Leaving your money languishing in a low-paying savings account or your current account means you could be missing out on valuable interest. With the cost-of-living crisis and inflation still in double digits, it’s more important than ever to make every penny count.

Savings interest rates rose over the course of 2022 off the back of the Bank of England base rate hikes, with the last taking effect last week.

However, it seems the pace of interest rate rises is slowing for some products, while savers could still eek out more on their cash with certain deals.

‘Cash ISAs far more important again’

Anna Bowes, co-founder of Savings Champion, said: “It’s been a mixed bag recently regarding the rates on the best buy savings accounts although as predicted variable rates have been on the up, whilst best buy fixed term bond rates have continued to fall the most.

“As we head into the ISA season, it’s been good to see the cash ISA rates holding up a little better, especially the short-term fixed rate ISAs. As a result, the gap between the top fixed term cash ISA rates and the top non-ISA bond equivalents is the lowest we’ve seen for a long time. As interest rates have risen due to a year of hikes to the Bank of England base rate, many savers are fully utilising their Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) with much smaller deposits and as a result cash ISAs have become far more important again, so it’s good to see savings providers recognising this.”

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Bowes added that for those who have either used their PSA or are close to breaching it, “it now pays to consider a cash ISA as the tax-free return is often higher than the net return on a bond, after tax has been paid on the interest over the PSA”.

“That’s not always been the case, certainly over the last few years since the PSA was introduced in April 2016”, Bowes said.

Here, we list the top-paying, open-to-all accounts on the market to help you take charge of your money:

Easy access accounts

3.05% Tandem Instant Access Saver – minimum deposit £0. Apply and access via mobile app.

2.95% Atom Bank Instant Saver – minimum deposit £1. Apply and access via mobile app.

2.92% Shawbrook Easy Access Account (Issue 32) – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply online. Access online, by phone or email.

2.92% Sainsbury’s Bank Defined Access Saver (Issue 38) – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply online. Access online or by phone. Up to three easy access withdrawals can be made each year. If four or more withdrawals are made, the rate will reduce to 0.8% for the remainder of that year.

2.91% Paragon Triple Access Savings Account (Issue 11) – minimum deposit £1. Apply and access online. If more than three withdrawals are made in a 12 month period, the rate will drop to 0.75% from the date of the fourth withdrawal, with the 12 month period resetting on the anniversary of the account opening date.

Notice accounts

3.5% Furness Building Society 120 Day Notice Saver – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply and access in branch or by post. Withdrawals are subject to 120 days’ notice only; no earlier access is allowed.

3.5% Allica Bank 180 Day Notice Savings Account (Issue 1) – minimum deposit £10,000. Apply online or via mobile app. Access online, by telephone, email or via mobile app. Withdrawals are subject to 180 days’ notice only, no earlier access is allowed.

3.4% Allica Bank 95 Day Notice Personal Savings Account (Issue 1) – minimum deposit £10,000. Apply online or via mobile app. Access online, by telephone, email or via mobile app. Withdrawals are subject to 95 days’ notice only, no earlier access is allowed.

3.4% Darlington Building Society 180 Day Notice Account  – minimum deposit £10,000. Apply and access in branch or by post. Withdrawals are subject to 180 days’ notice only; no earlier access is allowed.

3.35% OakNorth Bank 120 Days’ Notice Deposit Account (Issue 29) – minimum deposit £1. Apply online or via mobile app. Access online, by telephone, post, email or via mobile app. Withdrawals are subject to 120 days’ notice only, no earlier access is allowed.

One-year fixed term bonds

4.17% SmartSave 1 Year Fixed Rate Saver – minimum deposit £10,000. Apply online. No access within the term.

4.16% Charter Savings Bank 1 Year Fixed Rate Bond – minimum deposit £5,000. Apply online. No access within the term.

4.15% Atom Bank 1 Year Fixed Saver – minimum deposit £50. Apply via mobile app. No access within the term.

Two-year fixed term bonds

4.35% Union Bank of India UK Fixed Rate Deposit – 2 Years – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply in branch or by post. No access within the term.

4.35% Close Brothers Savings 2 Year Fixed Rate Bond – minimum deposit £10,000. Apply online. No access within the term.

4.3% The Access Bank UK Sensible Savings – 2 Year Fixed Rate Bond – minimum deposit £5,000. Apply online or by post. No access within the term.

Three-year fixed term bonds

4.4% The Access Bank UK Sensible Savings 3 Year Fixed Rate Bond – minimum deposit £5,000. Apply online. No access within the term.

4.4% Union Bank of India Fixed Rate Deposit 3 Years – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply in branch or by post. No access within the term.

4.4% Secure Trust Bank 3 Year Fixed Rate Bond (16 March 26) – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply online. No access within the term.

Five-year fixed term bonds

4.45% Union Bank of India UK Fixed Rate Deposit 5 Years – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply in branch or by post. No access within the term.

4.45% Close Brothers Savings 5 Year Fixed Rate Bond – minimum deposit £10,000. Apply online. No access within the term.

4.4% Ford Money Fixed Saver 5 Year ‒ minimum deposit £500. Apply online. No access within the term.

Easy access cash ISAs

3% Virgin Money Easy Access Cash ISA Exclusive (Issue 2) – minimum deposit £0. Apply in branch or online. Access in branch, online, post, telephone and mobile app. Easy access. This account is open to customers with a current account from Virgin Money, Clydesdale Bank or Yorkshire Bank (apart from our Essential Current Account or any account opened with Northern Rock). Transfers in are allowed. This is a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.

2.85% Cynergy Bank Online ISA (Issue 29) – minimum deposit £1. Apply and access online or by telephone. Transfers in are allowed. This is a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.

2.85% Paragon Banl Triple Access ISA (Issue 12) ‒ minimum deposit £1. Apply and access online. Transfers in are allowed. This is a flexible ISA. This is a portfolio ISA. If more than 3 withdrawals are made in a 12 month period, the rate payable will drop to 0.75% from the date of the fourth withdrawal, with the 12 month period resetting on the anniversary of the account opening date.

2.77% Shawbrook Easy Access Cash ISA Account (Issue 22) – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply and access online. Transfers in are allowed. This is not a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA. The maturity date is 01/04/2024.

2.5% Leeds Building Society Limited Issue Online Access ISA (Issue 55) – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply and access online. Transfers in are allowed. This is not a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA. The maturity date is 01/04/2024.

One-year fixed term cash ISAs

4.25% Virgin Money 1 Year Fixed Rate Cash Exclusive (Issue 4) – minimum deposit £1. Apply branch or online. Withdrawals are allowed, subject to 60 days’ loss of interest. The maturity date is 31/01/2024. Transfers in are allowed. This is not a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA. You need to have a current account with Virgin Money which was opened on or after 4 December 2019. Or, you originally opened your current account with Clydesdale Bank, Yorkshire Bank or B such as a Signature Current Account.

4% Barclays 1 Year Flexible Cash ISA (Issue 36) – minimum deposit £1. Apply in branch. Transfers in are allowed. Up to three penalty-free withdrawals can be made within the term, with each withdrawal limited to a maximum of 10% of the account balance at the time the withdrawal is made. In addition, you may close the account before the maturity date, subject to a charge equivalent to 90 days’ loss of interest. On maturity the account is transferred to a variable rate ISA. Transfers in are allowed. This is a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.

3.8% Secure Trust Bank 1 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA (27 Feb 24) – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply online. The maturity date is 27/02/2024. Access on closure only, subject to 90 days’ loss of interest.

Two-year fixed term cash ISAs

4.11% Virgin Money 2 Year Fixed Rate Cash e-ISA (Issue 550) – minimum deposit £1. Apply online. Withdrawals are allowed, subject to 90 days’ loss of interest. The maturity date is 24/02/2025. Transfers in are allowed. This is not a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.

4.1% Barclays 2 Year Flexible Cash ISA (Issue 37) – minimum deposit £1. Apply in branch. Up to three penalty-free withdrawals can be made within the term, with each withdrawal limited to a maximum of 10% of the account balance at the time the withdrawal is made. In addition, you may close the account before the maturity date, subject to a charge equivalent to 180 days’ loss of interest. On maturity the account is transferred to a variable rate ISA. Transfers in are allowed. This is a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.

4.1% Castle Trust Bank 2 Year Fixed Rate e-Cash ISA – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply online or via mobile app. Full withdrawals are allowed, subject to 180 days’ loss of interest. Transfers in are allowed. This is not a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.

Three-year fixed term cash ISAs

4.15% Close Brothers Savings 3 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA – minimum deposit £10,000. Apply online. Withdrawals on closure only, subject to an interest penalty. Transfers in are accepted.

4.11% United Bank UK 3 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA – minimum deposit £2,000. Apply in branch, by post, online or via mobile app. Access on closure or full transfer out only, subject to 270 days loss of interest. Transfers in accepted.

4.1% Castle Trust Bank 3 Year Fixed Rate e-Cash ISA – minimum deposit £1,000. Apply online. Full withdrawals are allowed, subject to 270 days’ loss of interest. Transfers in are allowed. This is not a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.

Five-year fixed term cash ISAs

4.2% Close Brothers Savings 5 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA ‒ minimum deposit £10,000. Apply online. Withdrawals on closure only, subject to an interest penalty. Transfers in are accepted.

4.11% United Bank UK 5 Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA – minimum deposit £2,000. Apply in branch, by post, online or via mobile app. Access on closure or full transfer out only, subject to 365 days’ loss of interest. Transfers in accepted.

4% Progressive Building Society 5 Year Fixed Rate ISA Bond (Issue 4) – minimum deposit £500. Apply in branch or by post. Withdrawals are allowed, subject to 180 days’ loss of interest. Transfers in are allowed. This is not a flexible ISA. This is not a portfolio ISA.