HSBC Bank plc Credit Rating

HSBC Bank plc is not the high-street HSBC bank. It is the HSBC group's non-ring-fenced UK bank, with its own banking licence (FRN 114216), its own credit ratings and its own £120,000 FSCS limit. HSBC UK, first direct and M&S Bank accounts are held with HSBC UK Bank plc (FRN 765112). See HSBC UK Bank plc's credit rating. Source: Bank of England: list of PRA-regulated banks, October 2026

HSBC Bank plc holds a blended long-term credit rating of AA- — the "High Grade" band, which is investment grade, with a positive outlook. That figure combines the latest long-term issuer ratings from S&P, Moody's, Fitch onto a single comparable scale, and indicates a strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. HSBC Bank plc is owned by HSBC Holdings plc (listed). A credit rating measures an institution's ability to meet its financial obligations — it is an opinion, not a guarantee, and it is separate from deposit protection.

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HSBC Bank plc

FCA: 114216

AA-
Blended credit rating
NEW
Positive
S&P, Moody's, Fitch
Last Updated

22 October 2026

Founded

1836

Ownership

HSBC Holdings plc (listed)

HSBC Bank credit ratings by agency

Agency Long-term rating Outlook Last confirmed
Fitch Ratings AA Stable 22 Oct 2026
Moody's A1 Positive 22 Oct 2026
S&P Global Ratings A+ Positive 22 Oct 2026
Long-term issuer ratings as published in HSBC Bank's own investor disclosures. The blended AA- above maps these onto one scale so banks rated by different agencies can be compared.
Rating History Chart
AA-A+Oct 202622 Oct 2026: AA-AA-
Rating History
Date Rating Agencies

22 Oct 2026

AA-

S&P, Moody's, Fitch

22 Oct 2026
AA-
S&P, Moody's, Fitch

Service record: complaints, incidents and customer survey

Complaints: in the FCA's 2025 H1 file (January 2025 to June 2025), HSBC Bank received 465 banking and credit-card complaints, 0.29 per 1,000 accounts. The bank upheld 52% of those it closed and closed 74% within three days. Compare all banks.

Savings apps that place customers' money with HSBC Bank plc: Chip. Money placed through them counts toward the same £120,000 FSCS limit as money held here directly.

Frequently asked questions about HSBC Bank plc

Is HSBC Bank plc safe?

HSBC Bank plc currently holds a blended long-term credit rating of AA-, which is investment grade and indicates a strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. A credit rating is an independent opinion on an institution's ability to meet its financial obligations; it is not a guarantee and can change. Separately, Eligible deposits with UK-authorised banks and building societies are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per eligible person, per banking licence (the limit rose from £85,000 on 1 December 2025). Where several brands share a single banking licence, that £120,000 limit is shared across those brands rather than applying to each one separately. This page is information about published credit ratings, not financial advice.

What is HSBC Bank plc's credit rating?

HSBC Bank plc has a blended long-term credit rating of AA-, with a positive outlook. This blends the most recent long-term issuer ratings from S&P, Moody's, Fitch, mapped onto a common scale so ratings expressed in different agencies' notation can be compared directly.

Is HSBC Bank plc covered by the FSCS?

Eligible deposits with UK-authorised banks and building societies are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per eligible person, per banking licence (the limit rose from £85,000 on 1 December 2025). Where several brands share a single banking licence, that £120,000 limit is shared across those brands rather than applying to each one separately. HSBC Bank plc is recorded with FCA reference 114216. Because protection follows the banking licence rather than the brand, check the current position and which brands share a licence on the FSCS website before relying on it.

Who owns HSBC Bank plc?

HSBC Bank plc is owned by HSBC Holdings plc (listed). Ownership matters for credit ratings because agencies often factor in the likelihood of support from a parent group, and because brands under the same banking licence share a single FSCS limit.

What does a AA- credit rating mean?

AA- sits in the "High Grade" band, indicating a strong capacity to meet its financial commitments. Ratings of BBB- (or Baa3 on Moody's scale) and above are considered investment grade; anything below that is regarded as speculative, sometimes called "high yield". Ratings are reviewed periodically and can be upgraded or downgraded.

What is HSBC Bank plc's Fitch rating?

Fitch rates HSBC Bank plc AA (long-term) with a stable outlook, as read from the bank's own published disclosures and last confirmed on 22 October 2026. Together with the other agencies' ratings this gives the blended AA- shown on this page.

What is HSBC Bank plc's Moody's rating?

Moody's rates HSBC Bank plc A1 (long-term) with a positive outlook, as read from the bank's own published disclosures and last confirmed on 22 October 2026. Together with the other agencies' ratings this gives the blended AA- shown on this page.

What is HSBC Bank plc's S&P rating?

S&P rates HSBC Bank plc A+ (long-term) with a positive outlook, as read from the bank's own published disclosures and last confirmed on 22 October 2026. Together with the other agencies' ratings this gives the blended AA- shown on this page.

When did HSBC Bank plc's credit rating last change?

HSBC Bank plc's blended rating has stood at AA- since 22 October 2026, the most recent change in our records. Ratings are re-checked automatically and this page updates when an agency revises its assessment.