Bank of Ireland UK vs Co-operative Bank plc

Bank of Ireland UK has a blended long-term credit rating of A+ and Co-operative Bank A, so Bank of Ireland UK is rated 1 notch higher. Bank of Ireland UK and Co-operative Bank hold separate banking licences, so eligible savings with each are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per person separately. In the CMA's August 2026 service quality survey, 55% of Co-operative Bank's personal customers would recommend it for overall service; Bank of Ireland UK is not one of the brands surveyed. In the FCA's latest complaints figures, Bank of Ireland UK received 1.89 banking complaints per 1,000 accounts and Co-operative Bank 2.62.

B
Bank of Ireland UK
Higher Rated
Credit Rating
A+
NEW
Normalized Score

78 / 100

Agencies

Moody's, Fitch

Outlook
Stable
Last Updated

24 October 2026

VS
C
Co-operative Bank plc
Credit Rating
A
Normalized Score

75 / 100

Agencies

Moody's, Fitch

Outlook
Stable
Last Updated

10 July 2026

B
Bank of Ireland UK
Higher Rated
Credit Rating
A+
NEW
Score
78 / 100
Agencies

Moody's, Fitch

Outlook
Stable
C
Co-operative Bank plc
Credit Rating
A
Score
75 / 100
Agencies

Moody's, Fitch

Outlook
Stable
Swipe to compare
Rating History Comparison
A+AA-BBB+BBBBBB-BB+BBBB-B+BB-Jan 2016Oct 2026Bank of Ireland UK — 15 Jan 2016: BBB-Bank of Ireland UK — 15 Jun 2019: BBBBank of Ireland UK — 15 Jun 2021: BBB+Bank of Ireland UK — 15 Mar 2023: A-Bank of Ireland UK — 24 Oct 2026: A+A+Co-operative Bank plc — 15 Jan 2016: BCo-operative Bank plc — 15 Sep 2017: B+Co-operative Bank plc — 15 Jun 2019: BB-Co-operative Bank plc — 10 Jul 2026: AA
Bank of Ireland UKCo-operative Bank plc
Bank of Ireland UK
Co-operative Bank plc
Comparison Summary
Metric Bank of Ireland UK Co-operative Bank plc Difference
Credit Rating A+ A Bank of Ireland UK 1 notch higher
Normalized Score 78 75

+3 points

Agencies Moody's, Fitch Moody's, Fitch Same
Outlook Stable Stable Same
Trend
NEW
Different
Investment Grade Yes Yes Same

Service record and deposit protection

MeasureBank of Ireland UKCo-operative Bank
Would recommend for overall service (CMA survey, Aug 2026, personal, GB) not surveyed 55% (rank 13= of 17)
Would recommend for online and mobile banking not surveyed 60% (rank 16= of 17)
Banking complaints per 1,000 accounts (FCA) 1.89 (2026 H1, group figure) 2.62 (2025 H1)
Complaints upheld by the bank 39% 68%
Major operational or security incidents reported to the FCA, last 12 months 0 (to Jun 2026) 5 (to Jun 2026)
Banking licence (FCA reference) 512956 121885

Bank of Ireland UK and Co-operative Bank hold separate banking licences, so eligible savings with each are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per person separately.

Survey: CMA / Ipsos, share of each brand's own customers who would recommend it (full rankings). Complaints: FCA firm-level data for the licence holder (all banks). Incidents: figures each bank must publish under the FCA's BCOBS 7 rules (all banks). A service score is about experience, not financial strength.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bank of Ireland UK or Co-operative Bank financially stronger?

Bank of Ireland UK has a blended long-term credit rating of A+ and Co-operative Bank A, so Bank of Ireland UK is rated 1 notch higher. A credit rating is an agency's opinion of a bank's ability to repay its debts, not a guarantee, and it says nothing about service.

Do Bank of Ireland UK and Co-operative Bank share FSCS protection?

Bank of Ireland UK and Co-operative Bank hold separate banking licences, so eligible savings with each are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per person separately.

Which has better customer service, Bank of Ireland UK or Co-operative Bank?

In the CMA's August 2026 service quality survey, 55% of Co-operative Bank's personal customers would recommend it for overall service; Bank of Ireland UK is not one of the brands surveyed. In the FCA's latest complaints figures, Bank of Ireland UK received 1.89 banking complaints per 1,000 accounts and Co-operative Bank 2.62. A service score reflects customers' experience, not the bank's financial strength.

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