Editorial and sourcing policy

Banking Explained is an independent editorial project that explains UK banking products and services in plain English. Here is how we work: who writes, which sources we use, how we handle figures, and how we stay independent.

Who writes

Articles are produced and published under the Banking Explained masthead. Every piece goes through an editorial check before it is published. If you have a question about a specific article, email us at hello@bankingexplained.co.uk.

How we research and verify

• We rely on primary sources: banks’ own tariff and product pages, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and its Handbook, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Bank of England, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the Financial Ombudsman Service, MoneyHelper, HMRC and GOV.UK, and the relevant legislation.
• Where an article states something checkable, we list the sources in the “Official sources” section at the end of it.
• We do not present specific figures (interest rates, APR, AER, fees, allowances) as permanent. These change frequently. We either describe them qualitatively, or quote them with a link to the official source and tell you to confirm the current value on the day you decide.

How we handle comparisons

When we say one option is “usually cheaper” or “tends to cost more”, we anchor it to explicit criteria (for example: monthly account fee, non-sterling transaction fee, ATM withdrawal charge) and to the official tariff we read, with the date we read it. Conclusions like these depend on that day’s pricing and on how you personally use the account, so confirm them against the current figures before acting.

Comparison tables

In our comparison tables, every concrete figure carries a link to the provider’s official source and the date we last verified it against that source. If we could not verify a figure, we leave the cell empty rather than estimate it.

Updates

We review articles periodically. We show the publication date and, where relevant, the date the article was last checked. When an offer or a fee changes, we update or flag the information.

Independence and commercial relationships

Banking Explained is editorially independent. Our explanations and comparisons are not influenced by banks. We currently have no affiliate relationships and receive no commission on any product mentioned. If that changes, we will label any affiliate link or paid partnership explicitly, in the article concerned.

Corrections

If you spot an inaccuracy, email hello@bankingexplained.co.uk and we will correct it as quickly as we can.

Important

The information on this site is educational and is not regulated financial advice tailored to your circumstances. Banking Explained is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. For decisions about your own money, check the official figures and, if you need personal guidance, use the free service at MoneyHelper or speak to a regulated adviser.