It is possible to make an Electronic Payment Request (also called a Faster Payment) from your Harpenden Building Society Account (subject to the terms applicable to that account) to a nominated UK Bank/Building Society account in your name once we have verified your account details.

• If you request a faster payment via our online banking service - payments are only made to the nominated bank account which was selected when you registered for the service.
• If you request a faster payment in branch – please provide a copy of a current bank account statement or cheque/paying in book which shows the account number, sort code and name of the account so we can verify these details.
• If you request a faster payment by post - when requesting the payment, please provide a copy of a current bank account statement which shows the account number, sort code and name of the account so we can verify these details.

Once we have verified the account details you wish to use, you will not need to provide this information again.

Members can withdraw up to £500 in cash per day.

You will be required to provide a valid form of ID along with your passbook, even if you are familiar with our staff in branch.

We would like to remind our members to be extra vigilant carrying large sums of cash around. Therefore, we recommend that you take a cheque or send a faster payment to your nominated bank account, where possible.

In the event that your local branch is closed for any reason, you will need to visit one of the other branches or contact Head Office to discuss your options.

Yes, if you wish to set up a standing order from your bank into an account with the Society you will need to quote the following details to your bank: sort code:40-05-30 Account:34577388 Reference: quote the 10 digit account number in your passbook. Quote the account name as ‘Harpenden Building Society’.

Please check the account terms and conditions as it is not possible to make additional payments into some types of account.

Please note that our bank account details have recently been updated by HSBC.  No further action is required if you already make regular standing order payments to us as your bank or building society will have been notified directly to update your payment instructions to us.

We appreciate that your account with us is a savings account and may not have regular transactions going through it.  However, in order to help us protect your account from fraud or identity theft, we may ask you, after a period of inactivity, to provide us with some form of identification so that we can be sure we are dealing only with you.  It is all for your security and best interest.

Yes - and it's a completely free service. We will supply you with second-class postage paid envelopes, should you wish to use this service. Alternatively, you can just mail your passbook and cheque(s) to us. We strongly advise you not to send cash by post as we cannot accept liability for any loss. A postal service form is available as a PDF download. Postal Service Form

Yes your money is secure with us. Eligible deposits are also covered by the FSCS scheme.

Visit the FSCS website for more information.

Yes, subject to the conditions and restrictions on your account, you will be able to view your balances, move funds between your Society accounts and transfer money back to your nominated bank account. For further details about Online Services please click this link. Online Services

If you would like understand how the Society will use your information please view our privacy policy.

Unfortunately we are not able to open accounts for non-U.K. residents.

If you are moving abroad then unfortunately we will not be able to maintain your account.  We will discuss with you how to close your account, in relation to its terms and conditions, and how we will return the balance to you.

We will require your confirmation in writing, together with either the original or certified copy of the documentation detailing your change of name. Alternatively, a change of name form is available as a PDF download. Change of Name Form

If your passbook has been lost or stolen, please let us know immediately.  You can call our Member Services team on 01582 765411. A fee will be charged for a replacement passbook which will be issued seven days after receipt of your notification of loss.

A lost passbook form is available as a PDF download. Lost and Stolen Passbook Form

You can either write to us with details of your new address/contact details or complete our Change of Address/Contact Details form and return it to us. Change of Address and/or Contact Details Form

If you are unable to maintain the minimum balance then we will provide you with details of alternative accounts and transfer your remaining funds if required.

We reserve the right not to accept, or pay a cheque, that is older than 6 months (from the date written on the front of the cheque, unless stated otherwise by the issuing bank/building society).  If you have a cheque that is dated 6 months or older, it may not clear.  In this instance you should contact the issuer of that cheque and ask for a replacement.

If a cheque we’ve issued on your behalf has been lost, not received by the payee, or has not been presented within six months, you should contact us in order to provide the details to stop the cheque. If you do not stop the cheque it may still be paid.

We understand that dealing with a bereavement can be a difficult time, and we would like to make this process for you as easy as possible.  This guide below gives you information about how to notify us that someone has passed away, what will happen to their account and how to release money to help with probate fees, funeral costs and inheritance tax.

Registering the death with us

A) Before you have the death certificate

If you don’t have the death certificate yet and want to safeguard the account and stop any correspondence being sent out and addressed to the person who has passed away, you can inform us in any of the ways detailed below:

• You can visit us in any of our branches
• Or call our Member Services team on 01582 765411
• Or complete our ‘Notice of Bereavement’ form and send it to us at Member Services, FREEPOST SB165, 14 Station Road, Harpenden, AL5 4BR

Here’s what we will need from you:

1. Full name, date of birth, date of death and the Harpenden Building Society account details of the person who has passed away. This will enable us to identify their account;
2. Full name, address and one piece of identification of the Personal Representative. This is the person we will be corresponding with.  If we are to contact a Solicitors at any time, then their contact details will be sufficient;
3. The passbook(s), or a completed ‘Lost Passbook’ form to be completed for each account. Please note the £1.00 administration fee will be waived.

What happens once your notification has been received?

We will update our records. If we have not received the death certificate within 30 days of receiving your notice, we will write to the Personal Representative or Solicitors as requested.

B) If you have the death certificate

We will require a certified copy, or original death certificate, once you have obtained it.  This can be sent to us by either;

• You can visit us in any of our branches
• Send it to us at; Member Services, FREEPOST SB165, 14 Station Road, Harpenden, AL5 4BR

Here’s what we will need from you:

• Full name, date of birth, date of death and the Harpenden Building Society account details of the person who has passed away. This will enable us to identify their account;
• Full name, address and one piece of identification of the Personal Representative. This is the person we will be corresponding with.  If we are to contact a Solicitors, then their contact details will be sufficient;
• The passbook(s), or a completed ‘Lost Passbook’ form to be completed for each account. Please note the £1.00 administration fee will be waived.

We will write to the Personal Representative or Solicitor, as requested within 7-10 days with details of how to close the account(s).

Releasing funds to pay for Probate fees/a funeral inheritance tax.

Once we have received notification of the passing of one of our members, and we are in receipt of the death certificate, you can request funds to help pay for probate fees, a funeral and/or inheritance tax.

In all cases we will require the original invoice (IHT423 form in the case of inheritance tax) and a completed ‘Request for Probate, Funeral Fees, Inheritance Tax’ form to be completed by the Personal Representative.

Where to send these details to:

• You can visit us in any of our branches
• Send it to us at; Member Services, FREEPOST SB165, 14 Station Road, Harpenden, AL5 4BR

Closing the account(s)

To close the account(s) we will require the relevant sections of the Request to close account form to be completed and returned to us.

You can send the completed form to us either by:

• You can visit us in any of our branches
• Send it to us at this address; Member Services, FREEPOST SB165, 14 Station Road, Harpenden, AL5 4BR

Should you wish to open or operate an account on behalf of another person, due to holding a Power of Attorney or Court of Protection Order, you will need to obtain a copy of our form ‘Operating an Account for Someone Else’. This is also available in branch.

This document should be returned with your completed application form by post to any of our branches or to Head Office.

From 6th April 2016, taxpayers have had a new Personal Savings Allowance. This means that up to £1,000 of income from your savings (e.g. any interest earned) is tax-free for basic taxpayers, and up to £500 of your savings income is tax-free for higher rate taxpayers.

Currently, banks and building societies are required to take basic rate tax from your savings interest. After 6th April, this ended because the vast majority of people will have no tax to pay on this income.

There is no action for most members to take. Those with savings income below their new Personal Savings Allowance will have no tax to pay. Where possible, those with savings interest above their Personal Savings Allowance will have any tax they have to pay collected automatically by HMRC, through a change to their tax code.  This is based on information provided by banks and building societies. Those who currently complete a Self-Assessment tax return should continue to do so.

For further information about these changes, go to GOV.UK < https://www.gov.uk/> and search for Personal Savings Allowance. Full details have been added to the HMRC website after April when the new rules came into effect.

What does the new Personal Savings Allowance mean for you?

The introduction of the new personal savings allowance means that from 6th April 2016 most people will no longer pay tax on their savings income. The allowance is £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers and £500 for higher rate taxpayers. (There is no allowance for additional rate taxpayers.)

Interest from ISAs doesn’t count towards your personal savings allowance because it’s already tax-free.

What is savings income?

Savings income includes:

• interest from banks, building societies and other account providers (such as credit unions and NS&I)
• interest distributions (but not dividend distributions) from authorised unit trusts, open-ended investment companies and investment trusts
• income from government or company bonds
• some types of purchased life annuity payments and gains from certain contracts for life insurance

Does income from ISAs count towards your Personal Savings Allowance?

We can confirm that income from ISAs does not count towards your Personal Savings Allowance.

Will the changes affect your savings income received before 6th April 2016?

These changes will only apply to savings income paid after 6th April 2016.

Do taxpayers need to tell account providers about other savings income or their tax rate?

Taxpayers do not need to give any information about their tax circumstances or other savings income to their account provider.

If your total taxable income is less than £17,000, what will the changes mean for you?

From 6th April 2016, if your total taxable income; for example, from wages, profits, pensions and savings, is less than £17,000, you won’t pay any tax on your savings income.

If you’re a basic rate taxpayer, what do the changes mean for you?

From 6th April 2016, if you are a basic rate taxpayer, up to £1,000 of your savings income will be tax-free.

For example, if you earn £20,000 a year and receive £250 in account interest, you won’t pay tax on your interest because it’s within your £1,000 Personal Savings Allowance.

If you earn £20,000 a year and receive £1,500 in account interest, you only need to pay tax on £500 of interest because your Personal Savings Allowance covers £1,000.

If you’re a higher rate taxpayer, what do the changes mean for you?

From 6th April 2016, if you are a higher rate taxpayer, up to £500 of your savings income will be tax-free.

For example, if you earn £60,000 a year and receive £250 in account interest, you won’t pay any tax on your interest because it’s within your £500 Personal Savings Allowance.

If you earn £60,000 a year and receive £1,100 in account interest, you only need to pay tax on £600 of interest because your Personal Savings Allowance covers £500.

If you’re an additional rate taxpayer, do you get a Personal Savings Allowance?

You will not receive a Personal Savings Allowance.

If you have registered my account to receive interest without tax taken off, what do you need to do now?

You do not need to do anything because from 6th April 2016 all account interest will be paid without tax taken off.

What about interest paid on PPI and other compensation payments?

Banks and building societies will still be required to take tax from any compensation interest paid. Customers may be able to claim the tax back by filling in form R40 (or form R43 if you are living overseas) and sending it to HMRC. These forms are available online at GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/

How do you claim back tax paid on other savings income?

From 6th April 2016, banks and building societies will pay account interest with no tax taken off. However, you may still receive other types of savings income with tax taken off.  You may be able to claim this tax back by filling in form R40 (or form R43 if living overseas) and sending it to HMRC. These forms are available online at GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/

If you’re a basic rate taxpayer and your partner’s a higher rate taxpayer; which allowance applies to your joint account - £1,000 or £500?

You will both receive a Personal Savings Allowance (£1,000 for the basic rate taxpayer, £500 for your partner) which you will use against your share of the interest.

Will the Personal Savings Allowance affect the new £5,000 Dividend Allowance?

No, they are two separate allowances.

If you’re a business / a charity / a club / an association / a trustee / administering an estate – what will this mean for you?

Only individuals get a Personal Savings Allowance.

If you are a business, charity, club or association, you will already receive interest without tax taken off.

If you are a trustee or are administering an estate, banks and building societies will no longer deduct tax from the interest they pay, so any tax due will have to be paid through the trust/estate tax return, where appropriate.

Yes, this can either be done in-branch or through your Online Services account. If you wish to transfer money outside the Society then, for your protection, this must be transferred to your own nominated bank account.

If you have not done so already, please register for Online Services. This will allow you to access your funds without needing to visit one of our branches. Our Online Services platform is safe and secure for you to use, with strong security measures in place.

You can Register or Login by clicking on this link

In order to protect your money, the registration process does require us to verify your banking details and this takes a few days.

Once you have registered and we have verified your details we are then able to transfer your money to your own nominated Bank account. You can update your banking details at any time.

The Society is constantly reviewing its product range and monitors its rates for both borrowers and savers to ensure that they are competitive whilst balancing members’ interests.

Should it be necessary to make any changes, the Society will update you in line with the terms and conditions of your account.