The Carers Card Account lets you give debit cards to up to 2 people who care for you. The money you transfer to your Carers Card is separate from your other current and savings accounts. This means your carers can get cash or go shopping for you.
How it works
- You are over 18 and live in the UK permanently
- You are an existing customer who has a Santander current or instant access savings account that you are able to move money from.
- Transfer money from your current or savings account to your Carers Card Account to give your carer access to the amount you’ve put in (to a maximum of £1500).
- Choose up to 2 carers to get their own card and PIN. A carer can be a family member, friend or other person you trust.
- You and your carer(s) can both keep track of spending on the card through regular statements, in branch, over the phone or through Online Banking or our mobile banking app.
- Your carer or carers will get different Online and Mobile Banking log on details to you. This allows them to make Faster Payments for something you need using Online or Mobile Banking.
Separate money, for your security
The Carers Card Account is separate from your main accounts. This means you and your carers can’t use it to set up Direct Debits or standing orders. Your carer or carers won’t be able to see if you have any other Santander accounts when they use Online Banking. They’ll only be able to see details for the Carers Card Account.
Other ways to get help with your banking
The Carers Card Account is just one of the ways we may be able to help you if you’re worried about getting to the shops, or looking after your money now or later on in life.
Take a look at the table below to see how the different ways we offer help all compare. You can find more information on our supported banking pages
The key difference between the Carers Card Account and third party access is that with the Carers Card Account, your carer only has access to funds that you transfer to the Carers Card Account. They can't do your day-to-day banking for you.
| Can be used if you: | Carers Card | Third party access | General Power of Attorney | Lasting Power of Attorney | Court of Protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just need help with the small things, like shopping or getting cash. |  |  | | | |
| Are physically ill, injured or disabled. | | | | | |
| Need a little help with looking after your day-to-day banking, for a shorter period of time, but you don't want someone to make decisions for you. | | | | | |
| You will be abroad, and won't have access to your account (for example, travelling) | | | | | |
| Are preparing for when you'll be unable to make decisions, or want someone to start looking after all of your finances | | | | | |
| No longer have the mental capacity to make decisions, and someone needs to do this for you. | | | | | |
Please remember that if you add a carer or third party access to your account, you're still responsible for anything your chosen person does with it.
If you’re experiencing a situation that’s affecting the way you manage your finances, it can be helpful to tell us so you don’t need to repeat yourself every time you speak to us.
Let us know by logging on to Mobile or Online Banking, start a chat and type in ‘tell us once’ and we’ll record it with your consent. Please visit our chat with us online page to learn more about our secure chat and how to access it.
You can also tell us in branch or over the phone by contacting us
For more detailed information, take a look at our dedicated accessibility page.
There’s no monthly fee to maintain the account.
The Fee Information Document (111 KB) details the main fees and charges on this account. For further explanation of our main terms and services take a look at our Glossary
There’s no overdraft facility available with this account. This means we won't normally let you make a payment out of the account if there isn’t enough money in it. However, there may be times where you make a payment that we can't stop, which will take the account balance below zero. We won't charge you for this.
Overdrafts depend on your circumstances and you must repay any overdraft when we ask in line with our General Terms and Conditions.
You’ll be automatically set up to receive text alerts when:
- your balance falls below zero
- where a payment is refused as you don’t have enough funds.
If we don’t have a valid mobile number for you, we might not be able to reach you.
You can also register for other account alerts to help you to stay on top of your finances. For example, alerts to advise you when your balance has fallen below a set limit, or you have had a deposit into your account greater than a set amount.
For more information visit Account alerts
You can manage your alerts settings at any time by using Online Banking. If you require further support please contact us or visit your local branch
If you need support with managing your money or if you’re in debt, please visit our money worries page for further support.
- Carers Card Account Key Facts Document (pdf) (823 KB)
- Fee Information Document (pdf) (111 KB)
- General Terms & Conditions (pdf) (289 KB)
To view these documents, you may need to download Adobe Reader
- You and the carer(s) are over 18 and live in the UK permanently.
- You are an existing customer who has a Santander current or instant access savings account that you are able to move money from.
You can access the Carers Card Account anytime, anywhere:
- Online Banking
- Mobile Banking app
- contactless payments with your mobile by linking your Santander debit or credit card to your Apple, Android or Samsung device.
Face-to-face support in branch and UK-based telephone support:
- In branch
- Telephone Banking
- ATM
- Post Office
Keep your banking details private and secure.
To learn about common frauds and scams and how you can stay safe, please visit the Fraud and Security support pages within our website.
You and your carer or carers will receive a monthly paper statement, which will also be available in ‘e-Documents’ in Online Banking. You can ask us at any time for your statement to be:
- paper-free
- every 3 months rather than 1
- in alternative formats, such as braille.
- You can open the Carers Card Account in joint or single names. You’ll need to have a Santander current or instant access savings account that you can move money from.
- Your carer(s) will need to be over the age of 18 and a UK resident.
- To open a Carers Card Account, you can book an appointment in any branch.