Account for start-up and small businesses

The account that helps your business make a flying start. Includes 12 months’ free day-to-day¹ business banking and specialist support when you want it.

After submitting your application we will check we have all the information we need and we will contact you if anything is missing. Then, it will usually take us up to 6 weeks to open your account.

Apply for a Business Current Account

Access your account on the go anytime with our business mobile app3.

Apply now

All you need for a flying start

  • 12 months’ free day-to-day business banking¹ for new businesses²
  • Dedicated support from our UK-based business management team
  • Simple pricing, including free electronic payments
  • Bank of Scotland Business mobile app³
  • Useful guides and practical business tools

Please take some time to read the product terms and conditions.

  • When your 12-month free banking period ends, the pricing below will apply.

    Estimate with our calculator how much your account could cost.

    Monthly FeeA fixed fee for operating your account.

    £7.00

    Electronic payments (in or out) Includes online, automated and debit card payments.

    Free

    Cash payments (in or out)Cash you pay in to or withdraw from your account using our branch counter or Depositpoint™. We don’t charge for Cashpoint® withdrawals.

    The first  £1500 per month - £1.00 per £100

    Anything over £1500 per month - £0.90 per £100

    Cheques (in or out)Any cheque you pay in or out of your current account via any of these: a branch counter Depositpoint™ bulk or other cheque deposit service, including cheque imaging via the business mobile banking app.

    £0.85

    Credit inWe charge a fee when you pay in a credit of cheques or cash: at the branch counter through other cheque or cash deposit services. We do not charge this fee when you pay in via any of these: Depositpoint™, Night Safe, Bank of Scotland Business mobile app cheque imaging, Post Office® counter Immediate Deposit Machine.

    £0.85

  • ¹Free day-to-day business banking includes:

    • Cheques
    • Standing orders
    • Cash
    • Direct debits
    • Deposits and withdrawals.

    All we ask is that you operate your account in credit or within agreed limits.

    Free electronic payments include:

    • Direct debits
    • standing orders
    • debit card transactions
    • free cashpoint withdrawals from Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Bank and Halifax cash machines. Withdrawals from other ATM  may incur additional charges set by the owner of the machine’
    • internet debits and credits
    • Telephone Banking debits and credits
    • Faster Payments debits and credits
    • internet bulk payments
    • automated credits.

    ²Applies to small businesses, including individuals setting up their first business bank account.

    ³You'll need iOS or Android. The app is not compatible with some older versions of these operating systems. Please check the Apple App Store or Google Play. You'll need to have registered for Business Internet Banking. Terms and conditions apply.

    How we support start-up businesses (PDF, 1.06MB)

Apply

What you need to know

To apply for an account as a small business, you need to:

  • be a sole trader, partner or company director
  • be aged 18 or over
  • have an annual turnover of less than £3 million
  • not already have a Bank of Scotland business account for this business.

 

If your annual turnover is above £3 million, please see our accounts for larger businesses.

If you already have a business account for this business, please visit our support page.

Details and documents to prepare

Please have the following ready:

  • a copy or photograph of your signature
  • The name, date of birth and three-year personal address history (including month and year of moving dates) for everyone connected to the account and the mobile number and email address of the Key Account Party
  • your business name, address, details of your activities and estimated turnover.
  • For limited company accounts, companies house must be up to date before we can progress an application. Please allow 3 days from the date of Companies House registration before applying online or over the phone.

 

UK Finance business account opening guide

Before applying

Keep in mind:

  • If you’re applying for a loan, please make sure you have the loan agreed before opening an account. You do not need to open a Business Current Account to apply for a loan, you can open a Loan Servicing Account
  • If you’ve already started an application, you can continue or check the status of your application at any time that suits you.

Switching business account

Get a guaranteed switch in 7 working days from when your account is opened using the Current Account Switch Service.

Switch your business account to us

Apply for a Business Current Account

Access your account on the go anytime with our business mobile app3.

Apply now

Resume application

Pick up where you left off

If you’ve already started an application, you should have received your ‘Welcome’ email.

You can continue or check the status of your application at any time that suits you. To log in you will need the mobile phone number and email address you provided in your application.

Existing customers

Do you already have an account?

If you’re already a Bank of Scotland business customer visit:

Further resources

FSCS Logo

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Eligible deposits with Bank of Scotland plc are protected up to a total of £85,000. Due to eligibility criteria, not all business customers will be covered.

Grow your digital skills online

Take part in our free lessons and workshops to help your business thrive in a digital world.

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Independent service quality survey results

Business current accounts

 

Published February 2022

As part of a regulatory requirement, an independent survey was conducted to ask approximately 1,200 customers of each of the 14 largest business current account providers if they would recommend their provider to other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs*). The results represent the view of customers who took part in the survey.

Overall service quality

We asked customers how likely they would be to recommend their business current account provider to other SMEs.

Ranking

Independent overall service quality survey results for 1st place Starling Bank 86%
Independent overall service quality survey results for 2nd place HandelsBanken 75%
Independent overall service quality survey results for 3rd place Metro Bank 68%
Independent overall service quality survey results for 4th place Santander 61%
Independent overall service quality survey results for 5th Barclays Bank 58%
Independent overall service quality survey results for 8th equal place Bank of Scotland 53%

View the full set of results

The requirement to publish the Financial Conduct Authority Service Quality Information for Business current accounts can be found here.

Cashpoint® is a registered trademark of Lloyds Bank plc.

SMEs include businesses, clubs, charities and societies with an annual turnover of up to £25m (exclusive of VAT and other turnover-related taxes).