Best UK bank accounts for kids

Want to help your child learn money management skills or save for a rainy day? Whether it’s pocket money or serious savings, there are lots of UK bank accounts out there for kids.

A bank account can be a great way for children to learn digital money skills. They can get used to managing an account and debit card, and get into good savings habits which will set them up well for later life. For older children and teens, it can also offer some independence from mum and dad.

In this guide, we’ll run through the best UK bank accounts for kids available right now. We’ll look at everyday current accounts, savings accounts, digital alternatives and the best accounts for teens too.

And for grownups, we’ve thrown in a little handy info about theWise account from the money services provider Wise. It’s a great alternative to a bank account, and could save you money if you need to make or receive international payments. There’s even a Wise debit card for low-cost spending in 150+ countries.

Learn more about the Wise account 💰

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Table of contents

Best UK bank accounts for kids Starling Bank Kite¹ Nationwide FlexOne current account² Santander 1|2|3 Mini³ HSBC MyMoney Account⁴ NatWest Adapt account⁵ TSB Under 19s Bank Account⁶ Barclays BarclayPlus⁷ Best bank accounts for teenagers in the UK Starling Bank Teen Account⁸ Monzo 16-17 account⁹ Alternatives to bank accounts for children Best children’s savings accounts in the UK The Wise account - a low-cost alternative to a bank account for grownups

Best UK bank accounts for kids

So, which are the best junior bank accounts in the UK right now? Here’s an at-a-glance look at some of the main contenders, most of which are aimed at 11-17 year olds.

We’ll run through each option in detail in a moment, before moving on to cover the best teen accounts, savings accounts and digital alternatives (including solutions for younger children).

Here’s a summary of the best UK bank accounts for kids:

Bank account	Eligible ages	Monthly fee	Interest rate	Features
Starling Bank Kite¹	6-15	None	None	- Debit card - Child-friendly mobile app - Payment links for receiving birthday money - Free National Trust kids meals
Nationwide FlexOne current account²	11-17	None	2%	- Cash/debit card - Linked savings account - Mobile banking app
Santander 123 Mini current account³	13-17	None	3%	- Cash/debit card - Mobile banking app
HSBC MyMoney Account⁴	11-17	None	None	- Linked savings account - Contactless debit card - Mobile banking app
NatWest Adapt account⁵	11-17	None	2.70%	- Contactless debit card - Mobile banking app - Cardless ATM withdrawals
TSB Under 19s Bank Account⁶	11-17	None	2.50%	- Contactless debit card - Fraud refund guarantee - Mobile banking app - AA driving lessons discount
Barclays BarclayPlus⁷	11-15	None	Rate unknown	- Contactless debit card - Mobile banking app

Starling Bank Kite¹

Starling Kite is not quite a bank account, but it’s very similar. It’s essentially an add-on to an adult Starling Bank account, with a dedicated debit card attached for the child to use. The adult tops up the debit card using the Starling app, which can be used by both the adult and child.

Starling Kite is available for 6-15 year olds, making it a good option if you’re looking for safe, fully controllable ways to help younger children start learning digital money management skills. Parents can move money into their child’s Kite Space in seconds, set limits and keep an eye on their spending. The child gets their own kids version of the app to use.

Clever features include generating and sending links to friends and family, which they can use to pop birthday money or treats straight into the child’s Kite Space.

Best of all, there are no monthly fees. You can also get free kids meals at National Trust venues when you have a Starling Kite subscription.

How to apply?

Parents or guardians will need to have a Starling current account in order to set up a Starling Kite Space for their child. But after that, it’s quick and easy to do in the mobile app.

Nationwide FlexOne current account²

The Nationwide FlexOne account is an everyday current account for children and teens. It’s available for 11 to 17 year olds, but you can keep the account until you’re 23. There are no monthly fees to pay.

The account has a few attractive features, including a 2% AER (1.98% gross a year) variable interest rate on balances up to £1,000.

📚 Read more: What is the Annual Equivalent Rate (AER)?

It comes with a cash card, which can only be used to withdraw money from ATMs. This is replaced with a Visa debit card from the age of 17 and a half. This card can be used for spending as well as taking out cash, and you can even use it abroad.

The FlexOne account can be managed via online banking, app, phone or in branch. There’s also the option to open a linked savings account.

How to apply?

If you’re 13 or over, you can open the account yourself online or in a Nationwide branch. But for children aged 11-12, it’s necessary to apply in a branch accompanied by an adult with parental responsibility.

Santander 1|2|3 Mini³

The Santander 1|2|3 Mini is a straightforward everyday account for children aged 13-17 years old. It is possible to open this account for younger children, but only if an adult with parental responsibility opens and manages the account in trust.

The account comes with a Santander cash card or debit card, can be managed via online and digital banking, and has no monthly fees. It also pays interest of 3% AER/ 2.96% gross (variable) on balances between £1,500 and £2,000.

How to apply?

If you’re aged between 13 and 17 and a UK resident, you can apply online. For younger children, an adult trustee must apply in branch.

HSBC MyMoney Account⁴

The HSBC MyMoney Account is a current account for UK or EU residents aged 11 to 17 years old. It has no monthly fees and comes with a contactless Visa debit card as standard. The account can be managed via online or mobile banking.

The account itself doesn’t pay any interest, but you do automatically get a linked MySavings account when you sign up. This pays interest of 5.00% AER (4.89% gross) on balances up to £3,000.

How to apply?

If your parent or guardian is already a personal HSBC customer, they can apply for the MyMoney account online on your behalf. If not, you’ll need to book an appointment online to visit your local HSBC branch. For under 16s, it’s necessary to take an adult with parental responsibility along with you to sign the application form.

NatWest Adapt account⁵

NatWest’s Adapt account is a current account for 11-17 year olds, with no monthly fees and a contactless debit card included as standard.

There’s also a useful extra feature - cardless ATM withdrawals. This lets you withdraw up to £130 every 24 hours (within your daily withdrawal limit and provided you have money in your account) from NatWest cardless ATMs.

The Adapt account pays 2.70% AER (2.67% Gross p.a.) variable interest on your balance. You can manage everything on the go using the NatWest mobile banking app.

How to apply?

If you’re aged 16-17, you can open your account online at the NatWest website. For younger children, a parent or guardian who is already a NatWest customer will need to apply online on their behalf.

TSB Under 19s Bank Account⁶

The TSB Under 19s Bank Account is an everyday current account designed for young people. Despite the name, it’s only available for 11 to 17 year olds.

There’s no monthly fee, access to your money via online and mobile banking, and a contactless debit card for spending and ATM withdrawals. There’s even 2.5% AER (variable interest) on balances up to £2,500.

As an extra perk for older account holders, it also offers discounts when learning to drive. TSB has partnered with the AA to save you up to £36 on AA driving lessons, and a further £20 on the cost of Pass Plus once you’ve passed your initial test.

How to apply?

To open a TSB Under 19s Bank Account, it’s necessary to make an appointment at a local branch. Under 16s will need to take a parent or guardian with them, and everyone needs two forms of ID and proof of address.

Barclays BarclayPlus⁷

Lastly, we have the BarclayPlus account. It’s available for children aged 11-15 years old, and can be opened for just £1. Once you turn 16, the account will be automatically changed to a Barclays Young Persons Account.

The BarclayPlus account has no monthly fees, comes with a contactless debit card (available only with parental permission) and can be managed via online and mobile banking. The account does pay interest on your balance, but Barclays doesn’t state the interest rate on its website.

How to apply?

This account can only be opened on a child’s behalf by their parent or guardian. If they already bank with Barclays, it’s possible to apply via an online video banking appointment. Otherwise, you’ll both need to make an appointment at a local Barclays branch and take valid forms of ID and proof of address along.

Best bank accounts for teenagers in the UK

While all the accounts we’ve looked at above are suitable for teens, there are some other more specialist options out there. These have more features for older users, compared to some of the more junior accounts aimed at younger children.

Here are just a couple of the best teen-friendly UK bank accounts:

Starling Bank Teen Account⁸

As well as options for children (Starling Kite) and adults (Starling Current Account), the digital bank also has a dedicated account for teens.

The Starling Teen Account is for 16 and 17-year-olds and has no monthly fee. It comes with a debit card, user-friendly mobile banking app, 24/7 customer support and 3.25% AER (3.19% Gross) variable interest on balances up to £5,000.

The app also has features such as instant payment notifications, savings spaces and spending insights.

Monzo 16-17 account⁹

Another digital bank, Monzo also has a dedicated current account for 16-17 year olds. It offers lots of features in the app, such as setting spending budgets, instant notifications, bill splitting and more. The account comes with a contactless debit card (which you can also use abroad) and can be managed via the Monzo app.

There are no monthly fees to worry about. And for extra safety, Monzo blocks spending on things that are illegal for under-18s, such as gambling.

Alternatives to bank accounts for children

Alongside bank accounts, there are also a number of apps and digital banks with solutions designed for children. Most of these are pocket money apps, which come with prepaid debit cards topped up by a parent or guardian.

Here are a couple to check out:

• Revolut <18¹⁰ - an account and spending card available for ages 6-17 for no monthly fees (although there is a card delivery fee) if a parent has a standard Revolut account.
• GoHenry¹¹ - a popular debit card and app for kids aged 6-18 with fees starting from £3.99 a month. It offers lots of in-app features and money management tools, plus customisable debit cards.

📚 Read more: Best online bank accounts in the UK

Best children’s savings accounts in the UK

Want to help your child learn good savings habits? There are lots of great accounts out there, many of which are designed for younger children - who may not quite be ready for a current account or debit card.

Here’s a quick look at some of the best children’s savings accounts in the UK right now:¹²

Account	Type	Age	Interest rate
Nationwide FlexOne Saver	Easy access	11-17	5% on up to £5,000
HSBC MySavings	Easy access	7-17	5% on up to £3,000 2.25% on £3,000+
Yorkshire Building Society	Easy access	0-21	4.55% on up to £1m
Saffron Building Society	Regular savings	Up to 17	5.80%

📚 Read more: Best easy access savings accounts in the UK

The Wise account - a low-cost alternative to a bank account for grownups

All the accounts we’ve looked at here are great for kids and teens, helping them to learn about spending in the real world. But what about parents?

Just like with children’s accounts, grownups have many more options than just a standard bank account. There are many digital alternatives out there, which could be easier to use and save you money too.

One great example is the Wise account, which can be opened online and comes with an app, debit card and lots of fantastic features. It’s not a bank account but offers many similar features.

Wise is designed for international money management, so it’s ideal if you need to send, spend or receive money in different currencies. With a Wise account, you can *send money in 40+ currencies for low fees and mid-market exchange rates**.

You’ll also get an international debit card for spending like a local in 150+ countries worldwide.

There are no foreign transaction fees, only a tiny fee to automatically convert currency at the mid-market exchange rate. What’s more, you can withdraw up to £200 a month for no Wise fees at international ATMs - just watch out that the ATM operator doesn’t charge its own fee.

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Sources used for this article:

1. Starling Bank - Starling Kite
2. Nationwide - FlexOne account
3. Santander - Santander 1|2|3 Mini
4. HSBC - Children's bank account
5. NatWest - Adapt account
6. TSB - Under 19s Bank Account
7. Barclays - Child’s Bank Account – BarclayPlus
8. Starling Bank - Teen Bank Account
9. Monzo - Monzo for 16-17 year olds
10. Revolut - Revolut <18 FAQs
11. GoHenry - Why GoHenry
12. MoneySavingExpert - Top children's savings accounts

Sources checked on 23-Jan-2024.