You can claim hundreds of pounds in free money in the UK through sign-up offers, bank switch bonuses, cashback and free shares. There’s no catch: these are new-customer deals from regulated banks and apps.
The best free money sign-up offers in the UK right now include Trading 212 (a free share worth up to £100), Monzo (up to £50), Quidco (£20) and TopCashback (£10).
Most reward you for opening an account or making a small deposit.
Investing-app offers tend to pay the most, while cashback sites pay smaller but instant bonuses.
Always check the deposit requirement before signing up.
How to Get Free Money in the UK (the Main Ways)
- Sign-up offers and welcome bonuses – free cash or shares for opening an account (see the full list below).
- Bank switch bonuses – up to £240 for moving your current account.
- Cashback sites and apps – earn money back on your normal shopping. See the best cashback apps in the UK.
- Paid surveys – get paid small amounts for your opinion. See the best paid online surveys.
- Birthday freebies – free gifts and money around your birthday. See our birthday freebies guide.
- Refer-a-friend rewards – bonuses for inviting friends to apps you already use.
- Government Help to Save, a 50% bonus on your savings if you’re working and claim Universal Credit (the current scheme closes to new accounts in April 2027).
Switch bonuses are just one of these ways to earn, and we have costed them all up in our complete UK cashback guide.
Best ISA
Trading 212
Commission-free shares and ETFs in an ISA, Invest account or SIPP
Offer: Free fractional shares worth up to £100 with promo code GAINS (code must be used within 10 days of registering; value is random, most awards £8 to £25). Capital at risk, T&Cs apply.
- Commission-free trading, no account fee
- Pays interest on uninvested cash
- Stocks ISA and SIPP in one app
- CFDs in the same app: 77% of retail accounts lose money
- 0.15% FX fee each way on non-GBP trades
- Card deposits cost 0.7% after your first £2,000
- No Junior ISA or Lifetime ISA
- £1
- minimum
- Free
- platform fee
- Free
- trading fee
- 0.15% FX fee on non-GBP trades
Affiliate link. Capital at risk.
Things you need to know before signing up for these welcome offers:
Eligibility: Typically these sign up bonuses are only eligible to new customers who are 18+ and UK resident.
Terms & Conditions: Always check the individual brand terms & conditions before signing up as there may be minimum deposits, spend requirements, holding periods or other conditions to meet before qualifying for a sign up bonus.
Timing: Some bonuses may take days, weeks or months to be credited and may be subject to delayed withdrawal periods.
Tax: Please do your own research on any tax liability as a result of these sign up bonuses, particularly where any free shares are issued.
Remember capital is at risk when you invest. Always do your own research. ISA rules and T&Cs may apply.
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The Top Free Money Offers In The UK Right Now
- Trading212 – Invest £1 to get up to £100 free fractional shares
- IG – Invest £300, get up to £300 in free shares (random, usually £40 to £50)
- Monzo – Mystery reward of £10, £20 or £50
- Quidco – £20 free
- TopCashback – £10 free
- Cheddar: £3 bonus with code UPGAINS
- Everup – 10 million coins
- Swagbucks – £10 bonus
- Sprive – £5 free towards your mortgage
- Gains App – £2 free (use code UTG)
(Capital at risk when you invest. T&Cs apply)
Trading212 – Invest £1 to get up to £100 Free Fractional Shares
You’ll receive up to £100 free fractional shares if you invest a minimum of £1 with the code ‘GAINS’.
(Capital at risk when you invest, T&Cs apply)
IG – Invest at least £300 to get up to £300 in free shares
Invest at least £300 and get free UK shares worth up to £300. The share value is randomly allocated, and most people get £40 to £50.
(Capital at risk. New UK customers only. Open your account and place your first trade within 30 days, with net trades of £300+ held for 3 months. Shares are credited to a General Investment Account (GIA). Promotion ends 31 December 2026. T&Cs apply.)
Monzo – Earn a mystery reward of £10, £20 or £50
Earn a mystery reward of £10, £20 or £50 when you sign up and make your first card payment in the next 30 days.
(T&Cs apply)
Quidco – Get £20 free when you sign up
Earn £20 bonus cashback when you sign up and earn £5 cashback.
(T&Cs apply)
TopCashback – Get £10 free when you sign up
Earn £10 bonus cashback when you sign up and earn £10 cashback.
(T&Cs apply)
Cheddar: £3 bonus with code UPGAINS
Get £2 when you buy your first £25 of gift cards and £1 more once you’ve earned £5 cashback, within 30 days, using code UPGAINS.
(T&Cs apply)
Everup – 10 million coins
Earn 10 million coins when you sign up to use for games and competition entries
(T&Cs apply)
Swagbucks – Get a £10 bonus
Get a 1000SB (equivalent to £10) bonus when you sign up and spend at least £25 at a store featured in Swagbucks.com/Shop.
(T&Cs apply)
Sprive – £5 free towards your mortgage
£5 free towards your mortgage USE code GAINS on sign up
(T&Cs apply)
Gains App – £2 free when you earn £10 cashback
£2 free when you earn £10 cashback use code UTG on sign-up
(T&Cs apply)
Read nextTop 10 Best UK Entrepreneurship & Startup Podcasts – Must Listens In 2026Bank Switch Offers
Bank switch offers are the biggest single payouts in UK free money. Switch your current account to a new bank through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS) and most major banks pay a cash bonus, usually within 30 days of the switch completing.
The switch itself is automatic. CASS moves your direct debits, standing orders and incoming payments across, closes your old account, and redirects any payments sent to it for at least three years. It takes seven working days and comes with a guarantee that covers you if anything goes wrong.
Most offers ask you to do the same few things: pay in a minimum deposit, move at least two direct debits, and log into the app once. You can switch more than one account, and you can switch again later, though banks usually exclude customers who have claimed their bonus before.
Here are the current account switch offers worth claiming right now.
First Direct – Up to £210 Free
First Direct is consistently rated one of the UK’s best banks for customer service.
Switch your current account using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS) and you’ll get £175 paid directly into your account.
But here’s the clever bit – if you sign up through TopCashback first, you can earn an extra £35 cashback on top, bringing your total to £210.
(T&Cs Apply: You must switch using CASS with 2+ direct debits or standing orders, pay in £1,000+ and make 5+ debit card payments within 45 days of opening. The £175 bonus is paid by the 20th of the month after you qualify. The extra £35 TopCashback boost applies to accounts opened 14 September to 2 December 2026 and is tracked separately.)
Santander Everyday – £240 Free
Santander’s fee-free Everyday Current Account pays a £240 cash bonus when you switch from another bank using CASS. You also open a Santander Regular Saver, which currently pays 8% AER (variable) for the first 12 months.
This version of the offer is for switches requested from 27 October 2026, and Santander can withdraw it at any time, so check before you switch.
(T&Cs Apply. Switch must be requested on or after 27 October 2026 using CASS and completed within 60 days, with 2 household Direct Debits and £1,500 paid in. Open a Santander Regular Saver and fund it with at least £200. Not available if you or a joint holder held a Santander current account on 1 January 2026 or have previously received a Santander switching incentive. Bonus paid within 90 days of starting the switch.)
Birthday Freebies
There are hundreds of freebies you can get from brands around your birthday just for showing your ID or signing up to their mailing lists.
You can view the full list of birthday offers here.
Not sure where to start?
Pick your goal (debt free, start investing, side income, saving for something big) and get a free money plan you can level up on. Takes about two minutes.
Get your free money planHow To Claim These Free Sign Up Bonuses
It’s easy to claim these free sign up offers.
1 – Choose your offer
2 – Sign up using the offer link
3 – Register and sign in
4 – Meet any requirements
5 – Receive your bonus
6 – Withdraw (or hold) your bonus
How to Maximise Offers and Sign-Up Bonuses?
You can stack offers and sign up bonuses as well as combine with referral rewards to make even more cash.
Ways to Make Money by Stacking Multiple Offers
Beyond simply signing up for multiple unrelated offers, stacking involves identifying opportunities where a single action triggers multiple bonuses simultaneously.
For example, when you switch to a new bank account for a £150 bonus, you might use that same account to set up a new savings account with the same provider that offers a £50 welcome bonus.
Or when purchasing through a cashback site to earn your sign-up bonus, you might use a credit card that offers cashback on spending, effectively earning rewards from both the cashback site and your card provider on the same transaction.
Some cashback apps offer additional bonuses for specific purchase categories or retailers, meaning your transaction could earn the standard cashback rate, a category bonus, and your new user welcome bonus all at once.
This layering approach to multiple offers increases your returns without requiring additional spending or effort beyond what you were already planning.
However many offers include T&Cs that prevent multiple bonuses from being given so do ensure you check the terms before relying on this.
How to Earn Extra Bonuses by Referring Friends & Family
Refer a friend schemes are a powerful way to earn extra bonuses beyond the initial sign-up offers, creating ongoing earning opportunities that can significantly increase your total returns.
Most platforms offering welcome bonuses also operate referral programs where existing customers receive rewards – typically ranging from £5 bonus to £50 or even more – when someone they refer creates an account and meets qualifying criteria.
These refer-a-friend offers are mutually beneficial: the person you refer receives the standard welcome bonus available to new users, while you earn an additional referral bonus, effectively creating free money for both parties.
The mechanics of refer a friend schemes vary by platform, but most provide you with a unique referral code or link that tracks registrations back to you.
When someone uses your code to sign up, the system automatically credits your account with the referral bonus once they complete the qualifying actions, which might include making a deposit, completing a transaction, or maintaining an account for a specified period.
Some platforms pay referral bonuses immediately upon the referred friend meeting requirements, while others have monthly or quarterly payment schedules.
The bonus amounts can vary considerably – cashback sites might offer £5 free to £10 free per referral, bank accounts could provide £50 when you refer someone who switches, and investment apps often offer free shares worth £10 to £100 for each qualified referral.
Importantly, many platforms have no limit on how many people you can refer, meaning your earning potential is essentially unlimited if you have a big network and can effectively promote these offers.
Frequently asked questions
Which welcome offer gives the biggest bonus?
The biggest single bonus typically comes from bank switch offers, with some current account promotions offering up to £240 for switching your main current account. However, the “biggest” bonus depends on your perspective – while bank switch offers provide the largest single cash payment, investment platforms sometimes offer free shares worth up to £100 or more, and when you factor in the potential for refer a friend rewards, some accounts deliver greater total value over time despite smaller upfront bonuses.
Can I withdraw sign up bonuses straight away?
Whether you can withdraw sign up bonuses immediately depends entirely on the specific terms of each promotion. Some offers allow instant withdrawal once the bonus credits to your account, while others require you to maintain the account and sometimes keep a minimum balance for a specified period – typically ranging from 30 days to 12 months.
Do I pay tax on sign up bonuses?
Generally, most sign up bonuses in the UK are not subject to income tax, as HMRC treats them as rebates, discounts, or incentives rather than taxable income. Cash bonuses from bank switch offers, current account promotions, and cashback rewards typically don’t need to be declared on your tax return and don’t count toward your personal income allowance. However, any interest you subsequently earn on bonus money is taxable and counts toward your Personal Savings Allowance. Free shares have more complex tax implications – the shares themselves aren’t usually taxable when received, but if you sell them at a profit, Capital Gains Tax may apply if your total gains exceed your annual CGT allowance. Always do your own research about potential tax liability.
What if I don't get my bonus?
If your bonus doesn’t appear by the expected date specified in the terms and conditions, first verify that you genuinely met all qualifying criteria, including any minimum deposit amounts, direct debit requirements, holding periods, or other conditions. Review your account activity against the exact terms of the promotion to confirm compliance. If you’re confident you fulfilled all requirements, contact the provider’s customer service department with evidence showing you met the criteria – include your account details, the specific promotion you’re claiming, dates of relevant transactions, and any confirmation emails or screenshots of the offer terms you saved.
Are sign up offers legit?
Yes, sign-up offers from established, regulated companies are legitimate promotions, and thousands of people successfully earn money from these welcome bonuses each year. Reputable banks, investment platforms, cashback sites, and other financial services providers use these offers as genuine marketing tools to acquire customers, and they honor their terms when participants meet the qualifying criteria. However, legitimacy requires that you’re dealing with properly regulated entities – banks should be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, investment platforms should have appropriate regulatory permissions, and other services should have verifiable business credentials. Be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true, require upfront payments to claim bonuses, or come from unknown companies without regulatory oversight
How can I get free money quickly in the UK?
The fastest free money comes from instant-reward apps and cashback welcome bonuses. Cheddar pays a £3 bonus once you start using it, and cashback sites like Quidco (£20) and TopCashback (£10) credit a bonus once you complete your first purchase. Bank switch bonuses are bigger, usually £175 to £240, but they take a few weeks to land. If you want money in minutes rather than weeks, start with the app sign-up offers near the top of this page.
How do I get £500 in free money?
Stack a few offers together. Two or three bank switches, for example Santander (£240) plus First Direct (up to £210), clear over £400 on their own. Add an investing-app sign-up like Trading 212, worth a free share of up to £100, and you are comfortably past £500. Just make sure you meet each provider’s deposit and direct debit requirements before switching.
How do I get £1,000 in free money?
Reaching £1,000 means working through most of the offers on this page over a few months. The two bank switches above are worth up to £450 together, and adding investing-app free shares, cashback welcome bonuses and refer-a-friend rewards can take you towards £1,000. Spread the switches out so you can meet the pay-in and direct debit rules for each one, and check back as we update these offers every month.
Does switching bank accounts affect your credit score?
Switching triggers a credit check, which leaves a hard search on your file and can dip your score slightly for a few months. Closing an old account can also shorten your average account age. The effect is small and short-lived, but avoid switching in the months before a mortgage application.
How often can you switch bank accounts?
There is no limit on how many times you can switch. The limit is on the bonuses: most banks pay their switch bonus once per customer, and many exclude anyone who has held an account with them or their group before. Check the exclusions before switching for a bonus.
How long does it take to switch banks?
Seven working days, using the Current Account Switch Service. You pick the date, CASS moves your direct debits, standing orders and incoming payments, and closes the old account. Bonus payments usually land within 30 days of the switch completing, though some take longer.
Can you switch a bank account with an overdraft?
Yes, but the new bank has to agree to take on the overdraft, which depends on a credit check. If it agrees, the balance moves with the switch. If it does not, you will need to clear the overdraft first, and some switch bonuses are not available to accounts in arrears.
