The bank account that's in tune with your business
We're still open for business
Online: If you’re a limited company or a sole trader we’re now taking business bank account applications online. Applications open at 10am each day. We’re dealing with a very high volume of customers, so you may need to join a queue. When it’s your turn you will have 10 minutes to start your application. When we reach our limit the queue will close until the next day.
In Store: If you’re a limited company or a sole trader you can also apply for a business bank account in person. Due to demand and Covid-19 restrictions it will take longer than usual to open an account in store, and we are operating an appointment system. Please contact your local store to register your interest and we will explain the account opening process in more detail.
The bank account for your business
Personal service
Your Local Business Manager can help support your business. Visit them in person, send them an email or give them a call.
No monthly fee
Keep your balance at £5,000 or more for the whole month and we'll waive your monthly fee. More about account fees.
Apply online
Get your account up and running in 15 minutes. Applying is easy and works great on your mobile phone.
Apply online now
It only takes about 15 minutes
Fees and charges
We like to be upfront with you. See all the fees we charge when you have a business bank account with us.
Account fees:
| Your daily balance | Monthly bank fee | UK transaction fees |
|---|---|---|
| £5000 or more | Zero | 50 free per month, then £0.30 each |
| Under £5000 | £5.00 | £0.30 each |
No minimum balance
Using your debit card abroad
| Location | Card purchase | Cash withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Within Europe | FREE | FREE |
| Outside Europe | 2.99% | 2.99% + £1.50 |
Where can I use my card for free in Europe?
Show which countries you can use your card in for free Hide which countries you can use your card in for free
Europe refers to the below states of the Single European Payments Area (SEPA).
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
If you use your card abroad, any foreign currency transaction will be converted into sterling on the day it’s taken out of your account. The exchange rate is set by MasterCard®.
MasterCard® is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated.
If you don’t have enough in your account
If your account balance and agreed overdraft aren’t enough to cover a payment, we may give you an unarranged overdraft. Unarranged overdrafts have a typical interest rate of 25% EAR (variable).
EAR stands for equivalent annual rate. It shows the rate you’d pay if you remained overdrawn for a year. It takes into account the interest rate you’re charged when you go overdrawn, how often it’s charged and the effect of compounding – charging interest on interest – on your debt.
‘Variable’ means we may change these rates and charges from time to time, or introduce new charges. If this means you’ll pay more, we’ll let you know beforehand.
Interest will be calculated daily on your account and applied monthly. The amount of interest payable and when it will be charged will be shown on your monthly statement.
We may also make other charges:
- £25 charge for an unpaid item (when you don’t have funds to cover a cheque, direct debit or standing order payment and we have to return it unpaid)
- £15 charge for a paid item (when a cheque, direct debit or standing order is deducted from your account and creates an unarranged overdraft)
Fees and charges
There’s no monthly charge for this account as long as the balance remains above £5000 every day within the month, otherwise you will pay the monthly fee of £5.
We will charge for some transactions and services such as international payments, CHAPS payments and an Auditor's Certificate of Balance. You can find all the details of our transaction and service charges in the downloadable PDF below.
Multiple directors
There are a few things to be aware of when opening an account online for multi-director companies.
- When you apply online you can only grant account access to directors. You can add others — e.g. your accountant — by popping into a store.
- Any director that you grant access to will be an authorised signatory and have full account access.
- Any director with account access can use online banking to make payments up to the daily limit of £21,000.
- Each director with account access can choose to have a debit card for the account, if they wish.
- All directors, shareholders and key account parties must be UK residents.
Account documents
Download our PDF to read when you like – it contains all the ins and outs about your business bank account.
Business Bank Account Details (PDF) (275KB)
Our Service Relationship with Business Customers (PDF) (1.1MB)
Apply for an account in store
If your business has more complex needs, we can help you in store. View our latest opening hours.
Documents we need to open your account
Please bring in the right documents, to make opening your account quick and easy.
Show me which documents I need to bring Hide which documents I need to bring
We will need proof of ID and proof of address for:
- account operators (authorised signatories or nominated persons)
- responsible individuals (anyone who directly or indirectly controls 25% or more of your business shares)
- company officials
Proof of identity
A valid passport, EU national ID card or UK driving licence is ideal, and may be all we need.
Show suitable ID for UK, EEA or Swiss Nationals Hide suitable ID for UK, EEA or Swiss Nationals
Photographic ID
- Valid UK/EEA/Switzerland passport
- Valid UK full photocard driving licence
- Valid UK provisional photocard driving licence
- Valid EU member state national ID photocard
- Valid firearms certificate or shotgun licence.
We can only accept original documents, not photocopies.
Valid Passport/EU national ID Card means in date, undamaged and machine readable. Unfortunately, we can’t accept handwritten passports or ID cards.
Non-photographic ID
If you’re providing non-photographic ID, you’ll need to bring 2 of the below proofs of address. We can only accept original documents, not photocopies.
- Valid old-style UK driving licence (no photo)
- HMRC documentation (PAYE Coding Notice/Tax Notification/Self-Assessment/Statement of Account/NI contributions bill) issued in the last 3 months or valid for the current tax year. We can’t accept P45 or P60 forms
- Notification letter from Benefits Agency/Local Authority (Department for Work and Pensions including Jobcentre Plus, benefits agency or veterans’ agency)
confirming your entitlement to benefits - dated within the last 12 months
Show suitable ID for other nationalities Hide suitable ID for other nationalities
Valid passport with your current visa (with at least 6 months left on it) or a Biometric Residence Permit.
Proof of address
Must have your name and current address on it. We only accept originals. It’s handy to have 2 of these with you, just in case.
Show suitable proofs of address Hide suitable proofs of address
- Current UK full photocard driving licence
- Current UK provisional photocard driving licence
- Council Tax bill (valid for the current financial year)
- HMRC documentation (PAYE Coding Notice/Tax Notification/Self-Assessment/Statement of Account/NI contributions bill valid for the current tax year issued by Job Centre Plus) dated within the last 3 months. We can’t accept P45 or P60 forms.
- Notification letter from Benefits Agency/Local Authority (Department for Work and Pensions including Jobcentre Plus, benefits agency or veterans’ agency) confirming your entitlement to benefits – dated within the last 12 months
- Current Tenancy Agreement, from a local council or a recognised letting agency
- Bank, Building Society, Credit Union statement, dated within the last 3 months
- Credit card statement, dated within the last 3 months
- Mortgage statement from a recognised lender, dated within the last 12 months
- Life assurance/life insurance policy, dated within the last 3 months but outside of cancellation period
- Motor insurance certificate, valid for the current year but outside of cancellation period – we can’t accept cover notes
- Utility bill - gas, electricity or water, dated within the last 3 months
- Telephone bill, dated within the last 3 months. We can’t accept mobile phone bills, Sky or cable TV bills
As a Sole Trader
Show suitable documents for Sole Traders Hide suitable documents for Sole Traders
If you are a sole trader you will need to provide one of the following documents:
- An existing business bank statement (dated within the last 3 months)
- A utility bill (dated within the last 3 months)
- An invoice from a supplier (dated within the last 3 months)
- A letter addressed to Metro Bank from an accountant acting on behalf of your business
- HMRC correspondence (dated within the last 12 months)
- Business premises rates bill (dated within the last 12 months)
The documents must show the business owner’s name, the business address, and the business trading name (if applicable).
If you can't provide any of these documents, we can arrange a site visit. (This is only necessary if your business address is different to your residential address).
As a Partnership
Show suitable documents for Partnerships Hide suitable documents for Partnerships
Partnerships, including limited partnerships, will need to provide one of the following documents:
- An existing business bank statement (dated within the last 3 months)
- A utility bill (dated within the last 3 months)
- An invoice from a supplier (dated within the last 3 months)
- A letter addressed to Metro Bank from an accountant acting on behalf of your business
- HMRC correspondence (dated within the last 12 months)
- Business premises rates bill (dated within the last 12 months)
The documents must show the partners' names, the business address, and the business trading name (if applicable).
If you can't provide any of these documents, we can arrange a site visit. (This is only necessary if your business address is different to your residential address).
As a Limited Liability Partnership
Show suitable documents for Limited Liability Partnerships Hide suitable documents for Limited Liability Partnerships
If you're a limited liability partnership we will, with your permission, carry out a credit reference agency search. We may not need any documents from you.
As a Limited Company
Show suitable documents for Limited Companies Hide suitable documents for Limited Companies
If you're a limited company we will, with your permission, carry out a credit reference agency search. We may not need any documents from you.
If your limited company is using a ‘trading as’ name, we may need a copy of the company board resolution (signed by two directors, or one director and the company secretary – or by the sole director, if there is no company secretary), authorising the use of the ‘trading as’ name.
Give us a call
Speak to our business specialist team on:
0345 0808 508
Monday to Friday, 8-6pm
FAQs
How can I reduce my bank charges?
You can reduce your bank charges with our Monthly Balance Reward. If your account balance stays above £5,000 for any whole month, for that month we’ll waive the monthly maintenance fee – and give you 50 free transactions.
If your balance falls below £5,000 at the close of business on any day, you’ll pay the usual fees that month. The £5,000 balance needs to be cleared funds within the account – ask your Local Business Manager for more details.
Can I get an overdraft or credit card with my business account?
You can apply for an overdraft with your Business Account – just talk to your Local Business Manager.
Find out more about Business Overdrafts
You can also apply for our Business Credit Card. It’s a no-fee card with a simple low rate.
How do I connect my account to Xero accounting software?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Read the simple instructions for connecting your account to Xero
Can I access my transaction history for closed accounts?
Yes. If you choose to close your account, we will offer you the option to receive up to 5 years’ worth of prior transaction history at the point of account closure. We retain your transaction history for at least 5 years after you closed your account, so you can also request up to 5 years’ worth of prior transaction history from the date of the request. To make a request, you can visit us in store or call us on 0345 08 08 508.
We will provide a printed version of your transaction history via post, normally within 7 working days. You can also download your transaction history via online banking before you close your account.
Accounts which have been closed due to fraud or other unlawful activity, impairment, bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation or which have had no activity in the past 5 years will not be eligible to receive transaction history.
Your ways to bank
Online
Check balances, make payments, see transactions and open new accounts any time - all with Business Online Banking.
Mobile
Control your money on the move. Check balances, move money, make payments and more with our handy mobile app.
In-store
A friendly face and a quick answer - and all the usual payment services too. We're open 362 days a year.
By phone
Talk to a real person in our our UK contact centre. We’ve temporarily changed our opening hours – click the button below to check when we're available.
Some more things you may like...
Business banking
Tailored for big business
Does your business have an annual turnover of £2 million? We've designed an account just for you.
Business Insurance
Protect your business
Small business insurance you can rely on. Help keep your business protected with Churchill Expert.
Business banking
All deposit accounts
The right deposit account can help you reach your goals. See our range of deposit accounts that will make your money work harder.
Borrowing from us
Business overdrafts
Get help when you need it most, with a fixed rate for arranged overdrafts of less than £25,000 and no hidden fees.