Skipton Building Society

Skipton Building Society is a member-owned building society, not a bank, and it has been helping people save since 1853¹. It is the fourth largest building society in the UK². Its business is built around three things: savings accounts, ISAs and mortgages, from first-time buyer and home mover loans to Buy to Let³. It does not offer current accounts, so it is not a place for everyday banking, but it is a significant name in savings and home lending.

Taking out a mortgage with Skipton makes you a member, and Skipton says members get access to exclusive benefits⁴. Beyond its core products, Skipton offers a paid financial advice service, a free "My Money Review" for anyone who wants to talk through their savings, and support services for customers facing bereavement, financial abuse or other difficult circumstances⁵. Skipton International, a separate bank based in Guernsey, operates under its own arrangements rather than Skipton's UK ones².

What Skipton offers: savings, ISAs and mortgages

Skipton's savings range covers the main types most savers look for. Easy access accounts can be opened online, in any branch, by phone, by post or in the app, and Skipton also runs regular saver accounts for people who want to save a set amount each month¹. There are children's savings accounts, and money placed in a children's account with Skipton is protected up to a total of £120,000 per eligible person⁹. For under-18s there is a Skipton Building Society Junior Cash ISA, which can be opened and managed in branch or by post and can accept transfers in from another provider's Junior ISA¹⁰.

On the ISA side, Skipton has helped members use ISAs since 1999⁵. Its range includes easy access Cash ISAs, such as the Six Access Cash ISA Saver, which can be opened and managed online, in the app, in branch, by post or by phone, and which accepts transfers in from other ISAs held with Skipton or other providers¹¹. It also offers a Cash Lifetime ISA for 18 to 39 year olds saving towards a first home or retirement¹². Skipton says it will contact you before a fixed rate Cash ISA matures so you have time to consider your options⁵.

The tax treatment follows the standard rules. Skipton pays all non-ISA savings interest gross, meaning no tax is deducted, and all ISA interest is paid tax-free and exempt from income tax⁸. Whether you owe tax on non-ISA interest depends on your own circumstances and the personal savings allowance, not on Skipton. Skipton also offers everyone free money advice on savings through a My Money Review, described as a friendly chat where you can discuss your finances and get personal recommendations⁵.

Mortgages for first-time buyers, movers and landlords

Skipton's mortgage range covers first-time buyers, home movers, remortgaging and Buy to Let³. For first-time buyers it offers fixed rate products and a free standard valuation for mortgage purposes¹⁴. It says it supported over 26,000 first-time buyers in 2025¹⁴. Its most distinctive product is the Track Record mortgage, which Skipton describes as an industry-first range built to tackle some of the biggest barriers first-time buyers face³. On new build houses, buyers who have been renting for 12 months in a row may be eligible for a Track Record mortgage with a deposit of less than 5%, or even no deposit at all¹⁵.

The first step to applying is a Mortgage Decision in Principle (DIP). You can get one online if you are a first-time buyer taking out a new mortgage, buying your next home, or remortgaging to Skipton from another provider; if approved, you can then book an appointment with a mortgage adviser¹⁶. Existing Skipton mortgage customers who want to borrow more, or review their current mortgage, need to talk to Skipton by phone on 0345 607 9825, with details of their income and outgoings to hand¹⁶. Skipton assesses affordability using your income and spending, any existing commitments, your credit history and overall affordability¹⁷. If someone is gifting you a deposit, Skipton will tell you what evidence it accepts before you apply¹⁷. For new build applications, Skipton aims to underwrite within 48 hours¹⁵.

Skipton also supports the government's First Homes schemes in England and Scotland, including options that only need a 5% deposit, and for eligible Shared Ownership and First Homes buyers it lends up to 95% loan to value on both new build houses and flats¹⁸. If you already have a Skipton mortgage and are moving home, you may be able to port your mortgage to a new property, and Skipton has partnered with Phil Spencer's Move iQ to explain how porting works¹⁹. If you want to let your property, you can apply for consent to let²⁰. As with any mortgage, if you do not keep up with your mortgage payments, you could lose your home¹⁹.

Two things are worth knowing before you use these services. Mortgage valuations and home surveys are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority¹⁴, and nor are Skipton's Home Conveyancing service or most Buy to Let mortgages⁴. This does not stop you using them, but it means some protections that apply to regulated mortgage advice do not extend to them.

Remortgaging and switching to a new Skipton deal

If you already have a Skipton mortgage, Skipton says it will contact you a few months before your deal ends to explain your options⁴. Its switching process runs on a timetable: Skipton contacts you three months before your deal ends, telling you about your options and how to switch, and sends another reminder six weeks before the deal ends if it has not heard from you²¹. When you are three months away, you can choose your new deal and secure the rate, and you will not move onto it until your current deal ends⁴. Skipton suggests starting to think about your next mortgage at least two to three months before your current deal ends, or six months ahead if you want to be well prepared⁴. When you remortgage, Skipton may ask for details of your current mortgage, proof of your income, bank statements and identification⁴.

Existing customers can also overpay. Depending on your mortgage type, there may be restrictions on the maximum amount you can overpay each year without an Early Repayment Charge, and you can usually repay a fixed percentage of your original mortgage balance per year without charge²¹. Your allowance is shown in your mortgage account summary in the Skipton app or on Skipton Online, or in your mortgage offer²². Overpayments can be made as a lump sum card payment by calling 0345 850 1711, by bank transfer, by increasing your Direct Debit, or by standing order²³. Skipton's overpayments calculator, which it says is for illustrative purposes only, shows what your monthly payments could be, the interest you could save, and any reduction in your mortgage term²². Depending on your circumstances and mortgage terms, having made overpayments could make you eligible for a mortgage payment holiday²³.

If you are struggling, Skipton can change the variable rates it controls: its mortgage terms state it can reduce such a rate at any time, for any reason²⁴. Borrowing membership ends if you redeem your mortgage in full, or if Skipton sells or takes possession of the property²⁴.

Financial advice: charged as a share of what you invest

Skipton has offered a financial advice service for over 35 years²⁵. The advice is what is called Restricted advice: Skipton's advisers recommend from a limited range rather than the whole market²⁴. The initial consultation is free, so you can find out whether advice is right for you before committing to anything²⁵.

If you go ahead, the charge is worked out as a percentage of your initial investment, and Skipton provides three levels of advice depending on your needs, with the charge rising for more complex situations²⁵. Because the percentages and levels can change, check Skipton's own financial advice pages for the current figures before you book. Skipton also offers retirement planning advice for people who have already retired²⁶, and a free My Money Review for savings questions, which Skipton describes as:

Skipton describes its My Money Review as "a friendly chat where you can discuss your finances, ask questions - and get personal recommendations"¹³.

Paying in and when interest starts

There are several ways to pay into a Skipton savings account, and when interest starts depends on how the money arrives. You can pay in using a debit card in any branch or by calling Skipton²⁷. Skipton is part of the Faster Payments network, so payments from most UK banks are applied to your account within 2 hours of being sent, regardless of the day or time²⁷. Faster Payments sent on a weekend or bank holiday, or after the evening cut-off, which is typically 6pm, arrive the next business day, and interest starts then²⁷. Electronic payments by Faster Payments, Bacs and CHaps accrue interest from the day Skipton receives them²⁸.

A few practical rules apply. Cheque withdrawals against cheques paid in can be made on the fourth business day including the day of deposit, and Skipton does not accept non-sterling cheques or foreign currency²⁷. For regular payments from another UK bank or building society, you complete a Standing Order Mandate Form and return it to the bank sending the money²⁷. For payments from overseas you will need Skipton's IBAN and Swift code, and the payment reference is your 9-digit Skipton account number²⁷. Payments can be made into your account with just your account number by someone paying in on your behalf: they are given a receipt, Skipton sends you a letter and receipt, and if a passbook is used Skipton posts it back within three business days²⁷.

On the way out, any electronic withdrawal from a savings account must go to a UK bank or building society account in your own name, and you can have up to 2 nominated accounts in your own name²⁹. Accounts opened online can generally only be withdrawn from through Skipton Online or the Skipton app, with your extra layer of security registered²⁹.

Banking with Skipton: branches, phone, online and the app

Skipton is primarily a savings and mortgage business, so day-to-day banking means branches, the phone, Skipton Online and the Skipton app rather than a current account. The main savings line is 0345 850 1722, and the remortgaging team is on 0345 850 1711³⁰. Skipton's mortgage support line was reported in September 2023 as operating Monday to Thursday 8am to 6pm, Friday 8am to 5.30pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm³¹. Customers needing extra help can contact an Additional Support Team on 0345 266 0978³².

To use the app, you first need to sign up to Skipton's online service, Skipton Online, and then download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play³³. Once registered, you can move money between Skipton accounts in the app by selecting "Transfer and Pay" from the menu bar, choosing the account, then "Transfer between my accounts", and following the steps to enter the amount and date³⁴. You can also start an ISA transfer directly in the app by selecting "ISA Transfer"⁵. Standing orders on online accounts can be cancelled in Skipton Online under Account Details and Scheduled Transactions; for offline accounts, you need to call, visit a branch or use web chat when available²⁷.

One detail that sometimes confuses customers: Skipton uses Barclays for its banking services, so payment details may show up as Barclays²⁷. This is expected and does not mean your money has gone to a different institution.

How to open a Skipton account

How you open an account depends on the product. Easy access savings accounts can be opened online, in any branch, by calling 0345 850 1722, by post or in the app¹. Member savings accounts are opened in branch, and Skipton recommends calling 0345 850 1722 first to set up an appointment⁷. The Six Access Cash ISA Saver can be opened and managed through Skipton Online, in the app, in branch, by post or by phone¹¹. The Junior Cash ISA is opened in branch, with an appointment recommended, or by post¹⁰.

Before you can apply for a mortgage or open a savings account, Skipton conducts checks to verify your identity, which it uses to help prevent fraud and money laundering³⁵. The checks are not necessary if you are already a Skipton mortgage or savings customer³⁶. When paying in at a branch you may be asked for identification, and Skipton may need to see photographic ID for cash payments into an online account²⁷.

Complaints and extra support

The quickest route for most problems is Skipton's main line, 0345 850 1722, or a visit to a branch³⁰. For customers in vulnerable situations, Skipton's support includes reviewing payments, resetting login details, updating contact details, sending statements to a different address, explaining joint account options, opening a new account in your name only, help with mortgage debts, longer phone appointments or a separate safe room in branches, and signposting to other organisations³⁸. There is also an online call-back form that lets you say when and how Skipton can safely contact you³⁸. For customers experiencing economic abuse, Skipton's Additional Support Team can be reached on 0345 266 0978³².

If a complaint cannot be settled with Skipton directly, and you are eligible, you may be able to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, the free and independent body that rules on disputes between consumers and financial firms. More on your rights when things go wrong is in our guide to consumer protection.

Bereavement and Power of Attorney: managing someone else's account

When someone dies, what happens to their Skipton accounts depends on the balance and how the account is held. On a joint savings account, control passes automatically to the surviving holder or holders once Skipton has registered the death³⁶. Payments from savings accounts held only in the deceased person's name are frozen once Skipton is told about the death³⁶. Skipton can release funds for funeral expenses if there is enough money in the account, and can release any amount shown on an HMRC IHT423 form, even if that closes the account³⁶.

The paperwork depends on how much was held with Skipton:

• £5,000 or less: Skipton can accept an "Account Closure up to £5,000" form. If the personal representative is not a direct relative, they will need a Statutory Declaration administered by a solicitor, Commissioner of Oaths or conveyancer³⁶.
• Over £5,000 and below £50,000: Skipton accepts an "Account Closure (over £5,000 and below £50,000)" form³⁶.
• £50,000 or more: the executor will need a Grant of Representation³⁶.

For savings accounts totalling less than £5,000, and for mortgage accounts, Skipton may accept a scanned and emailed copy of the death certificate³⁶. On mortgages, a bereavement payment freeze can be offered in some instances to keep the account out of arrears, and if a sole borrower's mortgage is not repaid in full within twelve months, Skipton expects to have been contacted and steps being taken³⁶. The tax-free status of a deceased customer's cash ISA can continue until the earlier of the estate administration completing, the ISA closing, or three years after the date of death³⁶. Two practical warnings from Skipton: if the property is empty for more than 30 days, most buildings insurance will stop³⁶, and money from a buildings insurance claim must be used to repair or rebuild the property unless Skipton says otherwise, with the borrower holding insurer money on trust for Skipton²⁴. Wills made through Skipton's current Will service are administered by Redstone Wills; wills under the old service, provided by Irwin Mitchell, are handled by calling 0345 266 1209³⁶. If you are applying for a Bereavement Support Payment, you will need your bank or building society account details³⁸.

Skipton does not currently offer Power of Attorney services or Power of Attorney advice, though it signposts other options¹³.

How your money is protected

Skipton Building Society is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme²⁰. Eligible deposits are protected up to a total of £120,000 per eligible person⁷, and this limit covers everything you hold with Skipton together, including children's savings accounts⁹. Arranging residential mortgages is covered up to the same £120,000 maximum²⁰. You can check Skipton's current status yourself on the FCA Register.

Skipton also applies its own security measures. Accounts are protected by several layers of authentication unique to you, online sessions expire automatically after inactivity, and access is locked after a certain number of failed attempts³⁵. When you log into Skipton Online you see an image you chose at registration, so you can confirm the site is genuine³⁵. Pages displaying or collecting personal data are encrypted, Skipton's systems are tested regularly by specialist external security organisations, and if it needs to contact you online it uses secure messaging on your account rather than putting details in emails³⁵. It also conducts transaction monitoring to prevent and detect money laundering and fraud³⁵.

Sister brand note: Skipton International is a separate bank based in Guernsey, and it operates under its own arrangements rather than Skipton's UK deposit protection².