4.40%
AER
Fixed rate bond
United Kingdom
(AA)
Compound interest accounts in the UK
Compound interest is a term commonly used in the UK banking industry when talking about interest rates, savings and investments. But what does compound interest mean? On this page, you’ll learn what compound interest means for UK savers, how compound interest works, what compounding periods are, and understand the benefits of opening compound interest accounts in the UK.
Key takeaways
Definition: Compound interest is the interest you receive on money that’s already earned interest
Savings growth: Accounts with compound interest typically grow your savings further and faster
Calculation: You can calculate the rate of UK compound interest by using a compound interest calculator or a formula
What is interest?
Interest is a way of generating money from money. You can earn interest from your savings or pay interest on the money you’ve borrowed.
Simple vs compound interest
Unlike compound interest, simple interest is calculated on the original deposit sum only. So if you deposit £10,000 into an account that pays 4% interest, you’ll earn £400 in interest every year. This means after, say, three years, you’ll have a total of £11,200 in the bank:
Initial deposit | £10,000 |
End of year one | £10,400 (4% of £10,000 is £400) |
End of year two | £10,800 (£10,400 + £400) |
End of year three | £11,200 (£10,800 + 400) |
Compound interest takes a cumulative approach, with interest paid on the total savings in your account (including the interest you’ve already earned). Although it may seem a little more complicated, a compound savings account will allow you to earn more interest on your savings over time. This is the effect of compounding using the same figures in the above example:
Initial deposit | £10,000 |
End of year one | £10,400 (4% of £10,000 is £400) |
End of year two | £10,816 (4% of £10,400 is £416) |
End of year three | £11,248.64 (4% of £10,816 is £432.64) |
Due to the ‘snowballing’ effect, you’ll earn an extra £48.64 if you opt for a compound interest savings account over a simple interest account.
While both types of interest will help your savings to grow, compound interest provides a welcome boost if you’re trying to make the most of your money.
This example, using non-compounding rates, is purely illustrative and should not be viewed as indicative of the returns of any specific financial product or as financial advice. Please read individual product terms for the details of how interest is calculated and paid.
What is compound interest in the UK?
In the UK, compound interest is the interest you earn from your original deposit, combined with the interest you’ve earned so far. If you make deposits into a UK compound interest savings account where interest is paid annually, you’ll keep earning interest on each previous year’s interest. This means that if the rate of interest stays the same, you’ll earn more from your savings every year with compound interest.
Here’s a simplified example of how compound interest works in the UK:
- You deposit £2,000 into a savings account with a fixed interest rate of 10%. Interest is paid annually.
- You earn £200 (10% of your original deposit) after year one, giving you a total balance of £2,200.
- At the end of year two, you earn a further 10% on your total savings of £2,200 (original deposit + interest earned in year one). Your balance after year two is £2,420.
- After year three, you earn interest on your original deposit, interest earned in year one and interest earned in year two. The returns generated by compound interest increase as time goes on.
This is an overly simplified explanation of how compound interest works, as other factors affect how interest is calculated, paid and compounded, but this gives you an idea of the process. Compound interest means that the amount of interest paid on your savings will grow, even if you don’t make any more deposits. Of course, if you do make deposits, you’ll earn interest on those, too.
If the savings account you choose pays interest more than once a year, the compounding effect is greater as interest is paid more frequently. It’s always best to check how often interest is paid if you’re considering opening a compound interest savings account in the UK.
The information provided here is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult with a licensed financial adviser or professional before making any financial decisions. Your financial situation is unique, and the information provided may not be suitable for your specific circumstances. We are not liable for any financial decisions or actions you take based on this information.
What is the formula for calculating compound interest?
The formula for calculating compound interest for long-term comparisons is complicated. For most, an online compound interest calculator provides a much easier way to find thefigure out how much compound interest your savings will earn. Here’s a breakdown of the formula if you want to delve deeper, though:
The compound interest formula is A = P(1 + R/N)^NT, where:
A is the total Amount you’ll earn at the end of your term
P is the Principal, or the amount of your initial deposit
R is the annual interest Rate you’ll earn
N is the Number of times your interest will compound
T is the Time in number of years you expect to save for
How do you calculate monthly compounded interest?
It depends on how regularly your account pays interest. Calculating monthly compounded interest on an account that pays interest monthly is relatively easy. Just take the annual interest rate, divide it by 12, then apply that number to your total savings each month. In the example below, we’ve taken an interest rate of 5.04% and applied it to a deposit of £10,000:
£10,000 + (5.04/12) = monthly interest of 0.42%.
Month one | £10,000 |
Month two | £10,042 (0.42% of £10,000 is £42) |
Month three | £10,084.17 (0.42% of £10,042 is £42.17) |
Month four | £10,126.35 (0.42% of £10,084.17 is £42.35) |
Month five | £10,168.88 (0.42% of £10,126.35 is £42.53) |
Month six | £10,211.88 (0.42% of £10,168.88 is £42.70) |
If you want to calculate how much you’ll receive in total from monthly compound periods over a set period of time, just use the formula from the section above but deduct your initial deposit from the final figure.
A = P(1 + R/N)^NT - P
Both of these formulas assume that you won’t make any further deposits after opening an account, however. If you’re planning to top up your savings regularly, or just want to save time rather than calculating compound interest manually, your best bet is to use an online compound interest calculator.
What are ‘compounding periods’?
A compounding period is simply the time from one interest payment to the next.
The rate of compound interest depends on how often interest is paid. If your interest period is quarterly or monthly, the total amount of interest you’ll earn at the end of one year will be higher than interest paid annually, because the interest you earn is accumulated over smaller periods of time.
How does a compound interest calculator work?
Compound interest calculators take the formulas outlined above and do the hard work for you, showing you how much to expect after the end of your chosen period as well as yearly (and sometimes even monthly) growth. There are plenty of compound interest calculators available online, most of which just require your initial deposit amount, planned years of growth, estimated rate of return and compound frequency - here are a couple that allow you to calculate in GBP:
How to earn compound interest
From fixed rate bonds to easy access accounts and ISAs, there are various types of savings accounts that pay compound interest. However, not all savings accounts pay interest in the same way, so it’s important to do your research. Some banks calculate interest on a yearly, quarterly or even monthly basis, while others require savings interest to be ‘paid away’ into another account entirely.
To find the best compound interest account for you, it’s a good idea to compare products from a range of providers. Make sure you pay close attention to how and when the bank pays interest. Whether interest is compounded annually or monthly can have a huge impact on the value of your savings in the long term. Generally speaking, the best compound interest accounts in the UK are those that offer a competitive rate of return and pay interest at frequent intervals.
How to make the most of compound interest
If you want to maximise the positive effects of compound interest, it’s important to choose a savings account that pays a competitive rate of interest at regular intervals. You’ll find a range of high-interest compound savings accounts in the Raisin UK marketplace.
To make the most of compound interest, you might want to consider paying into the account as often as you can and, if possible, refrain from making frequent withdrawals so your money (and interest) has time to accumulate.
Compound interest can make a big difference to the value of your savings over time, but it’s important to be patient; the snowballing effect won’t happen overnight.
Benefits of opening a UK compound interest savings account
The main benefit of opening compound interest savings accounts is that you can earn more from your savings quicker than you would with savings accounts that don’t compound interest. The earlier you start saving, the more you will accumulate, which is especially beneficial if saving for retirement is one of your savings goals.
How to find the best compound interest accounts
If you want to find the best compound interest accounts, you’ll need to do your homework. You can start by visiting comparison websites to view a range of savings accounts in one place. However, bear in mind that not all savings accounts offer compound interest, so it’s important to check the terms of the account.
Once you’ve identified those that pay compound interest, you’ll then need to narrow down your selection. Some of the key factors to consider when choosing a compound interest account are:
- Interest rate – the higher the rate, the more interest you’re likely to earn
- Payment intervals – is interest paid monthly, quarterly or annually? The more regularly interest is paid, the greater the compounding effect
- Bonus rates and incentives – is there a special introductory rate or another incentive for signing up?
- Minimum deposit – some compound interest saving accounts require a minimum opening deposit – do you have a big enough lump sum to meet the criteria?
- Maximum deposit – there may be a limit on how much you can save. If you wish to save more than this, you may need to open another savings account
- Notice period – how easily can you withdraw your cash? Do you have to give notice and, if so, how long?
- Fees, charges and restrictions – will you have to pay any fees or charges? Is there a penalty for withdrawing your money?
When researching the best compound interest savings accounts, it’s important to compare like-for-like. Comparing the gross interest rate on one account with the AER (annual equivalent rate) on another, for instance, won’t give you an accurate snapshot. One reason for this is that the AER takes the effect of compounding into account, whereas the gross interest rate does not.
It’s also important to consider your savings goals as well as the variables outlined above, to find a compound interest account that suits your individual needs.
Compare compound savings accounts from a range of banks
If you want to quickly and easily open a compound savings account in the UK, register for a Raisin UK Account and log in to apply today. Opening an account with Raisin UK is free, and you’ll find competitive interest rates from over 40 banks and building societies.