Guides to UK bank safety
The ratings on this site answer "how strong is this bank?". These guides answer the questions that come next: how much of your money is protected, which brands count as one bank, and what actually happens when a bank fails.
Safest UK banks, ranked by credit rating
Every rated UK bank in order of its current S&P, Moody's and Fitch ratings, with the well-known names that have no rating and why.
Which UK banks share a banking licence?
Halifax shares with Bank of Scotland, not Lloyds; first direct with HSBC UK; NatWest with Ulster Bank. The full table by licence holder and FCA number.
FSCS protection explained
The £120,000 limit (up from £85,000 on 1 December 2025), joint accounts, temporary high balances up to £1.4m, what is excluded, and how fast you are paid.
What happens if a bank goes bust?
Resolution versus insolvency, what happens to savings, ISAs, mortgages and loans, and the warning signs ratings give beforehand.
How credit ratings work
The S&P, Fitch and Moody's scales side by side, what investment grade means, and how this site blends them into one comparable score.