Banks

(Note this is in the process of being updated)

Some of these banks have merged - the obvious examples being NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland or HBOS (Halifax-Bank of Scotland) with LloydsTSB. Since the new LloydsTSB megabank has retained the brands of the original, individual banks, they are listed separately here.

You should be aware that the Financial Services Compensation Scheme only covers your personal deposits up to £85,000 per individual institution, irrespective of the number of accounts you have with that institution. Banks do fail as the Icesave debacle showed, so play safe.

Banks with branches in Edinburgh

Institutions

Bank of England The "Old Lady" of Threadneedle Street. Responsible for UK financial system, setting exchange rates, UK's foreign exchange and gold reserves and the Government's stock register.

More UK-wide Online Banks

Bank of Ireland
Birmingham Midshires
First Direct
First Trust Bank
Secure Trust Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Triodos Bank "Ethical banking"
Ulster Bank Part of Royal Bank of Scotland

Some of the building societies in this U.K. list have been taken over - for example, Britain's biggest building society, the Nationwide, has merged with the smaller Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Dunfermline building societies, but their individual brands (and web sites) are still active. However, The Staffordshire, which was

taken over by the Nationwide, no longer has a separate identity so is not listed.

As with the Edinburgh banks section, merged building societies are part of the same institution, so you should check the deposit insurance coverage of your new and existing bank accounts under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Building Societies differ from high street banks in that they are mutually owned by their membership.

Building Societies with branches in Edinburgh

Other organisations

Building Societies Association Trade body for UK building societies.
Building Societies Members Association Pro-mutual grass-roots activist site.

UK-wide Building Societies