Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert founder, has led criticism after Halifax announced a policy change.

14:02, 27 Jun 2025Updated 14:02, 27 Jun 2025

Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert founder, has led criticism after Halifax announced a policy change.Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert founder, has led criticism after Halifax announced a policy change.

Thousands of Halifax customers have been told to “CLOSE” their accounts and withdraw cash – in a major blow. BBC and ITV star Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert founder, has led criticism after Halifax announced a policy change.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the 52-year-old Money Saving Expert founder and consumer champion explained: “Halifax Reward bank account customer? It’s going to ditch your main £5/mth perks. Its no longer worth it for most, full info…”

It comes as Halifax is scrapping the key benefit of its ‘Reward’ current account – the monthly reward. As it stands the Halifax Reward account is a current account that offers a monthly ‘Reward Extra’ perk if you meet a spending or saving criteria.

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You’ve been able to chose between £5 in your account, 1 Vue cinema ticket or 3 digital magazines. You select one reward every 12 months, though you can also have three Reward accounts, meaning you could double or triple up on one perk, or mix and match.

But in a shake-up, from 30 September 2025, anyone who is still earning a reward will stop receiving it. MSE warned: ” Should everyone ditch the Halifax Reward account?

“If you’re due any monthly rewards, you should keep the account open until at least the end of October, when any remaining rewards will be paid out.

“But after that, and for everyone else, it’s hard to see any killer benefits that justify sticking with the account – especially if you won’t meet the minimum pay-in of £1,500 a month and end up paying the £3 monthly fee.”

In reply to Mr Lewis, a Twitter/X user said: “Sounds like Halifax Reward’s done a runner with the good stuff—better to know now than be stuck with empty perks and a fiver a month.”

“Halifax won’t help me access my account as I can’t find account number – 30 year old a/c. They write to me every year but don’t include no. on the corresp. I have all other details but their response (DM on X) was pretty much tough luck!” a second said.

“They haven’t told customers about this yet, but instead told of closure of prize saver draw (and that they’re removing fees on purchases and withdrawals abroad),” a third agreed.

Another said: “have the £5 reward when it was the free account and it was nice to get then they moved it to a paid account which I didn’t have and now they’ve taken it away. Things are just getting worse and worse.”