, alongside the Junior Saver Account³.

On the savings side, AIB (NI) publishes its savings options on its own website, and the range sits within the wider savings accounts market; if you are comparing accounts, the tax treatment of interest is covered in our guide to ISAs. For borrowing, the bank offers fixed rate personal loans, which can now be applied for directly from its mobile banking app⁶, and credit cards. Its student credit card, the AIB Student Mastercard, is available to current account holders¹⁰. Cards in general work as set out in our credit cards guide, and borrowing of any kind affects your credit score.

AIB (NI) is also a mortgage lender, with products for first-time buyers, home movers, people switching their mortgage from another lender, self-build projects and buyers using Co-Ownership, Northern Ireland's shared ownership scheme. Mortgages are covered in detail in the sections below, and the general mechanics are explained in our mortgages and home buying guides. The bank also has a safe deposit box service, but this is only available to existing customers who already use safe-deposit facilities³. Where the bank sells insurance it does not itself underwrite, the policy documents name who provides the cover; how protection insurance works generally is covered in our insurance and protection guides.

How AIB (NI) current account charges and overdrafts work

The headline rule is simple: AIB (NI) current accounts offer free daily banking, with no transactional fees or charges once you keep your account in credit³. Charges arise mainly when the account goes overdrawn. If your account goes overdrawn during the month, you may have to pay overdraft charges or support fees¹. There is no arrangement fee for setting up an overdraft on the Classic Account¹.

An arranged overdraft is one you agree with the bank in advance. If you use the agreed arranged overdraft facility, you may pay debit interest and a monthly fee depending on the type of current account you hold, and the amount of interest is calculated on the daily overdrawn balance and charged monthly¹¹. Other fees and charges apply if you exceed the agreed facility or if a payment is unpaid¹¹. This is the standard shape of overdraft charging across the market: as independent guidance for Northern Ireland consumers puts it, "If you overdraw from your account, the bank will charge you interest on a daily basis and can ask that the overdraft is" cleared on demand¹².

An unarranged overdraft, where you go overdrawn without an agreed facility, is more expensive territory. The bank may unpay direct debits, cheques and payments where you go into an unarranged overdraft, and this means you will have extra fees¹³. In rare cases where the account enters an unarranged overdraft and a payment cannot be returned, for example an offline transaction on a flight, the bank states that no additional charges will be applied³. The bank sends text alerts if your account goes into an unarranged overdraft, if items cannot be covered, if fees are due or if the account is overdrawn, and an arranged overdraft alert is sent if the account is using or will use the arranged overdraft that day¹¹.

To see what going overdrawn would cost you before it happens, AIB (NI) provides an online Cost Calculator. You enter the amount you would be overdrawn, your arranged overdraft limit, which can be zero, and the number of days in a row you want to be overdrawn for that amount, and the tool tells you the cost¹³. Today's interest rates and fees are set out in the bank's Personal Price List, which is the document to check for current figures³. If you hold a Student+ or Graduate Account, some occasional fees listed in the price list do not apply to you³.

AIB (NI) mortgages: first-time buyers, movers, switchers, self-build and Co-Ownership

AIB (NI) lends across the main mortgage categories in Northern Ireland: first-time buyers, home movers, people remortgaging to it from another lender, self-build, and buyers using Co-Ownership. For first-time buyers the bank states that "All our Residential Mortgages are now portable", meaning that if you move home during the mortgage term you can take the mortgage with you rather than paying it off and starting again¹⁴. For switchers, home movers and first-time buyers the bank offers a free valuation, and for remortgages it offers free legal fees using a bank-nominated solicitor¹⁵.

Two conditions apply across the range. First, "Loans are granted subject to an appraisal of the applicant's financial standing"¹⁴, so an offer depends on the bank's assessment of your finances. Second, "Your mortgage will be secured against the mortgaged property. Other security may be required"¹⁴. The bank also reserves the right to withdraw or amend products at any time¹⁴, so a product you see advertised may not be available by the time you apply. Current rates are published on the bank's own mortgage interest rates page, and the bank's website carries the figures for today; this site carries no rates.

AIB (NI) lends across the main mortgage categories: mortgages for first time buyers, home movers and switchers, self-build mortgages, green mortgage rates, interest-only mortgages, mortgages for existing customers, and lending for shared ownership through Co-Ownership¹⁶. Self-build mortgages are available for properties based in Northern Ireland only¹⁷, and the bank works with NI Co Ownership Housing Association on its shared ownership lending¹⁶. How mortgages work generally, including the trade-offs between fixed and variable rates and what a mortgage term means, is covered in our mortgages guide, and the process of buying a home in Northern Ireland in home buying.

Who can get an AIB (NI) mortgage

There is no single published eligibility checklist, but the bank's own mortgage pages set the framework. Lending is subject to an appraisal of your financial standing, and the mortgage is secured against the property, with other security possibly required¹⁴. The bank's mortgage calculator works within a defined mortgage amount range, which is stated on its mortgage pages¹⁵, so very small or very large loans fall outside its standard offering. Beyond the bank's own rules, mortgage lending generally depends on your income, outgoings, deposit and credit history, which is covered in our credit scores guide.

For self-build and Co-Ownership cases the assessment is more involved, because the security is either a property not yet built or a share of a property. Co-Ownership is Northern Ireland's shared ownership scheme, in which you buy a share of a home and rent the rest from the scheme; a mortgage for a Co-Ownership purchase is a mortgage on your share. The practical starting point is a mortgage appointment with the bank, at which it appraises your financial standing and confirms what it can lend¹⁴. Because the bank can withdraw or amend products at any time¹⁴, what is available, and on what terms, is confirmed only at application.

Banking with AIB (NI): branches, cash machines, app, online and phone

AIB (NI) operates a branch network across Northern Ireland alongside its digital services. Online Banking is available from 7am until 3am, 365 days a year⁶, with online services potentially unavailable between 03:00 and 07:00 daily for essential maintenance⁷. The Mobile Banking App can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play, and to use it you need to be registered for Online and Phoneline Banking⁶. Through the app you can pay bills and transfer funds to any UK account, subject to payment limits, and you can apply for a fixed rate personal loan directly from the app⁶.

The app also handles card problems: you can report a debit or credit card lost or stolen, order a replacement, keep or request a new PIN, and freeze or unfreeze a card⁶. Some tasks remain branch or phoneline only: the bank's service quality information notes that setting up a standing order through internet banking is not possible and requires a card reader⁷, and opening a Graduate Account means calling into your local AIB branch⁹. For guidance on banking in Northern Ireland more broadly, including alternatives such as credit unions, which offer savings accounts, loans, foreign exchange and, at some, current accounts, see the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland and our guide to credit unions.

Opening an AIB (NI) account or switching to it

Some AIB (NI) accounts are opened in branch: the Graduate Account, for example, is opened by calling into your local AIB branch⁹. For current accounts generally, the bank runs switching offers for new customers, with eligibility conditions: its switch and save offer is limited to new AIB (NI) Classic Account customers, over 18s and Northern Ireland residents only, and terms, conditions and restrictions apply¹. The current figures for any switching offer are on the bank's own site.

Switching itself follows the UK-wide Current Account Switch Service, which closes your old account and moves your payments across. AIB (NI) states that if anything goes wrong with the switch, "as soon as we are told, we will refund any interest (paid or lost) and charges made on either your old or new current accounts as a result of this failure"⁹. How the service works, and what happens to direct debits and salary, is covered in our current accounts guide. If a poor credit history makes a standard account hard to get, a basic bank account is an alternative; free, impartial guidance on these is available from MoneyHelper.

Sending money abroad and using your card outside the UK

To send an international payment from an AIB (NI) account, you need the receiver's International Bank Account Number (IBAN) and Bank Identifier Code (BIC), which the receiver can obtain from their bank, together with the receiver's full address details¹⁸. Charges apply for sending an international payment¹⁸. On your statement, outgoing SEPA and international payments appear with a payment reference in the format FTXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, and where a processing fee is associated with an outgoing payment it is posted as a separate debit on your account ledger, appearing as a "PYMT FEE" line with a pricing code from the bank's international payments price list¹⁹. The fee for incoming international payments is also posted as a separate debit on your ledger¹⁹.

Using your card outside the UK is a separate matter from transfers. When using your card to pay in a currency other than sterling, currency conversion fees and cash advance fees may apply¹⁸, and the Classic Account's terms likewise note that charges may apply for using your Visa debit card abroad¹. The current fee levels are in the bank's price list. One market-wide point is worth knowing: the caps on card interchange fees that used to apply across Europe no longer cover consumer cross-border card payments between the UK and the EU where either the acquirer or the issuer is based outside UK jurisdiction, which can feed through into the costs of using a UK card abroad²⁰. Our money abroad and money transfers guides cover the options, including specialist transfer services. If you want foreign currency notes, AIB (NI) will only buy or sell them from existing AIB (NI) customers¹⁸.

If you are struggling with repayments or persistent credit card debt

AIB (NI) publishes guidance for customers worried about payments, including a budgeting tool and a free government benefits calculator to check whether you may be entitled to extra support². Its advice is to start by listing essential spending, such as mortgages or rent, loans, car and travel, gas, electricity and phone, and insurance, then average out other essentials such as food and clothing, social and entertainment, and credit card bills, and allow for unplanned expenses such as home and car repairs and family events².

For credit cards, there is a formal process for persistent debt, which is where the cost of your repayments is not reducing the balance. AIB (NI) states: "We will initially contact you when you are in persistent debt for 18 months"²¹. After 36 months, the bank will be in touch again²¹. If you do not take action, the bank states that "we may have to suspend your credit card, which could impact your ability to obtain credit fac"ilities in the future²¹.

For mortgage difficulties, AIB Group (UK) p.l.c., including AIB (NI) and Allied Irish Bank (GB), is a signatory to the Mortgage Charter, the industry commitment on how lenders treat borrowers struggling with mortgage payments²². The Financial Ombudsman also oversees how lenders handle mortgage arrears and what they may charge¹⁶. Free, confidential help is available in Northern Ireland: Advice NI "provides free, confidential help and advice for anyone struggling to deal with money and debt"²³, and its Debt Action service can advise on a range of debt solutions including debt management plans, bankruptcy, individual voluntary arrangements and debt relief orders¹⁷. Advice NI's Business Debt Service supports the self-employed with business debts, including tax matters and court proceedings²⁴, and StepChange Debt Charity has guidance for people whose debt problems are tied to long-term sickness²⁵. Our debt guide sets out the options and your rights in full.

Scams and fraud: how AIB (NI) contacts you and how to report it

AIB (NI)'s security centre sets out how to report fraud and the common frauds and threats, and it is blunt about one rule: "DON'T give your card or pin to another person to use, this can result in fraud claims being declined"²⁶. It also warns: "DON'T disclose codes from your Card Reader OR the full five digits of your Personal Access Code (PAC) to anyone"²⁶. The bank will never ask you to move money to a "safe account", and any call, text or email pressing you to do so is a scam, whoever it claims to be from. The bank publishes information on its performance under the mandatory reimbursement requirement for authorised push payment scams, with earlier performance in the Payment Systems Regulator's APP Scams Performance Report published in February 2026²⁶.

If you have been scammed, the steps are the same whatever bank you use. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately, contact the police on 101, report the scam to the national Report Fraud service, and keep records of all contact and correspondence between you and the scammer²⁷. Report Fraud can be reached online or by telephone on 0300 123 2040²⁸, and it passes phishing emails to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau²⁹. Industry guidance for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is to contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud³⁰. If the bank will not reimburse you and you disagree with its decision, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at scams involving unauthorised payments and identity theft²⁷. Our scams and fraud guide covers the warning signs in detail.

Powers of attorney and dormant accounts

If someone needs to manage an AIB (NI) account for another person, the bank can only accept powers of attorney governed by the laws of Northern Ireland³¹. The attorney needs the original general or enduring power of attorney document, or a copy certified by a solicitor, plus two forms of identification to prove identity and residence; attorneys not resident in the UK must also provide two separate forms of proof of address³¹. An attorney, or someone appointed under a court order, may be able to access the account holder's account information online³¹. The bank has a dedicated support helpline for these matters on 0345 646 0318, open Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00 excluding bank holidays³¹. Choosing someone to handle your money for you is a step anyone can take in advance, as independent guidance explains²⁵.

Accounts that fall out of use follow a set process. AIB (NI) is a member of the Dormant Accounts Assets Scheme, which uses money in dormant accounts to benefit causes throughout Northern Ireland⁵. If all of your accounts become dormant, the bank will move the balance into the scheme, and it will try to contact you in advance of your account being transferred⁵. The money remains yours to reclaim: you complete a Dormant Account Claim Form and bring it to your nearest branch or business centre with identification and an old statement, passbook or other supporting documentation⁵. Someone reclaiming on behalf of another person presents the same items, and if reclaiming for a deceased individual, a death certificate or grant of probate⁵. If you have lost track of an old account anywhere in the UK, My Lost Account is a free service that can help find bank accounts that have not been used for three years or more³².

Service quality, complaints and FSCS protection for your money

AIB (NI) publishes service quality information covering how quickly it answers the phone, how it handles complaints and its availability across channels, including reporting a suspected fraudulent incident or transaction 24 hours a day, 7 days a week⁷. Its fraud reporting line is 0800 0391140⁷, and Customer Services is on 0345 793 0000, or +44 289 034 6034 from abroad, Monday to Sunday 9:00am to 5:00pm excluding bank holidays⁸. Large banks in the UK also publish annual service quality statistics comparing how quickly personal current account customers are served, which is worth checking alongside any bank's own claims.

If you have a complaint that AIB (NI) cannot resolve, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at it, and its decisions are binding on the bank. Complaints about fraud, scams, mortgages and most other personal banking matters all fall within its scope¹⁶. How the complaints process works step by step is covered in our consumer protection guide.

On protection, AIB (NI) participates in the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's statutory safety net for customers of failed banks⁵. Because AIB (NI) and Allied Irish Bank (GB) share one banking licence, eligible deposits held with both brands count together towards one FSCS limit rather than one each. The bank also states that where dormant balances are transferred to RFL, another participant in the scheme, "The transfer by us to RFL of your balance will not adversely affect any entitlement you have to compensation from the FSCS"⁵. FSCS protection extends beyond deposits too: it protects mortgage advice³³, and insurance claims are covered at 100% for third-party motor claims and 90% for other general insurance³⁴. What the scheme does and does not cover is set out in our consumer protection guide.