First Direct Launches £175 Switch Offer
First Direct is paying £175 into the accounts of new customers who switch and meet a handful of easy requirements in their first few weeks as a user.
If you've never held a First Direct account before, now might be a good time to join the bank that's ranked 4th in the UK for overall service quality.
There's also an extra £35 up for grabs if you apply through Quidco or TopCashback, potentially bringing your total to around £210.
This offer could expire at any time. The end date has not been disclosed by First Direct.
The link below will take you to the First Direct website where you can apply for this offer.
How To Qualify For First Direct Free Cash
- Complete a full switch using CASS and close your old account
- Pay in at least £1,000 within 30 days and leave it there for a minimum of 24 hours. Leave it a little longer if you can to avoid potential issues.
- Move at least two Direct Debits or standing orders from your old bank
- Use your debit card at least five times within the first 45 days
- Log into online banking at least once within the first 45 days
Tip: You can create both direct debits using the 30 Pence Direct Debit service. It's the cheapest direct debit available.
Another tip: You can make the necessary 5 debit card transactions from the comfort of you own home using the 30 Pence Card Payment service.
(It's easier than buying 5 apples on 5 different transactions at Tesco's!)
Eligible accounts:
You must sign up for the 'First Direct 1st Account'.
Who Cannot Apply For This Offer:
- Anyone who has ever held a First Direct account
- Anyone who opened an HSBC account on or after 1st January 2018
First Direct Switch Offer Review
This is a pretty standard offer from First Direct that they seem to run quite often. The £175 is quite generous given that the requirements aren't too hard to meet (especially compared to the Santander £200 offer).
First Direct is also a quality bank to stick with that regularly tops the opinion polls for customer satisfaction and overall service quality. The mobile app is modern, and does everything you would expect from a bank in 2026.
It's one of those banks does a lot of things right.
