Account opening
We only offer savings accounts to individuals who are resident in the UK.
We plan to have a range of children's accounts, keep an eye out on our website for further information.
You can open a new account by telephoning us on 0161 923 8015 for an application pack, and open your account by post to our Manchester address. You can also choose your account and download the relevant forms from our website. To open an account we will require a completed application form, and a personal cheque made payable to the account holder(s) from a bank or building society account held in the account holder(s) name.
Agreements have been made, and will be made, between the UK and other countries to help tackle tax evasion. These agreements allow the tax authorities of different countries to share information about a wide range of financial accounts and investments.
The Society, as a financial institution, is required to collect certain information about each customer’s tax arrangement under UK legislation. If you are tax resident of another country with which the UK has agreed to exchange information then we will be obliged to report information about your tax residency status and account(s) to HMRC. The information would then be passed on by HMRC to the relevant country’s tax authority.
A HMRC guide on the requirements for account holders is available to view here.
As a financial institution, we are not allowed to give tax advice. If you are unsure of your individual circumstances or how to answer the questions on tax residency, we recommend that you speak to HMRC or your tax or legal adviser.
We require a personal cheque drawn on a bank account in your name. For security, the cheque should be made payable to the account holder(s).
We use an external agency to confirm identity electronically. If the agency does not hold sufficient information about you, the search may fail and in this instance we would ask you to provide documentary evidence of identity instead, before we can open your account. For more details on identification and certifying documents please see our Identification Requirements.
Your combined eligible deposits with Newcastle Building Society and Manchester Building Society are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK’s deposit guarantee scheme. Any deposits you hold above the limit are unlikely to be covered. Find out more about the FSCS scheme.
Interest is automatically paid without deduction of tax on all savings accounts. You may be liable to pay tax on your savings interest depending on your personal circumstances. There will be no tax to pay on your savings interest if it is within your Personal Savings Allowance. Additionally, if your total income (including wages and savings interest) is within your Personal Allowance you will pay no tax at all. Further information can be found on the gov.uk website.
Ensure that the Cash ISA you wish to open with the Manchester is eligible to receive transfers in from other ISA providers by referring to the Key Product Features of your account (please note that we do not accept transfers of Stocks and Shares ISAs, Innovative Finance ISAs, Lifetime ISAs and flexible Cash ISAs).
Complete an ISA Transfer Authority form for each ISA you wish to transfer, ensuring you write your Manchester account number at the top of the form.
Return the form to us and we will contact your current ISA provider directly.
Please note that any transfers may be subject to fulfilling the terms and conditions of the account being transferred.
How do I open a savings account or ISA under a Power of Attorney?
We will require the following:
- A completed application form with the customer’s details and the Attorney’s details clearly indicated. Please contact the Society on the number below and we can arrange to send the relevant application form to you.
- The original or certified copy* of the Power of Attorney document.
- A Personal cheque drawn from a bank account in the customer's name or the Power of Attorney's name made payable to the customer.
- Satisfactory verification of identity for both the customer and the Attorney(s). We use an external agency to confirm identification electronically. If the electronic identity checks are unsuccessful we will contact you requesting further identification.*
*For more details on identification and certifying documents please see our Identification Requirements.
If you require clarification on the above please contact us on PHONE NUMBER
Managing your account
Subject to the conditions of your account, deposits may be made by cheque, electronic transfer or standing order. We recommend that you contact us on 0161 923 8065 to clarify your accounts deposit conditions.
Online
Please use the following details:
Beneficiary: Your first and last name
Account Number: 60310646
Sort Code: 20-55-34
*Reference: Your Manchester Building Society account number
In our King Street Branch
You can find out more about our King Street branch.
Cheque
Deposits made by cheque must be drawn from a bank account in your name and made payable to the Account Holder(s).
No deposit slip is required when sending a cheque via the post; just write your 10-digit account number on the reverse of the cheque and send it to:
Manchester Building Society
125 Portland Street
Manchester
M1 4QD
*Your reference number is your 10 digit account number with no spaces or dashes. Any letters in your reference number must be in upper case. Failure to quote your correct reference number may result in the payment being returned.
Subject to your account's withdrawal conditions, cheque deposits received by us by post can be drawn against from the second working day after the day of deposit.
Yes, subject to fulfilling the terms and conditions of both your existing and new accounts. We can switch your account over the phone, please contact us on 0161 923 8065 for more information.
We offer electronic payments by faster payment to one existing nominated bank account in your own name. If you have not already set up your nominated bank account please contact us for more information. Payments for a house purchase can be made by CHAPS.
Fill in a new Nominated Account form with the bank account details you want to link to your savings account. Return the form to 125 Portland Street, Manchester, M1 4QD. If you are not able to print the form, please contact us and we will arrange to send you a form in the post.
Please note the nominated linked account must be in the name of the account holder and registered to your UK address. Verification of your bank account details will be required.
Please write to our Manchester office with details of the change along with the appropriate documents as proof. We require either the original or a certified copy* of your official document i.e. marriage certificate or change of name deed.
*For more details on identification and certifying documents please see our Identification Requirements.
Please write to our Manchester office with details of the account holder, enclosing the original or certified copy*; we will also accept a photocopy or scanned copy of the death certificate.
*For more details on certifying documents please see our Identification Requirements.
Please contact us on 0161 923 8065 if you require a duplicate statement of account
As of 8th January 2021, our accounts no longer operate with passbooks. If you have any concerns regarding your account, please contact us on the number above and we will be happy to discuss this further.
It’s a quick check to make sure you’re sending money to the right person or business. When you make a payment, we’ll show you the name on the account so you know it matches. It’s all about keeping your money safe and helping you avoid sending it to the wrong place.
Account Closure
If for any reason you consider that your new account does not fulfil your requirements, you may close the account without any loss of interest irrespective of the withdrawal conditions within 14 days of opening the account. You will need to inform the Society in writing of your request to close the account. Please note however this condition does not apply to fixed rate savings accounts.
Check the terms of your account for any notice or penalty conditions which may apply. You can give notice on your ISA over the phone.
To complete the transfer we will need to be in receipt of a Transfer Authority from your new provider.
My new cash ISA provider is requesting a sort code and account number, what are these?
Our accounts do not have a sort code, you only need to quote your 10-digit Manchester account number.
We will require the following:
- Written authority from the existing account holder.
- A new application form completed by the new and existing customer.
- A personal cheque (for the minimum of £1) from the new account holder. The deposit must be from a bank or building society account held in the new account holder's name.
How do I remove someone from my savings account?
We will require a written request signed by all existing account holders.
Tax and Interest
Interest is accrued on a daily basis and is paid either on the last working day of the month or annually as specified in the Key Product Features of the account.
We will notify you about changes to your interest rate either in writing or by notices on our website. For further information about notices of changes to your interest rate, please see the Terms And Conditions.
We do not automatically issue Statements of Yearly Interest at the end of the tax year or on account closure. Please contact us on 0161 923 8065 if you require a Statement of Yearly Interest. Tax certificates showing deduction of tax are available for tax years up to and including the tax year ended 5th April 2016. For subsequent tax years, all savings interest is automatically paid without deduction of tax.
Savings accounts prior to 2025
Our savings accounts are operated by post. To make a withdrawal simply write to us at our Manchester office address. We process all requests on the day of receipt and send out cheques by first class post or we can send a faster payment to your nominated linked account.
Subject to the withdrawal conditions of your account, you might need to provide notice to make a withdrawal. Please see How do I provide notice on my account? Requests for withdrawals on notice accounts are deferred until the notice period ends unless you request immediate closure and your account allows this.
