Shawbrook

Shawbrook is a UK savings and lending bank that works almost entirely online and by phone rather than through a branch network. It is best known for personal savings: easy access accounts, notice accounts, fixed rate bonds and cash ISAs, with fixed rate cash ISA terms running from 1 to 7 years¹. It also lends: personal loans and point of sale finance for purchases such as weddings, and mortgages sold through its specialist brands The Mortgage Lender and Bluestone². The bank states it is trusted by over 300,000 savers holding £17.5 billion in deposits¹.

Shawbrook is a UK savings and lending bank, offering a range of savings accounts including ISAs, instant access and fixed term options, alongside personal loans, mortgages and business finance³. Savings customers number over 300,000, with £17.5 billion in deposits⁵. Eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £120,000 per person, or £240,000 for joint accounts⁶.

Shawbrook savings accounts: easy access, notice, fixed rate bonds and cash ISAs

Shawbrook's personal savings range covers the main types most savers look for. Its savings calculator and account pages let you filter by easy access accounts, notice savings accounts, fixed rate accounts and cash ISAs⁶. The range fits the general pattern of the UK savings market, which offers ISAs, instant access and fixed term options⁹.

Easy access accounts are designed for money you may want to reach quickly. Shawbrook's Bonus Easy Access and Easy Access Plus accounts are currently not available to existing customers; they are for new customers only¹⁰. Notice accounts sit in between: you give notice before withdrawing, and the range sits alongside easy access and fixed rate accounts in Shawbrook's savings filters¹¹. Fixed rate bonds lock your money in for a set term, and the fixed rate range includes bonds with terms of up to 7 years, which can be opened as individual or joint accounts¹².

Cash ISAs come as fixed rate accounts with terms ranging from 1 to 7 years¹⁴. You can open multiple Shawbrook cash ISAs per year, which is unusual: many providers allow only one cash ISA per tax year¹⁶. Shawbrook accepts transfers in from both Cash ISAs and Stocks and Shares ISAs¹⁸. At maturity you can withdraw your balance, transfer into a new Shawbrook account, or move the money to another provider; if you give no instructions, the funds move automatically into a Matured Funds account earning a variable rate, which Shawbrook confirms to you in writing¹⁴.

Joint accounts are available across the range: you select "joint" as the applicant type during the application, and both holders can then manage the account over the phone or through online banking¹⁹. For a wider explanation of how these account types compare, see our guide to savings accounts and our guide to ISAs.

How Shawbrook pays interest and handles withdrawals

Interest on Shawbrook savings accounts is calculated daily. On fixed rate bonds it is paid on the anniversary of the date your first deposit is received, and on selected accounts you can choose to receive interest monthly or yearly²⁰. On the Fixed Rate Cash ISA, interest can be paid monthly or annually, and either added to your savings so you earn interest on your interest, or paid out directly¹⁴.

Withdrawals are always made to your linked account, the nominated UK account you give when you apply. Shawbrook cannot issue payments to a third party, so money can only ever go back to an account in your name¹⁸. For easy access accounts, a withdrawal request made online (excluding secure messages) before 9:30pm, or by phone before 2:30pm, on a working day reaches your linked account on the next working day⁷.

ISA transfers work on their own timetable. Transfers between Shawbrook ISAs requested by secure message are aimed at completion within 5 working days, while transfers carried out under the ISA transfer process may take up to 15 working days¹⁸. Because Shawbrook does not offer flexible ISAs, money taken out of a cash ISA and paid back in later does not regain its allowance, so the transfer route matters if you are moving ISA money between providers¹⁸.

No fees on Shawbrook savings, but early exit charges on fixed ISAs

Shawbrook does not apply maintenance or transaction charges to its personal savings products¹. Its help pages state the same thing plainly: "We don't apply fees or charges to our personal savings products."⁷

The exception is early access to money in a fixed rate cash ISA. Easy access accounts carry no early exit charges and allow withdrawals at any point¹⁰. Fixed Rate Cash ISAs allow withdrawals before maturity, but these are subject to an early exit charge, which is a deduction from interest¹⁰. The mechanics are set out on the 7 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA page: the charge is taken first from interest earned but not yet credited to the account, and then from the account funds themselves if the interest does not cover it¹⁵. Shawbrook's general guidance puts the same point another way: if you withdraw funds from an ISA before the end of the agreed term or notice period, there may be a penalty to pay⁷.

For today's rates and the current early exit charge terms, check the account pages on Shawbrook's own website, as this site carries no product rates.

Shawbrook personal loans and point of sale finance

Shawbrook's lending to consumers runs on two tracks. The first is point of sale finance: an unsecured loan taken out through one of Shawbrook's approved partners to spread the cost of larger purchases, with a wedding loan one example of the type²¹. These loans are not secured on your property or on the item you bought²³. If something goes wrong with the goods or services you financed, Shawbrook has a help route for that, covered under complaints below²².

The second track is direct personal loans. Shawbrook is no longer offering personal loans to new customers, but existing agreements are unaffected: there is no change to your agreement, your loan account continues to be serviced in the usual way, and customer services support remains available²⁴. Interest on personal loans is calculated daily but applied monthly, and Shawbrook does not offer payment holidays on them²⁵.

Applications for point of sale finance are made through partners rather than by phone. If you applied online with one of Shawbrook's partners, you receive an e-signature pack rather than postal documentation; if you signed a paper agreement, you were given a copy of the Credit Agreement at the point of sale and receive a welcome letter in the post²⁶. Shawbrook uses Equifax and TransUnion (formerly Callcredit) as its credit reference agencies²⁶. For how personal loans work generally, see our guide to loans, and for how lenders use your file, our guide to credit scores.

Shawbrook mortgages through The Mortgage Lender and Bluestone

Shawbrook's retail mortgage offering is delivered through its specialist brands The Mortgage Lender and Bluestone Mortgages, which Shawbrook describes as integral parts of its specialist lending operation². Its lending is aimed at borrowers often underserved by mainstream lenders: the self-employed, contractors and freelancers; borrowers with credit blips, CCJs, IVAs, bankruptcy or debt relief orders; buy-to-let landlords; and first-time buyers with non-traditional income². Shawbrook's stated approach is to look beyond the credit score to understand the full picture².

Alongside residential mortgages, Shawbrook offers property finance including bridging loans. These have no minimum income requirement, no minimum term or interest period, no early repayment charges, and accept most property types including complex residential or commercial²⁷. Interest on a bridging loan can be rolled up or paid monthly²⁷. Brokers Shawbrook refers you to will not, in most circumstances, charge a broker fee for buy-to-let, commercial and bridging enquiries, though a fee may apply for complicated ownership structures or ex-pat customers²⁷.

Existing mortgage customers are served directly. First charge mortgage terms and conditions came with your original loan documents and can be resent on request²⁸. Second charge mortgages are no longer offered: Shawbrook cannot offer a new fixed rate on them, though existing loans continue and can be settled at any time²⁹. A second charge mortgage is a capital and interest loan²⁹. Shawbrook cannot remove a borrower from an existing first charge mortgage; doing so requires a new mortgage with another lender and full repayment of the Shawbrook loan, though Court Order cases are reviewed on request²⁸. For background, see our guide to mortgages.

Opening and funding a Shawbrook savings account

Savings applications are made online, and Shawbrook describes the process as taking minutes: you select the account you want and apply on its website¹. Joint accounts are opened by selecting "joint" as the applicant type on the application journey¹⁹. Once open, accounts can be operated online or by telephone¹³.

Every new account has a funding window. Easy access accounts and fixed rate bonds must be funded within 28 days of opening, and Shawbrook will close the account if it remains unfunded by then⁷. An Easy Access Cash ISA gets longer: 90 days⁷. The Easy Access Cash ISA is one of Shawbrook's named products, covered on its own page elsewhere on this site.

Deposits and withdrawals run through the linked account you nominate at application, and ISA transfers in are accepted from Cash ISAs and Stocks and Shares ISAs¹⁸. If your account has a Power of Attorney on it, Shawbrook cannot set up online access for you, so the account has to be managed by phone³¹.

Managing an existing Shawbrook loan: which number to call

Shawbrook uses two loan helplines, split by the date the loan started. For loans taken before 13 December 2021, call 0345 650 6290; for loans taken on or after 13 December 2021, call 0333 003 0260⁸. The same split applies whether your loan is a personal loan or point of sale finance³².

A few firm rules apply to existing loans. Shawbrook does not offer additional borrowing on an existing loan; you may be able to apply for a separate personal loan instead, but applications cannot be made by phone and go through the website or its partners⁸. A Shawbrook loan cannot be transferred to another person³⁴. Payment holidays are not offered on personal loans²⁵. If you want to settle a loan early, Shawbrook has a settlement process for both personal loans and point of sale loans³³.

If you are struggling with payments, contacting the lender does not itself harm your credit record. The Financial Ombudsman Service states that "Discussing your options won't have any impact on your credit file" when you contact your lender about difficulty while up to date with payments³⁵, and support options under the Mortgage Charter do not affect your credit score³⁶. Shawbrook runs a money worries support line for first charge mortgage customers on 03456 506 288, open weekdays with reduced Friday hours of 8am to 2pm and closed Sundays and public holidays²⁸. For wider help, see our guide to debt.

Complaints, disputes and motor finance commission claims

Complaints can be made through Shawbrook's contact page, by email to CustomerResolution@shawbrook.co.uk, or by post to the Complaints team at Floor 10, 40 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 2BJ³⁷. Under the usual complaint-handling rules, Shawbrook normally has to give a final response within 8 weeks³⁷.

If you financed goods or services through point of sale or partner finance and something went wrong, you can raise a dispute with Shawbrook if the goods or services were not received or were not as described, if installation was not completed with reasonable care and skill, or if the items developed a fault. Shawbrook asks for a covering letter with the full details of your claim, the documents you received at the point of sale, and its complaints form³⁷.

Motor finance commission complaints run on an extended timetable. Shawbrook has until 31 May 2026 to provide its final response to complaints about commission on regulated motor finance agreements, and until 29 January 2026 for complaints about leasing arrangements³⁷. If your final response was sent between 21 June 2024 and 29 January 2026, you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman until the later of 29 July 2026 or 15 months from the response letter; for responses sent on or after 30 January 2026, the usual six-month limit applies³⁷. Complaints made through a claims management company are treated as if you raised them yourself, but the company may charge you a fee, whereas complaining to Shawbrook directly is free³⁷.

The volume behind these deadlines is real. The Financial Ombudsman Service processed 21,500 new complaints about motor finance commission across all financial products in Q1 2025/26, down from 36,000 in the final three months of 2024/25³⁸, and by Q3 2025/26 it received 400 new complaints, down from 2,200 in Q2 2025/26 and 14,400 in the same period a year earlier, while resolving 7,100 complaints, mainly about fixed commission³⁹.

Bereavement and power of attorney

When a Shawbrook customer dies, the bank works with the Death Notification Service (DNS): the service lets Shawbrook know, and the bank then checks for accounts held across its product range, updates them, and gets in touch about next steps⁴⁰. You can also notify Shawbrook directly by emailing a copy of the death certificate to bereavement@shawbrook.co.uk, or by posting the death certificate and the account holder's details to its Bereavement Team⁴⁰. In most cases the account can be transferred or closed, and Shawbrook can arrange to pay funeral costs directly from the account⁴⁰. The same DNS arrangement covers Shawbrook loans, point of sale loans and second charge mortgages³³.

Bereavement support of this kind is a recognised standard across service industries. Ofwat's Paying Fair guidelines, for example, set out that companies should have clear and simple website advice on how to report a death, an agreed timeframe for responding to bereavement enquiries, a bereavement customer care team, a direct contact channel and standardised paperwork⁴¹. Official guidance also notes that bereavement services help relatives access any other benefits they may be entitled to because of the bereavement⁴².

Power of attorney works differently. If a Shawbrook savings account has a Power of Attorney on it, the bank cannot set up online access for that account, so it must be managed by phone instead³¹. This is a practical limit worth knowing before you apply, as it affects how the account is run for as long as the power of attorney is in place.

How your money with Shawbrook is protected

Eligible deposits with Shawbrook are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The FSCS covers eligible deposits up to £120,000 per person, across all accounts you hold with Shawbrook, and joint accounts are protected up to £240,000⁶. Protection applies per banking licence, not per account: all your Shawbrook savings, including cash ISAs, count together towards the one limit⁶.

If Shawbrook could not return deposits, the FSCS would compensate eligible depositors automatically up to the limit. Beyond deposits, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at complaints about the bank's products and service, free of charge to the consumer, within six months of a final response letter³⁷. For more on these protections, see our guide to consumer protection, and for the wider banking landscape, our list of banks and building societies.