5% Easy-Access Is Back! UK Savings Rates Update - May 2026

In this episode of Banking Without Borders, we cover the May 2026 savings rate update — breaking down where UK savers can earn the highest interest right now, what the Bank of England's latest decision means for rates, and which accounts look better than they actually are.Bank of England holds base rate at 3.75% — eight to one vote, with one member pushing for a hike to 4%Why the Middle East conflict has changed the rate outlook for 2026 and what that means for saversCurrent account switch bonuses worth up to £500 from HSBC, First Direct, Barclays and Santander — with deadlines coming up fastEasy access savings topping 5% from LemFi — including a walkthrough of the account opening process, the ClearBank FSCS nuance, and the six-month rate cliffBest easy access rates from Tembo, Chase, Cynergy Bank, Hanley Economic BS and Charter Savings BankCash ISAs — flexible vs non-flexible explained, bonus cliff warnings on Trading 212, Plum and Tembo, and why the £20k allowance matters more than ever before it drops in 2027Fixed rate bonds from Chetwood Bank, Kent Reliance and GB Bank — and why the tiny gap between one-year and five-year rates tells you something important about market expectationsNotice accounts — when they make sense and when easy access is simply betterRegular savers — why 7.1% headline rates are more misleading than they look, and the actual best picks from First Direct, Club Lloyds and Monmouthshire BSAll accounts mentioned are available to compare at DepositScout.comJoin the new Banking Without Borders Discord community https://link.bankingwithoutborders.co.uk/discordSubscribe on YouTubehttps://link.technicallymoney.com/oy8eCheck out our website DepositScout.com for the latest savings rates. Connect with us (via LinkedIn)Jan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-watermann/Jonny: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-peaseGot a question or topic you want us to cover? Drop us a message at [email protected]