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How safe do you stick to the 85K FSCS Protection?

What are the feelings of staying within or at the 85K Protection limit?  How far would you stray beyond it to gain a 0.05% interest compared to opening an extra new account with 0.05 less interest, so you are the splitting funds between 2 accounts?
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Comments

  • I wouldn't stray past £85k unless my interest at end of year pushed it beyond £85k. 
  • JGB1955
    JGB1955 Posts: 4,009 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I currently have £84,500 with Paragon and am quite comfortable with that, particularly since the interest is paid to my link current account every month.  

    £85K at (say) 4.05% = £3,442.50.
    £85K at 4% = £3,400.00

    If I were to pay in £100k the difference in interest would be £7.50, but I would be putting £15k at risk.  I just wouldn't bother.
    #2 Saving for Christmas 2024 - £1 a day challenge. £325 of £366
  • Band7
    Band7 Posts: 2,285 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I wouldn't stray past £85k unless my interest at end of year pushed it beyond £85k. 
    I always leave enough room to stay below £85k, even with interest 
  • jaypers
    jaypers Posts: 1,202 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    In the world as it is right now, why would anyone be crazy enough to take any risk? 
  • Well if you start with £85k and your interest is paid at the end of the year and you reduce the balance back to £85k immediately then your excess is at risk for a very short time.

    Presumably if the bank went bust 10 months into your 1 year account......you wouldn't get the interest payment anyway !
  • Albermarle
    Albermarle Posts: 31,567 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Seventh Anniversary Name Dropper
    The risk is minimal, but as you can avoid it then you might as well.
    Also many posters on here are chasing best rates, often with relatively small and not well known institutions, so more reason to be safe rather than sorry.
  • Band7
    Band7 Posts: 2,285 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Well if you start with £85k and your interest is paid at the end of the year and you reduce the balance back to £85k immediately then your excess is at risk for a very short time.

    That plan wouldn’t work very well with fix term accounts which run for more than 12 months.


     
    Presumably if the bank went bust 10 months into your 1 year account......you wouldn't get the interest payment anyway !
    In the 2 cases I needed FSCS, the balances returned included interest up to the day of default. Though I believe this isn’t necessarily always guaranteed.
  • wmb194
    wmb194 Posts: 6,132 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    It would depend on the bank/bs.
  • The risk is minimal, but as you can avoid it then you might as well.
    Also many posters on here are chasing best rates, often with relatively small and not well known institutions, so more reason to be safe rather than sorry.
    Put like that, then makes sense!
  • Thanks all. Common sense prevails over greed.
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