Here is a summary of the top notice accounts that pay interest monthly:

• Aldermore’s 120 Day Notice Account pays the market-leading rate of 1.09% gross (1.10%AER) on a monthly basis from a minimum of £1,000. Further additions are permitted at any time into this internet-operated account but earlier access is not, with the full 120-day notice period always having to be served.

• Next up is ICICI Bank UK with its Notice Savings Account paying the joint-top rate of 1.09% gross (1.10% AER) on a monthly basis, this time from a minimum investment of just £1. Further additions are welcome but withdrawals are only possible on 95 days’ notice, and must be made via a linked Home Vantage Current Account. The account can be managed online, in branch and by phone.

• The Melton Building Society completes the top three with its Online Rainbows 90 Day Notice, an account that pays 1.00% gross/AER on a monthly basis from £100. Further additions are welcome but earlier access is not, with the full 90 days’ notice always having to be served. The account must be managed online, but a branch or postal-operated version is also available.

Find out what other deals are available on our notice account chart.

Top products – At a glance

Mortgage options for the over-50s

More people now expect to be paying their mortgage into their 70s, according to research from Hargreaves Lansdown. “Even if you snap up a property at the average age of 34, and take out a 25-year mortgage, it only takes a little bit of life to get in the way to leave you repaying well into retirement,” said Sarah Coles, personal finance analyst for Hargreaves Lansdown. But what are your mortgage options in later life?

Can I get a mortgage over 50?

Those needing a mortgage as they approach or are in retirement will find their lending options look different to younger borrowers, with typical options including lifetime mortgages (a form of equity release) and retirement interest-only mortgages.  

A lifetime mortgage allows borrowers to release the equity in their home as tax-free cash. They can choose whether they want to make regular repayments or none at all, in which case the amount borrowed plus accrued interest is repaid when they go into long-term care or die (usually funded by the sale of their home). Borrowers should be aware that, if interest is rolled up, the total amount borrowed can increase significantly, however lifetime mortgages offer a no negative equity guarantee to ensure that the borrower will never owe more than the value of their home.

Alternatively, retirement interest-only mortgages are a hybrid of a traditional interest-only mortgage and a lifetime mortgage. They allow older borrowers to borrow money using their house as security like a traditional mortgage, and they will need to pass the lender’s affordability test. The monthly repayments are lower as the capital is not repaid, only the interest charged to it. However, like a lifetime mortgage, the debt remaining must be repaid when the borrower goes into long-term care or passes away. Whichever option is chosen, advice is key.

There’s a lot more to this story online, and those considering borrowing in later life may want to speak to a financial adviser.

Product Spotlight: Five-year fixed mortgages for home movers

Moving home? Here are the top five-year fixed rate mortgage deals available direct:

• NatWest’s five-year fixed mortgage is priced at 1.55% to 31 December 2025 (2.9% APRC), after which it reverts to 3.59% variable for term. It’s available to house purchase customers at up to 60% loan-to-value (LTV) and comes with a fee of £995, though the £250 cashback will help to partially offset that upfront cost.

• This five-year 60% LTV deal from RBS mirrors NatWest’s offering, with a rate of 1.55% that’s fixed to the end of 2025 (2.9% APRC) before reverting to 3.59% variable. The fee of £995 is again offset by the £250 cashback incentive.

• Virgin Money’s five-year deal completes the top three, with a rate of 1.55% fixed to 1 January 2026 (3.2% APRC) before reverting to 4.34% variable. Available to house purchase customers with a deposit of at least 35% (65% LTV), it’s got a fee of £995 but will cover valuation fees.

See what other deals are available in our five-year fixed rate moving home chart.

Six steps to organise your finances

This week was the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment’s (CISI’s) Financial Planning Week, a week that aims to help improve consumers’ confidence and understanding of finances. Here are a few steps consumers can take to manage their money.

1. Set small goals that build towards achieving your main financial aims

Consider what you would want your lifestyle to be like after you stop working. It may be decades away, but having a clear aim – and creating a spending plan – can help you to set smaller goals along the way.

2. Switch any debts to lower rates and pay off the most expensive

Short-term debt on personal loans and credit cards can be expensive and it is a good idea to switch these debts to a lower rate if you can, and focus on paying off those debts with the highest rates first. Consolidating your debts can help to reduce your monthly debt outgoings.

3. Start an emergency fund

Any money released as a result of paying off a debt can be saved to help form an emergency savings fund. Consumers wanting to earn the best rates should avoid keeping this money in a high street bank as this could earn next to nothing; find the top deals by looking beyond the high street.

4. Saving into a pension is free money

Unless they have opted out, most of those working should now all be auto-enrolled into an employer’s pension scheme. This means that all employees will have money from their employer and themselves being paid into a pension pot.

5. Check your family is protected

If you or a family member were unable to work, what would the impact be on your family and finances? Income protection and life insurance are there to take away the stress of worrying about money at what is likely to be a hugely stressful time.

6. Releasing income as retirement approaches

Those approaching retirement should also consider a personal finance review. At this time, the focus may be on how to release income in the most tax-efficient way or how to release equity with a lifetime mortgage.

You can read these steps in more detail online, and check out our guides for extra support across a range of financial considerations.

This current account from Starling Bank pays interest of 0.05% AER on balances of up to £85,000, has no minimum funding requirement or monthly fee, and has a low overdraft rate of just 15% EAR. Although designed for mobile banking – there are no Starling Bank branches – the account can be managed online, by post, by phone, at Post Office branches and via mobile.

Representative example: Based on an overdraft limit of £1200 charged at 15.00% EAR Variable. Representative 15.0% APR variable.

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