Formerly known as Halifax Building Society, Halifax is a British bank. It is named after the town in West Yorkshire where it was founded in 1853 as a building society. The bank is a trading division of Bank of Scotland. The first London office was opened in 1924.

Reviews Rating
28%
Review Score
This figure is an average of the reviews score, taken from customer reviews and the overall rating of the bank.
48%
BankRank® Score
This figure is the average of the bank’s total sentiment score and the review scores.
Matt Crabtree
Senior Editor
Matt Crabtree
Matt Crabtree is a senior editor at CompareBanks. He has over 10 years experience in writing about all aspects of finance and is passionate about helping consumers make informed decisions about their money.
Read More

Overview

First Glance

Formerly known as Halifax Building Society, Halifax is a British bank. It is named after the town in West Yorkshire where it was founded in 1853 as a building society. The bank is a trading division of Bank of Scotland. The first London office was opened in 1924.

Features

Contact Info

About Halifax

Formerly known as Halifax Building Society, Halifax is a British bank. It is named after the town in West Yorkshire where it was founded in 1853 as a building society. The bank is a trading division of Bank of Scotland. The first London office was opened in 1924.

By 1913 Halifax was the UK’s largest building society and continued this success until it was demutualised in 1997. At this stage, it became Halifax PLC. Halifax then merged with Bank of Scotland in 2001, forming HBOS. When the group was reorganised just five years later, Halifax became a division of Bank of Scotland. HBOS was taken over by Lloyds TSB in 2009 and both Bank of Scotland and Halifax became part of Lloyds Banking Group.

Halifax Bank Products and Services

Halifax offers a range of current accounts designed to cover every type of customer.

  • Reward current account: earns £2 per month provided £750 is paid in and the account stays in credit
  • Ultimate Reward account – includes various insurance products, costs £15-17 per month
  • Youth accounts tailored for people aged 11-17
  • Student accounts
  • Basic account – for customers who don’t qualify for other account options

Halifax also has a selection of personal credit cards for purchases and transfers.

As well as standard instant access and fixed rate savings accounts, Halifax has a savings account specifically designed to teach children to save, plus a tax-free cash ISA option.

Customers who are keen to invest can choose from an investment account or investment ISA or join the Halifax Trade Centre to deal in shares.

Lending options for personal customers include loans and mortgages; Halifax accepts both new mortgages and remortgages and offers various rewards for these customers.

Halifax offers home, life, car and business insurance policies.

One notable absence from the Halifax banking portfolio is a business banking service; these products are not offered. Business customers can choose to bank with either Lloyds or Bank of Scotland, both of whom offer business banking services.

Halifax Security

Halifax customers using online banking are opted into Halifax Secure, which intervenes as an extra security step in transactions where it feels needed. Secure asks extra security questions to ensure customers are not being defrauded. Customers can read additional information about keeping their account safe on the Halifax website.

Halifax is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority.

Best Halifax Deals

Halifax Current Account Switch Deal – Up to £135 Free
Halifax Current Account Switch Deal – Up to £135 Free Halifax
Key offer details Halifax Current Account Switch Deal – Up to £135 Free Halifax has...

Have a question about Halifax?

Find answers in Q&As and ask your question

Is Halifax Bank a nationalised(Government) one or Private one? How to open a new savings Bank account? — Isaac Robert

Halifax Reviews

Ferid Zinub
March 26, 2024

“I want to sev money”

I want to sev money

Connor Ha
March 26, 2024

“In less than a year I've had my account temporarily suspended”

In less than a year I've had my account temporarily suspended…i got money taken out my account and they locked me out of my account down to rhe agents not properly helping… I got a new number and was able to change it with other banks with ease but with halifax it was a masdive issue and now have again temporarily suspended my account which I have to wait 5 working daus for a letter despite making them away I have bills and rent to pay. Some of agent's ask ridiculous dpa questions…. I had one asking what I spent 60 quid on from 3 weeks ago just so he could fail me and not do his job. Halifax is the worse bank to deal with.

One person found this helpful
Tracey Laird
March 26, 2024

“Halifax frund team are disgusting my ex Abusive partner”

Halifax frund team are disgusting my ex Abusive partner stolen £2000 pounds from my account and are refusing to give me my money back the bank also nos I'm in a domestic abuse relationship and still let this happen they refused to given me my money back I'm taking these to court

One person found this helpful
Emma Nylon
March 26, 2024

“I have been a customer for 25 years and have always had all my mortgages, savings, loans etc with Halifax/BOS, however, recent experience dictates otherwise”

I have been a customer for 25 years and have always had all my mortgages, savings, loans etc with Halifax/BOS, however, recent experience dictates otherwise. Trying to downsize my house to get a smaller mortgage with less payment so I can free some money up per month to IMPROVE my financial outgoings in the current climate and it’s taken 3 weeks and waiting to even behind re process of having application for porting mortgage looked at, which is slowing everything down. Abhorrent customer service in v challenging times.

Load More

Halifax Accounts

Family Boost Fixed Savings Account
Family Boost Fixed Savings Account
Savings
Free
Monthly Fee
1.65%
Interest Rate
Overdraft
Overdraft Rate
Junior Cash ISA
Junior Cash ISA
Savings
Free
Monthly Fee
2.00%
Interest Rate
Overdraft
Overdraft Rate
Current Account
Current Account
Current
Free
Monthly Fee
Interest Rate
Yes
Overdraft
You’ll only pay daily arranged overdraft interest if you borrow over your interest-free amount (if your account has one). Your daily arranged overdraft interest rate is based on how you manage any accounts you have with us and on the credit information we hold about you.
Overdraft Rate
Reward Current Account
Reward Current Account
Current
No fee or £3
Monthly Fee
Interest Rate
Yes
Overdraft
You’ll only pay daily arranged overdraft interest if you borrow over your interest-free amount (if your account has one). Your daily arranged overdraft interest rate is based on how you manage any accounts you have with us and on the credit information we hold about you.
Overdraft Rate
Ultimate Reward Current Account
Ultimate Reward Current Account
Current
£17
Monthly Fee
Interest Rate
Yes
Overdraft
You’ll only pay daily arranged overdraft interest if you borrow over your interest-free amount (if your account has one). Your daily arranged overdraft interest rate is based on how you manage any accounts you have with us and on the credit information we hold about you.
Overdraft Rate
Student Current Account
Student Current Account
Current
Free
Monthly Fee
Interest Rate
Yes
Overdraft
Up to £1,500 interest-free arranged overdraft
Overdraft Rate
Load More