Business notice accounts sit between easy-access savings and fixed-rate bonds: they can pay more than instant-access rates, but you must give the bank advance notice before you can withdraw. Notice periods on the accounts below run from 95 to 180 days.
We rate notice accounts as a useful middle option: more interest than easy access, without locking cash away for a fixed term. On the rates we checked, Hampshire Trust Bank leads at 4.01% AER over 95 days’ notice, with Cambridge & Counties, Aldermore and Cynergy just behind at 4.00%. The catch is always the wait: only commit cash you can afford to lock up for the notice period.
Best Business Notice Accounts at a Glance
- Top rate: Hampshire Trust Bank pays 4.01% AER on 95 days’ notice. Cambridge & Counties and Aldermore sit just behind at 4.00% over the same period. Hampshire Trust is the only tracker here, so its rate follows the Bank of England base rate rather than the bank’s discretion.
- Waiting longer does not pay more. The best 95-day rate on this page beats every 180-day rate on it. Committing your cash for six months instead of three earns nothing extra at these eight providers.
- The premium over easy access is thin. Hampshire Trust pays 0.10 percentage points more for 95 days’ notice than its own instant-access account, which is £100 a year on a £100,000 balance.
- Minimum deposits run from £1,000 to £20,000. Aldermore and Recognise open at £1,000. Allica sets the highest entry point at £20,000.
- Eligibility filters harder than rate. Aldermore accepts limited companies only, so a sole trader cannot take its 4.00% however much they deposit. Recognise and Cambridge & Counties both accept sole traders.
- Five accounts can pay interest monthly: Cambridge & Counties, Aldermore, Redwood, Cynergy and Recognise. The rest pay annually, which matters if you are treating the interest as income.
Business Notice Account Providers Compared
| Provider | Notice | AER | Min / Max | Rate type | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire Trust Bank (Issue 2) | 95-day | 4.01% | £5,000 / £750,000 | Tracker (Bank Rate) | Companies, LLPs, partnerships, charities |
| Cambridge & Counties (Issue 33) | 95-day | 4.00% | £10,000 / £3,000,000 | Variable | Companies, sole traders, charities, academies |
| Aldermore (Issue 3) | 95-day | 4.00% | £1,000 / £1,000,000 | Variable | Limited companies only |
| Cynergy Bank | 95 / 120 / 180-day | 3.90 / 3.95 / 4.00% | £10,000 / £10,000,000 | Variable | Companies, LLPs, partnerships |
| Recognise Bank (Issue 2/4) | 95 / 120 / 180-day | 3.55 / 3.90 / 4.00% | £1,000 / £250,000 | Variable | Sole traders, partnerships, LLPs, companies |
| Redwood Bank (Issue 24) | 95-day | 3.85% | £10,000 / £1,000,000 | Variable | Companies, LLPs, partnerships, sole traders |
| Allica Bank | 95 / 180-day | 3.65 / 3.70% | £20,000 / £2,000,000 | Variable | Companies-House-registered |
| Harpenden BS (Issue 1) | 95-day | 3.52% | £10,000 / £250,000 | Variable | Companies, LLPs, partnerships |
Rates checked 17 August 2026 against each provider’s own website. All are variable; the HTB account is a tracker linked to the Bank of England base rate. FSCS protection is £120,000 per eligible depositor per authorised firm.
Hampshire Trust Bank 95 Day Notice SME Tracker Issue 2
- Interest Rate: 4.01% AER (Gross), a tracker that moves with the Bank of England base rate, applied within five business days of a base-rate change. Interest paid annually.
- Access: Withdrawals permitted with 95 days’ notice; unlimited withdrawals subject to notice.
- Minimum Balance: £5,000 minimum deposit; maximum £750,000.
- Benefits: The highest notice rate on this page, and a tracker, so it follows the base rate up as well as down. Additional deposits allowed; online application and management.
- Eligibility: UK businesses including limited companies, LLPs, partnerships, charities, clubs and associations.
- FSCS Protection: Deposits protected up to £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
- Rate checked: 17 August 2026 (htb.co.uk).
Allica Bank 180-Day Notice Savings Account Issue 1
- Interest Rate: 3.70% AER (variable), calculated and compounded annually.
- Access: Withdrawals permitted with 180 days’ notice; no fixed term.
- Minimum Balance: £20,000 minimum deposit; maximum £2,000,000.
- Fees: No fees.
- Benefits: At 3.70% you accept a 180-day wait for a lower rate than the leading 95-day accounts here, and the £20,000 minimum makes it one of the less accessible options for smaller balances.
- Eligibility: UK-based businesses registered with Companies House with a UK business bank account. All controlling persons must be UK-resident and over 18.
- Application: Entirely online. Deposit between £20,000 and £2,000,000 to open.
- FSCS Protection: Deposits protected up to £120,000 under Allica’s own banking licence.
Rate checked 17 August 2026, variable rate. Source: provider website.
Apply to Allica Bank → Read our Allica Bank review →
Harpenden BS 95 Days’ Notice – Business Savings Issue 1
- Interest Rate: 3.52% Gross / AER, calculated daily and added annually on 31 December.
- Access: Withdrawals require 95 days’ notice. No early withdrawal option.
- Minimum Balance: £10,000 minimum deposit; maximum £250,000.
- Fees: Interest paid gross. Account holders manage any tax obligations with HMRC directly.
- Benefits: At 3.52% this is the lowest-paying 95-day account here, and its £10,000 minimum gives it little rate or accessibility advantage over the accounts above.
- Eligibility: Open to limited companies, partnerships, and LLPs. One account per business. Identification required for users and shareholding directors.
- Application: Online only. Account must be funded within 14 days of opening.
- FSCS Protection: Deposits protected under FSCS rules up to £120,000.
Rate checked 17 August 2026, variable rate. Source: provider website.
Redwood Bank 95 Day Business Savings Account
- Interest Rate: 3.85% AER (variable gross), calculated daily and paid monthly or annually. Rate applies to balances of £10,000 or more.
- Access: Requires 95 days’ notice for withdrawals. Requests must be received by 4pm on a working day.
- Minimum Balance: £10,000 minimum deposit; maximum £1,000,000 per account.
- Fees: Interest paid gross. Account holders manage tax obligations directly with HMRC.
- Benefits: A mid-table 3.85% over 95 days, but wide eligibility including sole traders, with a choice of monthly or annual interest.
- Eligibility: Available to UK-based limited companies, partnerships, LLPs, and sole traders. Maximum £2,000,000 across all Redwood Bank savings accounts per customer.
- Application: Online or by post. Account earns interest from the working day funds are received.
- FSCS Protection: Protected up to £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
Rate checked 17 August 2026, variable rate. Source: provider website.
Apply to Redwood Bank → Read our Redwood Bank review →
Cambridge & Counties Bank 95 Day Business Notice Account Issue 33
- Interest Rate: 4.00% Gross/AER (variable), calculated daily with monthly or annual payment. Rate applies to balances of £10,000 or more.
- Access: Requires 95 days’ notice for withdrawals. No early access option.
- Minimum Balance: £10,000 minimum deposit; maximum £3,000,000.
- Fees: Interest paid gross. Account holders are responsible for any tax due to HMRC.
- Benefits: A strong 4.00% over 95 days, and the £3m maximum can hold much larger balances than most accounts here. It also takes sole traders and academy schools, which most rivals do not.
- Eligibility: Open to UK-based or incorporated academy schools, charitable companies, limited companies, and sole traders. All individuals must be over 18 and UK tax liable.
- Application: Online. Account must be funded from a nominated UK bank or building society current account.
- FSCS Protection: Protected up to £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
Rate checked 17 August 2026, variable rate. Source: provider website.
Apply to Cambridge & Counties Bank →
Recognise Bank Business 180 Day Notice Account Issue 2
- Interest Rate: 4.00% AER / Gross annually, or 3.93% Gross monthly (variable). Interest calculated daily; paid monthly or annually.
- Access: Withdrawals allowed with 180 days’ notice. No early withdrawal option.
- Minimum Balance: £1,000 minimum deposit; £250,000 maximum.
- Fees: No account opening or maintenance fees. Interest paid gross; account holders manage tax obligations with HMRC.
- Benefits: Low minimum balance and the flexibility to make regular deposits. Recognise also offers 95-day (3.55% AER) and 120-day (3.90% AER) notice accounts. Up to four individuals can manage the account.
- Eligibility: Open to UK sole traders, partnerships, LLPs and limited companies (fewer than 250 employees, assets under £37.5m and/or turnover under £43.5m). All parties must be over 18 and UK tax liable.
- Application: Online, with support available from Recognise’s team.
- FSCS Protection: Deposits protected up to £120,000 under Recognise Bank’s own banking licence.
Rate checked 17 August 2026, variable rate. Source: provider website.
View Recognise Bank → Read our Recognise Bank review →
Aldermore 95 Day Notice Account Issue 3
- Interest Rate: 4.00% AER (4.00% annual / 3.93% monthly), variable. Interest paid monthly or annually.
- Access: Withdrawals require 95 days’ notice; early withdrawal only at the bank’s discretion in exceptional circumstances.
- Minimum Balance: £1,000 minimum deposit; maximum £1,000,000.
- Benefits: One of the lowest entry points at the top rate, with additional deposits allowed at any time.
- Eligibility: UK limited companies only.
- FSCS Protection: Deposits protected up to £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
- Rate checked: 17 August 2026 (aldermore.co.uk).
View Aldermore → Read our Aldermore review →
Cynergy Bank Business Notice Saver (95, 120 and 180 Day)
- Interest Rate: 3.90% AER at 95 days, 3.95% at 120 days, 4.00% at 180 days (variable). Interest paid monthly.
- Access: Withdrawals require the chosen notice period of 95, 120 or 180 days.
- Minimum Balance: £10,000 minimum deposit; maximum £10,000,000.
- Benefits: Cynergy offers 95, 120 and 180-day options on one banking licence, so you can see exactly what each extra step of notice is worth. Read our Cynergy Bank business savings review.
- Eligibility: UK limited companies, LLPs and partnerships.
- FSCS Protection: Deposits protected up to £120,000 on Cynergy Bank’s own licence (FRN 575105).
- Rate checked: 17 August 2026 (cynergybank.co.uk).
How Business Notice Accounts Work
A business notice savings account typically offers the potential for a higher rate than easy access in exchange for a withdrawal delay. When you want to take money out, you notify the bank and wait out the notice period before funds are released.
The bank benefits because it can plan around the deposit; you benefit with a better rate. Notice periods on this page run from 95 to 180 days. A longer notice period can pay more, because the bank gets greater certainty over the deposit, but it does not always: on the rates we checked, the best 95-day account beats every 180-day account here. Compare the extra interest with the extra time you must wait for your money.
Match the notice period to when you might realistically need the money: if you might need it in two months, a 95-day account leaves you short.
Business Notice Account Rates and Returns
The rate is only half the decision. The other half is what the notice restriction costs you. Compare a notice account with a competitive easy-access account and the premium is often small. Hampshire Trust Bank is a useful like-for-like: its 95 Day Notice Tracker pays 4.01% AER, while its own easy-access SME Saver pays 3.91% AER, a gap of just 0.10 percentage points.
| Balance | Easy access (3.91%) | 95-day notice (4.01%) | Extra per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| £10,000 | £391 | £401 | £10 |
| £50,000 | £1,955 | £2,005 | £50 |
| £100,000 | £3,910 | £4,010 | £100 |
BusinessExpert calculation: balance × published AER, simple annual interest, if rates hold. Easy-access and notice rates are variable. Checked 17 August 2026 against htb.co.uk.
On £100,000, accepting a 95-day withdrawal delay is worth about £100 a year at these rates. That can be worth it if the cash is genuinely surplus and you hold an emergency reserve elsewhere. If you might need the money at short notice, a strong easy-access account paying nearly as much is the safer choice.
Eligibility for Business Notice Accounts
Eligibility rules out more businesses than rates do, so it is the first thing to check rather than the last.
Business types that can apply
Aldermore accepts limited companies only. A sole trader cannot take its 4.00% rate whatever the deposit, which removes one of the three best-paying accounts here for anyone trading in their own name. Allica requires the business to be registered at Companies House, which has the same practical effect. Recognise Bank, Redwood and Cambridge & Counties all accept sole traders, and Cambridge & Counties also takes charitable companies and academy schools. Hampshire Trust, Cynergy, Redwood, Recognise and Harpenden accept companies, LLPs and partnerships, and Hampshire Trust also takes charities, clubs and associations.
Minimum and maximum deposits
Aldermore and Recognise open at £1,000, Hampshire Trust at £5,000, and Cambridge & Counties, Cynergy, Redwood and Harpenden at £10,000. Allica asks for £20,000. At the other end, maximum balances run from £250,000 at Recognise and Harpenden up to £3m at Cambridge & Counties, so the account paying the best rate is not always the one that will hold the whole balance.
Where protection stops
FSCS protection covers £120,000 per eligible depositor per authorised firm. Several accounts here accept far more than that, and the excess is not protected. Splitting a large balance across providers on separate banking licences protects more of it than moving all of it to the top rate, and the gap between the best and the fourth-best rate on this page is 0.16 percentage points.
How to Compare Business Notice Accounts
Start with the notice you can actually serve
A notice account only works if you can wait. Give 95 days’ notice on money you need in eight weeks and the account has failed at the one job it had. Because the longer notice periods here pay no better than the short ones, there is no reason to accept 180 days unless the provider you want offers nothing shorter.
Check whether the rate is a tracker or a variable
Seven of these eight accounts pay a variable rate, which the bank can change when it chooses. Hampshire Trust is a tracker tied to the Bank of England base rate, applied within five business days of a change. A tracker falls automatically when the base rate falls; a variable rate can fall further and faster, or hold. Which one suits depends on where you expect rates to go, and neither is safer in the abstract.
Weigh the notice premium against easy access
The comparison that decides this is not between two notice accounts. It is between a notice account and a good instant-access one. On the like-for-like set out above, the notice premium is 0.10 percentage points. Where an easy-access account pays close to the notice rate, the extra return rarely justifies giving up access to the money.
Who Business Notice Accounts Are Best For
Best for cash with a known date on it
A notice account suits money you have already committed and can put a date to: a VAT or corporation tax bill, a deposit on premises, a planned equipment purchase. The notice period is only a cost if it collides with that date, and on money that is already earmarked it usually does not.
Best for a rate that moves with the base rate
Hampshire Trust is the only account here that tracks the Bank of England base rate rather than being set at the bank’s discretion, and it also pays the highest rate on the page. If your objection to variable savings rates is that they drift down quietly, a tracker answers it directly.
When an easy-access account is the better answer
If the balance is your working buffer, or you cannot yet say what it is for, the notice premium does not pay for the restriction. Our business savings accounts guide covers the instant-access market, and on current pricing the best of those accounts pay close enough to these to make access the deciding factor.
Final Verdict
Best rate: Hampshire Trust Bank pays 4.01% AER over 95 days’ notice, the top rate here and a tracker that follows the Bank of England base rate. Cambridge & Counties and Aldermore sit just behind at 4.00% over 95 days, and Cynergy reaches 4.00% on its 180-day account.
Accounts offering monthly interest: Cambridge & Counties, Aldermore, Redwood, Cynergy and Recognise can all pay interest monthly rather than only annually. Aldermore is the pick if you also want the top rate from a low minimum; the others suit different deposit sizes.
Best for 95-day access: Hampshire Trust Bank leads at 4.01% AER, with Cambridge & Counties and Aldermore at 4.00% and Cynergy at 3.90%. Redwood (3.85%), Recognise (3.55%) and Harpenden (3.52%) follow.
Best for a low opening balance: Aldermore and Recognise both open from £1,000. Aldermore pays 4.00% AER over 95 days (limited companies only); Recognise pays 4.00% over 180 days. Both let you start with far less than the £10,000 minimum many of the other accounts here require.
Best for larger deposits: Cynergy Bank accepts up to £10,000,000 and Cambridge & Counties up to £3,000,000, the highest caps here. If your surplus exceeds the limits elsewhere, either is a practical choice.
One rule for all of them: only commit cash you will not need before the notice period expires. If you might need the cash sooner, compare easy-access business savings; if you can lock it away for longer, see business bonds. Our Best Business Savings Accounts guide has the full market view.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the notice period work for a business notice savings account?
The notice period is the time you must wait after requesting a withdrawal before funds are released. Periods on this page run from 95 to 180 days. Most accounts do not allow early withdrawal, so only commit cash you can plan around for the full term.
Can I withdraw funds from my business notice savings account without giving notice?
Usually not. Under normal terms these accounts require their stated notice period. Some providers may make exceptions: Aldermore, for example, says early withdrawal may be considered at its discretion in exceptional circumstances. Check the individual account terms before you deposit, and plan your cash flow around the full notice period.
What are the interest rates for a business notice savings account?
Rates on the accounts reviewed here range from 3.52% AER (Harpenden BS, 95-day) to 4.01% AER (Hampshire Trust Bank, 95-day). Most rates are variable, and HTB’s is a tracker; check the provider’s own page before opening.
Is my money protected in a business notice savings account?
Yes. All accounts on this page are covered by the FSCS up to £120,000 per eligible depositor per institution (limit increased from £85,000 on 1 December 2025). If you hold savings at multiple providers on their own licences, each carries a separate £120,000 limit.
Who can open a business notice savings account?
Eligibility varies substantially. Limited companies are widely accepted, but sole-trader eligibility is much more restricted: among the accounts compared here, Cambridge & Counties, Redwood and Recognise accept sole traders, while Aldermore, Allica, Cynergy and Harpenden do not. Most providers require a UK-based business with a nominated UK bank account. Where a provider does not accept your structure, no rate on this page is open to you.
Can I make deposits into my business notice savings account at any time?
Most notice accounts accept additional deposits at any time up to the account maximum. Recognise Bank explicitly supports regular deposits. Check the specific account terms before opening; some providers restrict deposits after the initial funding period.
How are interest payments handled in a business notice savings account?
Payment frequency varies: Redwood, Cambridge & Counties, Aldermore and Recognise pay monthly or annually; Cynergy pays monthly; Hampshire Trust Bank, Allica and Harpenden pay annually. All accounts pay gross (no tax deducted at source); you declare interest to HMRC separately.
What happens if I need to access my funds before the notice period ends?
Most accounts on this page do not offer routine early access; a few, such as Aldermore, may consider it at their discretion in exceptional circumstances. Keep a separate easy-access account for emergency reserves so that notice-account funds are genuinely committed for the full period.
How We Reviewed Business Notice Account Providers
We include notice accounts that are open to UK businesses, carry FSCS protection on the provider’s own banking or building society licence, and publish their rates publicly. We do not include accounts that require a relationship manager introduction, restrict access to a single business sector, or are only available via a broker.
For each account we check: the advertised AER and gross rate, the notice period, minimum and maximum deposit, interest payment frequency, eligible business types, and the account-opening route (online, post, or telephone). We verify FSCS eligibility against the FCA register and cross-reference the provider’s licence status.
Rates are variable and change frequently. All rates and notice periods on this page were accurate at our last review on 17 August 2026 but may have changed since.
FSCS limit: The current FSCS deposit protection limit is £120,000 per eligible depositor per authorised institution (increased from £85,000 on 1 December 2025). Where a product shows a maximum balance of £85,000 for a specific account type, this is a provider-set product restriction, not the FSCS limit.
Affiliate disclosure: Allica Bank is an affiliate partner. If you open an account via our Allica link, BusinessExpert may receive a commission. This does not affect our evaluation: providers are assessed on rates, terms, and eligibility regardless of commercial relationship.