By: Money Navigator Research Team
Last Reviewed: 09/02/2026
FACT CHECKED
Quick Summary
A “Current Account Switch to Tide” is usually a Current Account Switch Service (CASS) process: you open the new account first, then agree a switch date that must be at least seven working days away.
During the seven-working-day window, the switching service is designed to move account-number-and-sort-code payment arrangements (such as Direct Debits and standing orders) and transfer your balance on the switch date, with ongoing redirection for payments sent to the old account after completion.
The key practical point is that “switch begins” can mean two different things:
- When your new account is successfully opened (a separate process with checks)
- When the switch is scheduled and the seven-working-day switching window starts running
This article is educational and not financial advice.
What “switching to Tide” usually means in the UK
In the UK, “switching” a current account typically refers to the Current Account Switch Service, operated within the UK payments ecosystem by Pay.UK (Pay.UK’s overview of the Current Account Switch Service).
Tide describes switching via CASS as a managed process with a chosen switch date and a switch that can take up to seven working days (Tide’s switching page).
The scheme-level promise is expressed through the Current Account Switch Guarantee, which (in summary) sets out that the service is free, takes seven working days, and the guarantee covers certain charges/interest if something goes wrong in the switching process (Current Account Switch Guarantee PDF).
When the switch begins: the timeline that causes most confusion
1) Account opening happens first (and is separate from switching)
CASS treats account opening and account switching as separate processes. In practice, the new provider opens the account and completes relevant checks, and only then can a switch date be agreed (CASS common questions for business).
This is why a “switch” can feel like it is “not starting yet” even though an application has been submitted: the switch clock generally isn’t running until the new account is open and the switch is booked.
2) The “switch date” is the completion date – and it must be at least seven working days away
CASS explains that once the new account is opened, you can choose a switch date, and the switch date must be at least seven working days from that point (CASS common questions for business). Tide mirrors this concept in its own help content (Tide: when does the switch begin?).
CASS also flags that switch dates cannot be weekends or bank holidays, because the scheme uses a “working days” timetable (CASS switching process for business).
3) The seven-working-day “switching window” is when payment arrangements are gathered and set up
During the switching window, the process is designed to capture regular payments in and out and set them up on the new account (CASS switching process for business).
One important edge case: new payment arrangements set up at the old bank inside the seven-working-day period leading up to the switch date are not transferred by the switching service, so they may need setting up separately on the new account (CASS common questions for business; Tide switching FAQs on timing).
4) On the switch date: balance moves and (for a full switch) the old account closes
CASS describes that funds remain accessible in the old account up to the switch date, and then the balance is transferred on the switch date (CASS common questions for business).
Tide also describes “full” switches as including balance transfer and account closure on the chosen date (Tide: full vs partial switch out).
What moves over in a full switch (and what that means operationally)
A full switch is intended to replicate “moving the operational current account”, rather than merely opening a second account.
Tide describes a full switch out as moving payment arrangements (including payees, standing orders, and Direct Debits), transferring the full balance, forwarding payments to the closed account, and closing the old account on the chosen date (Tide: full vs partial switch out).
CASS also explains that payments sent to the old account after the switch completes are automatically redirected, and that an automatic message is sent back to the originator to prompt updating their records (CASS common questions for business).
Summary Table
| Scenario | Outcome | Practical impact |
|---|---|---|
| Full switch to Tide with existing Direct Debits and standing orders | Direct Debits and standing orders are intended to be moved as part of the switch | Most “bank-account-based” recurring outgoing payments can keep running after completion, subject to set-up timing and scheme rules |
| Full switch to Tide with a positive balance | Balance remains accessible until switch date, then transfers on switch date | Cashflow planning often centres on the switch date rather than the application date |
| Incoming payments sent to the old account after completion | Payments are redirected and originators receive notice of new details | Some payers update immediately; others may take time or ask for confirmation |
| New Direct Debit/standing order set up at the old bank inside the seven-working-day window | Not transferred by the switching service | The payment may need creating on the new account to avoid missed collections |
| Partial switch instead of full switch | Selected Direct Debits/standing orders move; old account stays open; no balance transfer; no forwarding | Useful where keeping the old account active matters, but it changes what “moves over” |
| Expecting old statements/transaction history to appear in the new account | Transaction history is not transferred | Historic statements generally remain with the old provider and may need separate access arrangements |
Full switch vs partial switch: what actually differs
Tide draws a clear distinction:
Full switch out (described by Tide): payment arrangements (including payees, Direct Debits, standing orders) move; balance transfers; payments to the closed account are forwarded; and the account being switched is closed on the switch date (Tide: full vs partial switch out).
Partial switch out (described by Tide): you select which Direct Debits and standing orders move; the old account remains active; the old balance does not transfer; and payments sent to the old account are not forwarded (Tide: full vs partial switch out).
This matters because “what moves over” is not a single fixed list: it depends on whether the switch is full or partial, and on how each payment is technically set up.
What often does not move automatically (and why)
Recurring card payments and subscriptions are a different payment rail
CASS focuses on bank-account-based payment arrangements (sort code/account number). Some banks explicitly state that recurring card payments or subscriptions are not moved as part of the switching process, so they may require separate updating with the merchant (Santander business switching guidance).
This aligns with how recurring card payments (continuous payment authorities) work: they are tied to card details rather than account details, and they do not behave like Direct Debits (FCA: recurring card payments).
Third-party access and “connected services” are usually separate
Even if payments move, separate authorisations (for example, third-party tools that read data or initiate payments) can be outside the switching scope. Some banks explicitly note third-party access is not switched (Santander business switching guidance).
History does not “follow the account”
CASS states that transaction history is not transferred through the switching service (CASS common questions for business). Operationally, this often means the new account starts with a clean history, while legacy statements remain accessible via the old provider’s channels.
Scenario Table
| Scenario-level | Process-level | Outcome-level |
|---|---|---|
| “My switch hasn’t started yet” | Account opening checks complete first; switching is booked afterwards | Switching timetable may only begin once the new account is open and the switch date is agreed |
| “I booked a switch date” | Switch date must be at least seven working days away; working-day calendar applies | The completion date is predictable, but it is not immediate |
| “I changed payments near the switch date” | The switching service captures arrangements up to a cut-off; changes inside the seven-working-day period may be excluded | Late changes can result in missing payment setups unless recreated on the new account |
| “I still received money to the old account” | Post-completion redirection routes payments to the new account and notifies originators | Incoming cashflow can continue while counterparties update their records |
| “I need historic statements in the new account” | Transaction history is not transferred under CASS | Historic reporting remains with the old provider; the new account starts fresh |
Tide Business Bank Account
Tide offers business accounts and describes switching support via the Current Account Switch Service, including choosing a switch date and a switch that can take up to seven working days (Tide business account information).
Where the switch is relevant, Tide also publishes Tide-specific explanations of when switching begins and how switching mechanics work, including guidance on the seven-working-day timing and what a partial switch means (Tide: when does the switch begin?).
Frequently Asked Questions
Not usually. CASS describes account opening and account switching as separate processes: the new provider completes account opening checks, and only then can a switch date be chosen and agreed (CASS common questions for business).
Operationally, that means there can be a gap between “account opened” and “switch underway”. The switch timetable is anchored to the agreed switch date, not the moment an application is first submitted.
The switch date is best understood as the completion date: the date on which the switch is designed to finish. CASS states that the switch date must be at least seven working days from the point at which you have opened the new account and can choose the date (CASS common questions for business).
Because it is a working-day timetable, weekends and bank holidays are excluded from the “seven working days” count. CASS explicitly references this working-day constraint when describing the switching process (CASS switching process for business).
Tide describes a full switch as moving payment arrangements (including payees, standing orders and Direct Debits), transferring the entire balance, forwarding payments to the closed account, and closing the account being switched on the chosen switch date (Tide: full vs partial switch out).
At the scheme level, CASS describes regular payments being transferred and payments to the old account being redirected after completion, with originators being notified of the new details (CASS common questions for business).
Tide describes a partial switch as allowing selection of which Direct Debits and standing orders move, while the old account remains active, the old balance is not transferred, and payments sent to the old account are not forwarded (Tide: full vs partial switch out).
That means “partial switch” is not simply a slower version of a full switch: it is a materially different outcome. In particular, it changes what happens to payments accidentally sent to the old account after the switch date.
CASS explains that funds remain accessible in the old account up to and until the switch date, and then are transferred on the switch date (CASS common questions for business).
Tide’s own CASS guidance also describes the seven-working-day model and ties the switch to an agreed date, reinforcing that the move is date-driven rather than “instant upon request” (Tide: use the Current Account Switch Service).
CASS states that incoming and outgoing payments are automatically redirected to the new account, and that each redirected payment triggers an automatic message to the originator advising them of the new account details so they can update their records (CASS common questions for business).
In real operations, this can create a “transition period” where cashflow still arrives from counterparties who haven’t updated yet, while the redirection mechanism reduces the risk of missed receipts.
CASS explicitly says the service will take care of payment arrangements at the old bank up until seven working days before the agreed switch date. If new payment arrangements are set up during the seven-working-day period leading up to the switch date, they are not transferred by the service (CASS common questions for business).
Tide’s switching content also highlights this seven-working-day cut-off concept: late-set arrangements are typically outside what is automatically captured, which is why timing can matter in practice (Tide’s switching page).
Many business expenses that feel “regular” are not Direct Debits or standing orders – they are recurring card payments (continuous payment authorities). Some banks explicitly state that recurring card payments or subscriptions are not moved as part of the switching process (Santander business switching guidance).
The FCA explains that recurring card payments are authorised against card details (not bank account details) and that whether they continue after a new card is issued is not always predictable (FCA: recurring card payments). This is one reason subscription-style payments can behave differently from Direct Debits during a switch.
CASS states that transaction history on the old account is not transferred through the switching service (CASS common questions for business).
Operationally, this typically means reporting continuity requires access to both accounts for a period: the new account has the new history, while the old provider remains the source for historic statements and past transaction records.
Mismatch is a common “hidden dependency” in switching, because the switching request relies on the old provider recognising the account holder details.
Participant banks sometimes make this explicit: for example, Santander notes that details given must match those held at the old bank and that updates may be needed before starting the switch (Santander business switching guidance).
From a process perspective, CASS frames switching as dependent on successful account opening and the new bank being satisfied with checks before agreeing the switch date (CASS common questions for business).
In practice, address/trading-detail mismatches are a common reason providers re-check, which is why data consistency matters for switch execution.
A current account switch is less like “moving an app profile” and more like re-pointing payment rails. The switch service is optimised around bank-account identifiers (sort code/account number) and the payment instructions that sit on top of them (Direct Debits, standing orders, regular inbound transfers).
That design choice is why the scheme can redirect payments and move scheduled instructions, but does not automatically carry over everything a business might think of as “linked to the account” (such as transaction history, third-party permissions, or card-based subscriptions).
The practical constraint is timing and definition: the service captures a defined set of arrangements up to a defined cut-off, then completes on a defined date.
When businesses experience friction, it is often because a payment is regular but not switchable (for example, it is card-based), or because it was created after the capture window. Understanding which rail a payment uses is usually the fastest way to predict what will “move over” versus what will need separate set-up.
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