Overdrafts, your cards and account maintenance

You can apply for a new overdraft, or change the amount of any existing overdraft, online. Go to 'My Account' then the 'Take me to' dropdown list. Select 'Apply/Change overdraft'. The amount of overdraft currently available to you will be shown on screen. You can request a different amount.

Sign in or find out more about the online service.

Alternatively call 08457 21 31 41 (lines open 8am to 8pm seven days a week), or visit your nearest branch.

The minimum overdraft amount you can apply for is £100.

Students can get an interest-free overdraft of up to £3,000.  More details are shown on our Student Current Account.

Our overdraft interest rates are shown on our rates page.

The most you can withdraw from cash machines in any 24-hour period is £300.

The daily maximum cash withdrawal over the branch counter is £1,200, unless you have pre-ordered a higher amount.

If you wish to withdraw more than £1,200 in cash, you will need to give your branch advance notice. When making large withdrawals, you will need to provide ID.  For more information about how to prove your identity please click   here.

If you lose your debit card or have it stolen, you should call us immediately on 08457 20 30 99.  Lines are open 24 hours a day.  We will then cancel the card and send you a replacement.

We will replace up to two cards free for each account in any 12-month period. We will charge you £5 for each further replacement card you ask for in a 12-month period (beginning from the date you open your account).

If your card is damaged, you can cancel it and arrange a replacement by calling 08457 20 30 40 (lines open 8am to 8pm seven days a week), or at your nearest branch.

With Chip and PIN, you must use your PIN instead of your signature when paying with your debit card.  If you enter your PIN incorrectly three times, then your PIN will become locked, preventing you using the card.

If you've forgotten your PIN or your PIN becomes locked, just call 08457 20 30 40 (08458 50 55 25 for Easycash customers) – lines are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm weekends.  We'll then unlock your PIN after we have confirmed your identity, or send you a PIN reminder, which you will receive within three working days.

If you remember your PIN later, you can also change or unlock it at most UK cash machines.

You can use your debit or cash machine card at any shop or cash machine, in the UK or abroad, wherever you see the VISA sign.

If you use your Visa debit card abroad, there will be a service fee of £1.50 plus a currency conversion fee of 2.75% of the total amount, for each transaction.  Overseas cash machine providers may also charge for cash withdrawals.

You can withdraw up to £300 a day free of charge from any Halifax or Bank of Scotland cash machine.  Other cash machine providers may charge for this service – check the machine for any notice of charges before you make a cash withdrawal.

Many supermarkets also now offer a 'cashback' facility at the checkout, which is another way to withdraw cash without any charge.

If you are planning to travel overseas, we advise that you take a range of currency options, including a few traveller’s cheques and some foreign currency as well as your debit card. To help protect you from fraud we always monitor transactions, and in some circumstances this may mean we block cash machine or card transactions in the UK or a foreign country.

We are introducing a new service to automatically spot possible fraud and respond quickly.  If we notice unusual debit card transactions in the UK or abroad, you may receive an automated call to confirm the transaction.  You can call 0845 602 7320 to listen to an example call.

To change the address we hold for your account, print off and complete the form on the 'Change of address' page in our Help Centre.

Alternatively, just visit your local branch.

To change the name on your bank account, you'll need to visit your nearest branch, bringing with you evidence of the name change, for example a marriage certificate or deed poll.

The following bank accounts can be opened as joint accounts

Ultimate Reward Current Account

Easycash

To apply for a joint bank account, please click here.  Alternatively, you can visit your local branch or call us on 08457 20 30 40. For Easycash accounts, please call 08458 50 55 25.

You can add another person to a bank account opened in a sole name, or remove someone from a joint-named account.

To do this you need to complete a form in your local branch where both you and the other person will need to sign a consent form.  If you are adding someone to the account, they may need to bring in the relevant ID.  Please see our proving your identity section.

You cannot remove a joint account holder and immediately replace that account holder with someone else.Instead you will need to close the old joint account and open a new account.

When opening a new bank account, you will need to present two forms of proof at a branch – one for your name and one for your address – so that we can check your identity.

Forms of ID we accept include:
• passport
• photographic driver's licence
• credit card statements
• utility (gas, water, electricity) bills
• council tax form
These must be originals, not photocopies.

This is not a complete list – and some of these are only for proof of address. For more information on how to prove your identity, please click here.

You can set up new bill payments, and pay your existing bills quickly and easily with our online banking service.

You can find instructions on how to pay bills online on our online demo.

Once you've set up bill payments, you can also pay through any  Bank of Scotland or Halifax cash machine.  Register now for our service, or sign in if you're already registered.

You cannot currently set up a bill payment or pay a bill over the counter in any of our branches.

We no longer use paying-in books with any of our bank accounts.  You can make all deposits at a branch using our self-service facilities or over the counter.  If you need any help using the self-servicing facilities, just ask and we'll be happy to help.

If you have a Cardcash or Easycash account, only deposits of £300 or more can be made over the counter.

If you're registered for our online banking service, you can sign in and set up standing orders quickly and easily.  Click here for more information on online banking or to view our demo.

To set up a standing order from your bank account, call us on 08457 21 31 41 (08458 50 55 25 for Easycash customers) – lines are open 8am to 8pm seven days a week – or drop into your nearest branch.  You will need to have with you the receiving bank's sort code and the account number and account reference details of the person or organisation you're paying.

Direct debits are set up on your account by the organisation to which the direct debit payment will be made. You can cancel direct debits online.

We are not responsible for any losses resulting from you supplying incorrect information at the time you make your payment.  You should check that all the details you have entered are correct before sending your payment.  Once a payment has been sent, it cannot be stopped, amended or retrieved.

If you entered incorrect details when making a payment, you will need to contact the receiving organisation direct to request a refund.  To help you, we have created a letter template for you to download: External Payment Sent to Incorrect Details – Refund Required.You can print off the letter and use it as a guide to write your own letter.  You may find the details you need on your payment instruction or most recent bill or letter from the organisation.  You can find your own account details on your card or statement.  You should send the letter to the receiving bank to try and recover the money.  We cannot guarantee that you will get the money back.

The UK banking industry has introduced a new payment system. The Faster Payments Service means that electronic payments can be processed in hours* rather than days, if accepted by the receiving bank. The new service runs alongside the existing payment schemes in the UK such as Bacs† and CHAPS**.

Click here for more information about Faster Payments.

The banking industry is suffering high levels of fraud through cash machines in other countries.  To protect you and us we have strengthened our defences, which may cause some disruption to our service when you use your debit card in cash machines outside the UK.  If you have difficulties, you can try to use a different cash machine.  The problems shouldn’t affect you when you use your card in shops or bureaux de change or at bank counters overseas.

We always advise you to have a range of currency options and take a few traveller’s cheques and notes when travelling abroad.  We’ll be happy to explain our full range of foreign currency options on   08457 21 31 41, or you can  >access our online ordering service.

If you are planning to travel overseas and use your debit card in cash machines, please contact us for further information on 08457 21 31 41.

We're sorry to hear that you wish to close your account.

If your existing account is not providing the service you want, we're sure we've got an account better suited to your needs, and it's easy to switch. You can compare all the current accounts we offer to find the right one for you.

If you would still like to close your account, please see our account closure process.

You can request a tax certificate for your bank account by completing and returning the tax certificate request form on our 'Useful forms' page.