YBS

YBS is the name most people use for Yorkshire Building Society, a member-owned building society that sells savings accounts, cash ISAs and mortgages. It does not offer current accounts: YBS states plainly that it does not currently have any payment accounts¹. Its savings range sits alongside a mortgage business covering first homes, home moves, remortgaging and offset mortgages².

Because it is a building society, it is owned by its members rather than shareholders, and it offers face-to-face service in locations across Great Britain as well as online and phone banking². Its savings and mortgage products are explained in the guides to savings accounts, ISAs and mortgages, and its position among UK building societies is covered in banks and building societies.

What YBS offers: savings, cash ISAs and mortgages

YBS's product range is deliberately narrow. On the savings side it offers savings accounts and cash ISAs; on the borrowing side it offers mortgages, including offset mortgages that link savings to a mortgage balance. It does not offer current accounts, credit cards, personal loans, investments or pensions, so anyone wanting those products needs a different provider. The guides to current accounts, credit cards, loans, investing and pensions cover the alternatives.

On ISAs, YBS is clear about where it stops: it only offers cash ISAs, while the wider ISA market also includes stocks and shares ISAs, Lifetime ISAs and innovative finance ISAs⁴. The Financial Ombudsman Service confirms those four types exist⁶. For the 2026/27 tax year, you can only pay into one cash ISA with YBS, so if you want to split your ISA allowance between providers, only one part of it can sit with YBS⁴.

Mortgages are the other half of the business. YBS lends to first-time buyers, home movers and remortgaging customers, and it offers offset mortgages where savings balances can be linked to the mortgage. It also runs a loyalty promotion under which eligible savings members who take out a mortgage through the advised service can receive a reward, although YBS reserves the right to cancel or amend the promotion at any time, and no reward is payable if the mortgage does not complete⁷.

YBS savings accounts and how they work

YBS savings accounts come in the main shapes the market offers, and the general guide to savings accounts explains how instant access, fixed term and notice accounts differ. Many YBS savings accounts can be opened as joint accounts, either online or in branch, and joint savers get a choice about withdrawals: the account can be set so either person can withdraw money, or so both people need to sign in to withdraw⁸.

Cash ISAs work alongside ordinary savings accounts. The tax treatment of ISAs is covered in the ISAs guide. If you want to move ISA money, transfers are arranged between providers rather than by withdrawing the cash yourself: you ask your new provider to arrange the transfer, giving them your 10 digit YBS account number, and if you manage your account online you can request a transfer of a YBS ISA by logging in, selecting Account Options, then Manage ISA, then Transfer a YBS ISA⁹. Two rules matter with YBS transfers: if you want to transfer savings from the current tax year, you must transfer the full balance, and transfers of Yorkshire or Chelsea Building Society cash ISAs are handled on the same forms, since Chelsea is part of the same society⁹.

Offset savings accounts are a special case. YBS has been simplifying its offset savings service, and while it no longer accepts foreign money transfers into any YBS savings accounts, you can still pay money into an Offset savings account and make payments from it over the phone or online if you are registered for online banking¹⁰. Offset Plus extends the idea: if you have a YBS offset mortgage, you can link up to two additional savings accounts to the mortgage, and borrowers without an offset mortgage who want the facility need to apply for a YBS offset mortgage¹¹.

One practical limit worth knowing: YBS savings accounts are not payment accounts, so the range of things you can do with them is narrower than with a current account. Cheques cannot be paid in by telephone, internet or mobile banking, and sending money within the UK is not possible by telephone banking, though it is available by internet and mobile banking for 23 hours a day¹.

YBS mortgages: who can borrow and how applications work

YBS describes its mortgage application process in four steps, starting with a Decision in Principle (DIP)¹². The DIP takes as little as 10 minutes, lasts for 90 days, and YBS states it does not affect your credit score, because it uses a soft rather than a hard credit check¹³. Once you have a DIP, the route to a full application depends on what you are doing: if you are remortgaging, you can begin the full application as soon as you have the DIP, but if you are buying a property you need to have your offer on the property accepted first¹².

Most YBS mortgage applications can be completed online, or over the phone with the help of mortgage specialists if you would like advice¹². One exception is the 5k Deposit Mortgage, which must be applied for over the phone¹². When you apply, the deal you choose is reserved for you for up to 90 days, and you keep it even if it is no longer generally available by the time your application completes¹³. YBS does not offer guarantor mortgages¹³.

YBS's lending criteria are broader than many people assume on income types. For zero hour contract applicants, it lists accepted occupations including NHS bank nurses and locums, non-NHS bank nurses, care home workers, supermarket workers, HGV drivers, retained or on-call firefighters, armed forces reserves and supply teachers¹⁴. For remortgages, at least one applicant must have owned and lived in the property for at least six months¹⁴. YBS also notes that it only offers lending into retirement, and that other options may better suit some borrowers¹⁵.

The mortgage offer itself sets out the loan amount, the terms agreed, and an illustration of your expected monthly payments¹². If you are buying, the process ends with exchange of contracts, after which neither you nor the seller can pull out of the sale¹². If you are remortgaging, your conveyancer arranges the transfer of funds from the new lender to the previous one, plus any extra funds to you, once you have accepted the mortgage offer¹². The full journey is covered in the mortgages guide and buying a home.

Mortgage fees, valuations and what is refundable

YBS charges fees at particular points in the mortgage process, and the refund rules differ from fee to fee, so it is worth knowing which money comes back if the mortgage falls through. The current amounts are set out in YBS's own fees and charges documents, which is where to check today's figures before applying.

The valuation fee is the one to watch. Unless you have chosen one of YBS's fee-assisted mortgages, you pay a valuation fee at application, and it cannot be refunded once the valuation has been carried out, even if the mortgage does not go ahead¹⁷. If YBS is unable to offer you a mortgage after the valuation, the mortgage application processing fee and the valuation fees are not refunded either¹⁷. In other words, the valuation buys you the surveyor's visit and report, not a guaranteed mortgage.

Revaluations follow the same pattern: a non-refundable fee is payable for revaluations on additional loan applications and existing borrower transfers, payable in full at application and not added to the loan amount¹⁷. YBS's buy-to-let fee tariff, effective from 1 March 2026, shows how the structure works across its lending: fees are triggered by events such as the society giving permission to let a property out, and YBS has the right to re-inspect any property held as security, with the cost added to the mortgage account¹⁸. If enforcement or repossession ever happens, the borrower is responsible for the society's solicitor's and agent's fees and all associated costs¹⁸.

For a redemption statement, which tells you the exact amount needed to clear the mortgage on a given date, you request it from YBS with your mortgage account number and the date you want to pay off the mortgage, and it arrives by post¹⁹. The general rules on mortgage charges are explained in the mortgages guide.

Switching deals and getting help with mortgage payments

When a fixed or discounted period ends, a YBS mortgage moves onto the society's standard variable rate (SVR) unless you choose a new deal. Existing customers can switch deals online or over the phone, with or without advice, and YBS opens a switching window in the months before the deal ends so customers can line up the next deal before the current one expires²⁰.

There are conditions on who can switch. Any mortgage arrears must be no more than the value of one month's mortgage payment at the time of applying for and completing the new deal²⁰. If the mortgage is in joint names, the person doing the switching must have the authority to act on behalf of all applicants²⁰. YBS staff members are not able to switch online and must call a dedicated number instead²⁰.

YBS also runs a Mortgage Loyalty Promotion for savings members who do not already have a mortgage with the society and who take out a new mortgage on a qualifying product via the advised service⁷. The reward is paid following completion, and no reward is payable if the mortgage does not proceed to completion on a qualifying product⁷. YBS reserves the right to cancel or amend the reward, the promotion or the qualifying products at any time, so the terms on its own site are the ones that count⁷.

If paying the mortgage becomes difficult, the options and sources of free help are set out in the debt guide. Switching to a cheaper deal is not the only route: lenders including YBS are required to treat customers in arrears fairly, and independent debt advice is free through charities listed in that guide.

Letting your home with a YBS mortgage needs permission

Letting out a home that has a residential mortgage changes the deal, and doing it without permission breaches the terms of the loan²³. The starting point is always the lender's consent. Independent guidance is consistent on this: renting out your house requires your lender's permission, and some lenders add an extra percentage onto the mortgage interest rate when they grant it²⁴. Some lenders will grant a "consent to let" on the current deal, while others insist on switching to a buy-to-let mortgage²⁵.

With YBS specifically, permission to let is a charged event: the society's fee tariff, effective from 1 March 2026, lists a fee for the agreement to letting when the society gives permission to let the property out¹⁸. The current amount is on YBS's own site.

Taking in a lodger is a lighter-touch option if you live in the property. Most mortgage agreements let you have a lodger as long as you live there, but the advice is to check with the lender first, particularly where there are mortgage arrears²⁶. Renting out a room or the whole property with permission can also be part of a wider strategy such as let-to-buy, where you let your current home to buy a new one, which is explained in the mortgages guide²³.

Banking with YBS: branches, app, online and phone

YBS offers face-to-face service in locations across Great Britain, alongside internet banking, a mobile app and telephone banking². Because it has no current accounts, its banking services are built around savings accounts and mortgages rather than everyday payments¹.

The service availability is published by YBS under FCA rules. Checking your balance is available 24 hours a day by telephone, and for 23 hours a day by internet and mobile banking¹. Sending money within the UK is possible by internet and mobile banking for 23 hours a day, but not by telephone banking, and paying in or cancelling a cheque is not possible by telephone, internet or mobile banking at all¹. The daily gap is a routine maintenance window between 3.00am and 4.00am, when the service is unavailable¹.

On reliability, YBS reported two major operational or security incidents in the three months from 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026, both affecting mobile banking and internet banking, and it is obliged to notify the FCA of any major incident that prevents customers from using their payment services¹. FCA rules also require it to report its complaints data every six months, so its complaint handling is on the public record¹.

If something goes wrong, the first step is to complain to YBS itself. If YBS does not resolve a complaint within eight weeks or you are unhappy with its answer, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at it, as it can for ISA disputes⁶. The general complaints route is explained in consumer protection.

Opening a YBS savings account and proving your identity

For online savings applications, YBS verifies identity electronically, and it is upfront about the requirement: you cannot apply for an account online without sharing your photo ID or documents during the application²⁷. Accepted photo ID for online applications is one document from a short list: a signed UK or foreign passport, an EU or UK full or provisional driving licence, or a foreign national identity card²⁷.

The online identity check runs in three steps: take a selfie, take a picture of your photo ID, and take a picture of your proof of address or upload one²⁷. This mirrors what banks generally ask for. MoneyHelper notes that most banks ask for a driving licence or passport, or a photo of these when applying online, often with a selfie, and that other documents, such as letters from the DWP, HMRC, JobCentre Plus, a local council, a GP, an employer or a college, may be accepted²⁸.

If you do not have the accepted photo ID, you cannot complete an online application, but you are not shut out: YBS says customers with other types of ID, or without photo ID, can open a different account in a branch or agency, or by post²⁷. MoneyHelper's advice is to ask the bank what forms of ID it will accept before you try to open an account²⁸. Citizens Advice similarly notes that banks usually ask for two separate documents proving identity and address, and that a letter from a responsible person such as a GP, teacher, social worker or probation officer can substitute where standard documents are missing²⁹.

Joint accounts follow the same identity rules for both savers, and many YBS savings accounts can be opened as joint accounts online or in branch⁸. The general process is covered in how to open a savings account.

Staying safe from fraud with YBS

YBS's online security is built on industry standards. All its forms and online account pages use Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 with AES 256 encryption, and when it needs to verify you it does so with a code sent by text message or an automated call to your landline³⁰. The website is constantly monitored for security problems and the arrangements are regularly reviewed³⁰. When you request a transaction or change online, YBS may occasionally contact you by telephone to check the details, and online requests are confirmed by email³⁰. If you spot a security problem, you can report it using the society's online form or call 0345 1200 100³⁰.

A call out of the blue asking you to move money is a warning sign whoever claims to be calling, including someone claiming to be from YBS. The general warning signs and how scams and fraud work are covered in that guide.

If your phone with the YBS app is lost or stolen, act quickly: report the phone as stolen and freeze your card immediately, using a friend's or family member's phone to call your bank if you need to³¹. Both Android and Apple phones can be wiped remotely so criminals cannot get hold of your data³¹. It is worth checking in advance how to report a lost or stolen phone in the YBS app or on its website, so you know what to do before it happens³¹.

On everyday fraud, the Take Five advice applies to any banking relationship: be suspicious of "too good to be true" offers, avoid clicking links in social media or email offers, type the website address into your browser yourself, research the seller, and avoid paying by bank transfer, which offers little protection if the seller vanishes³². For event tickets, stick to official sellers and official resellers³².

How your money is protected across YBS, Chelsea and Norwich & Peterborough

YBS is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the UK's statutory compensation scheme for customers of failed financial services firms, explained in the consumer protection guide⁵. The FSCS covers deposits in current accounts, savings accounts, cash ISAs and savings bonds⁵, which takes in the whole of YBS's savings range.

The protection applies per person per licensed firm, and this is where YBS's brand structure matters. Yorkshire Building Society trades under several names, including YBS Group, The Chelsea, Chelsea Building Society, Norwich & Peterborough Building Society, Norwich & Peterborough and N&P³, and its previous names include The N&P, The Barnsley and Barnsley Building Society³. Because these are trading names of one society rather than separate banks, savings held across YBS, Chelsea and Norwich & Peterborough count together towards one FSCS limit, not one each. The current limit is on the FSCS's own site, and the savings guide explains how the rules work.

The society is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and the PRA, firm reference number 106085, which can be checked on the FCA Register³. It appears on the Bank of England's list of building societies incorporated in the UK³³. Mortgages are not FSCS-protected in the way savings are, but mortgage customers are protected by FCA rules on arrears handling and by the Financial Ombudsman Service if things go wrong⁶.