The UK’s best and worst banks for service - rated by customers

The UK’s best and worst banks for customer service have been revealed in a new survey.

Consumer group Which? surveyed thousands of current account customers, asking them to rate the service they received, unveiling the best and worst banks and building societies.

Top banks and building societies revealed

The Which? survey results are based on star ratings for 10 elements of the banks' service, including:

  • overall customer service
  • the application process
  • regularity and clarity of communication
  • transparency of charges
  • dealing with complaints and resolving problems
  • service in branch
  • telephone, online and mobile banking
  • benefits such as cashback and credit interest.

Starling made a strong debut in the Which? rankings in 2019 - bringing home second place - and this year has taken the top spot as the UK’s best bank, with a customer score of 88 per cent.

“Customers praised its ‘clear and honest communications’, the ease of opening an account and using the app, as well as speedy responses from the ‘excellent customer service’, which is available 24/7 via the app and over the telephone,” said Which?.

Starling first started as a smartphone bank, before launching online banking for personal customers in October 2020.

Monzo came in second, with an overall customer score of 82 per cent, with First Direct slipping from first to third place this year, but still achieving a score of 79 per cent.

Nearly every aspect of First Direct’s service was rated five stars by customers, including online banking, the mobile banking app, complaints-handling and overall customer service.

However, some banks didn’t rate as high overall, with Citibank and Tesco bank both receiving a customer score of 60 per cent.

These are the best and worst banks, according to the survey’s customer scores:

  1. Starling Bank - 88%
  2. Monzo - 82%
  3. First Direct - 79%
  4. Metro Bank - 78%
  5. M&S Bank - 77%
  6. Revolut - 77%
  7. Nationwide - 74%
  8. Halifax - 70%
  9. Lloyds Bank - 69%
  10. NatWest - 69%
  11. Barclays Bank - 68%
  12. The Co-op Bank - 68%
  13. Smile - 67%
  14. Danske Bank - 66%
  15. HSBC - 65%
  16. Bank of Scotland - 64%
  17. Santander - 63%
  18. TSB - 63%
  19. Bank of Ireland - 62%
  20. Ulster Bank - 62%
  21. RBS - 61%
  22. Virgin Money - 61%
  23. Citibank - 60%
  24. Tesco Bank - 60%
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