Savings Interest Rates, Switch Offers and Guides for Earl Shilton Building Society

Who they are

Earl Shilton Building Society traces its roots to December 1856, when the first meeting of the "Earl Shilton Permanent Benefit Building & Land Society" was held at the Royal Oak Club Room on Earl Shilton High Street, with members paying their first subscriptions on 3 January 1857. That makes it one of the oldest building societies in the country. Headquartered in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, it is currently the second-smallest building society in the UK by total assets.

As a mutual organisation, it works for people, not shareholders, and its customers are members of the society with a say in how it operates. Its size means it can offer a personal service to all customers, treating them as individuals, with friendly and knowledgeable staff aiming for the best outcomes at all times. There are no current-account switch offers here - this is a focused savings and mortgage provider.

Savings accounts

Earl Shilton offers a surprisingly broad range for a society of its size. The headline rate sits with the Monthly Saver at 6% variable, which allows two instant-access withdrawals a year and opens from just £1. On the ISA side, both the Triple Access Cash ISA and its online equivalent pay 4.10% variable, with up to three withdrawals a year and a minimum of just £10. The 2 Year Fixed Rate ISA locks your money away in return for 3.80% fixed.

For taxable savings without an ISA wrapper, the Fixed Rate Savings Bond Account pays 3.90% fixed, though it requires a £10,000 minimum and no access until maturity. The limited-access range is worth a close look too. Bonus One pays 3.75% variable (with a 2.90% bonus element on a 0.85% base rate) and allows one withdrawal a year from £5,000. The Heritage account, aimed at over-50s, pays 3.25% variable with up to four withdrawals a year from £1,000. Progress pays 3.10% variable with up to six withdrawals from £100 - a lower bar for younger savers building a habit. The standard Instant Access Savings Account pays 1% variable from £10.

For families, the Junior Cash ISA pays 3.35% variable, locked until the child turns 18, opening from £10.

All variable rates can change at any time, and bonus-bearing accounts - Bonus One, Heritage and Progress - each carry a significant bonus element that drops away if you miss the terms. Read the small print before you open.

FSCS protection

Deposits up to £120,000 are covered by the UK's FSCS deposit guarantee scheme at Earl Shilton Building Society. That is notably higher than the standard £85,000 limit most banks offer, which makes Earl Shilton worth a closer look if you hold a larger lump sum and want more protection under one roof. The society holds its own banking licence, so there is no licence-sharing arrangement to be aware of.

Is it right for you?

Earl Shilton suits savers who value a genuinely local, community-minded institution and are comfortable with some access restrictions in exchange for a better rate. The Monthly Saver and cash ISA range are the strongest options on offer right now. Branch access is limited to Earl Shilton town and a branch in Barwell , so if you live outside Leicestershire you will mainly deal online or by post - though the online ISA option does help here.

Rates change, and the figures above are a snapshot. Check the live rates shown on this page before you open an account to make sure you are comparing the most current numbers.