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Red Balloon Appeal Account

Take your money out whenever you need it, whilst raising money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

At a glance

  • You’ll have a variable interest rate of 1.25% gross p.a./AER.
  • You can start saving with £100, or £25 for under 16s. Minimum operating balance £1.
  • You’ll be supporting Birmingham Children’s Hospital, as each year, we make a cash payment equal to 0.25% of the total average balance held in all Red Balloon Appeal Accounts.
  • You’ll be able to take money out whenever you like.
  • We'll pay your interest yearly or monthly. 

Ready to apply?

Before you get started, please make sure you've read the summary box and terms & conditions below.

How to apply

Apply now

Download and complete your application form, then send it to:

FREEPOST THE WEST BROM

Please write the address exactly as above, in capitals and on one line. You don’t need to use a stamp – just pop it in the post.

Royal Mail delivers Freepost as second class mail.

Call us 0345 241 3785

Apply in branch

Use our branch finder to find your nearest branch.

Book a branch appointment

Keeping your money safe

FSCS logo

Your eligible deposits with West Bromwich Building Society are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's deposit protection scheme. Any deposits you hold above the £85,000 limit are not covered.

More info

Things to note

  • You can save up to £1,000,000 (£2,000,000 for joint accounts). 
  • You can register for our savings portal and view your account online.  
  • When you open an account, we may need to confirm your identity. For full details please refer to the Important information on identification leaflet.
  • All rates quoted are correct as at 03/02/2026.
1.25% Gross p.a./AER Variable
Interest Tier Annual
£1 - £2,000,000 AER 1.25% Gross 1.25%
View details

Summary box

Account name

Red Balloon Appeal Account

What is the interest rate?

Interest Tier Annual Monthly
AER Gross AER Gross
Interest is variable and paid yearly or monthly. We can add it to your account or pay it into another account.
    If paid yearly, It’ll be paid on:
  • 30 April for accounts opened in branch, and you'll be able to access it from the next working day (this includes Saturdays).
  • 30 April for accounts opened by post, and you’ll be able to access it from 1 May.
    If paid monthly, it'll be paid on:
    • First working day of the month if paid to another West Brom account.
    • Last working day of the month if paid into an account with another bank or building society.
£1 - £2,000,000 1.25% 1.25% 1.25% 1.24%

Can the West Brom change the interest rate?

Yes. The interest rate is variable, so it can go up or down at any time. 

If the interest rate on your account goes down, and the balance in your account is £100 or more, we’ll write to you to let you know.

For details about why we may change the interest rate, as well as how and when we’ll let you know, please refer to sections 5d) and 5e) of our General Terms and Conditions (which are available in our branches and on our website). 

All our savings interest rates are available to view in our branches and online. 

What would the estimated balance be after 12 months based on a £1,000 deposit?

Estimated value after 12 months

Interest earned

£1,012.50

£12.50

This example shows what your balance would be after 12 months: 

  • If you paid in £1,000 on the day you open the account.
  • If you didn't pay more money in or take any out. 
  • The interest rate stayed the same. 

This example is provided to help you compare savings accounts and doesn't take into account your own circumstances. 

How do I open and manage my account?

Opening your account

  • You can open this account in branch or by post.

Managing your account

  • You’ll manage your account in the same way that you opened it. For example, if you opened it in branch, you’ll manage it in any of our branches. If you opened it by post, you’ll manage it by post or you can call us. You can also register to view your account on our savings portal at www.westbrom.co.uk/savingsportal.

How to put money into your account

  • You can open your account with £100.
  • You can pay in up to £1,000,000 for single accounts or £2,000,000 for joint.
  • No matter how you choose to manage your account, you can make electronic payments or set up a standing order from another bank or building society account. Our sort code is 40-64-36. You should use this with your 8 digit account number.
  • If you choose to manage your account in branch, you can pay money in by cash or cheque in one of our branches. 
  • If you choose to manage your account by post, you can post a cheque to us, made out to the name of the account holder, with your name and address written on the back in capital letters. Post it to:
    FREEPOST THE WESTBROM
    Royal Mail delivers Freepost as second class mail. Please write the address exactly as above, in capitals and on one line. You don’t need to use a stamp – just pop it in the post.

Can I withdraw money?

  • Yes. With this account you can take money out whenever you like.
  • If you've chosen to have your interest paid yearly, you can access it once it has been paid into your account on 30 April each year.

Additional information

Don’t worry if you change your mind after you’ve opened your account. If you tell us within 14 calendar days, we’ll give you your money back with interest straight away. 

  • We pay your interest gross. This means tax is not taken off. 
  • Please read the Specific Terms and Conditions for this account and our General Terms and Conditions. 

Did you know?

Gross interest – is the rate of interest payable before the deduction of tax.

AER – stands for Annual Equivalent Rate and illustrates what the interest rate would be if interest was paid and added each year. All rates quoted are correct as at 03/02/2026.

Identification – when you open an account with the West Brom we may need to confirm your identity. For full details on why this is required and the types of identification accepted please refer to the Society’s ‘Important information on identification’ leaflet.

Personal Savings Allowance – the Personal Savings Allowance was introduced on 6 April 2016 and means that the first £1,000 of overall savings interest for basic rate taxpayers and the first £500 for higher rate taxpayers are free from income tax. (There is no allowance for additional rate taxpayers.) From this date, we stopped deducting any tax from the interest paid to you (ISAs are tax-free). You are responsible for paying any tax due to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). For further information about the Personal Savings Allowance, please contact your local HMRC office.

Protection for savers – your eligible deposits with the West Brom are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK’s deposit guarantee scheme. Any deposits held above the limit are unlikely to be covered. You can visit www.fscs.org.uk for more information.

Terms and conditions

Here you will find both Product Specific and General Terms and Conditions.

How to apply

How to apply

Apply now

Download and complete your application form, then send it to:

FREEPOST THE WEST BROM

Please write the address exactly as above, in capitals and on one line. You don’t need to use a stamp – just pop it in the post.

Royal Mail delivers Freepost as second class mail.

Apply in branch

Use our branch finder to find your nearest branch.

Book a branch appointment

Your savings are protected

Your eligible deposits are protected up to a total of £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's deposit protection scheme.

Find out more

Protecting your money

Savings toolkit

Savings calculator

Savings calculator

Crunch the numbers and see how much you could save over time.

Savings calculator
Savings guides

Savings guides

Take a moment and brush up on all things savings.

Savings guides
Savings FAQs

Savings FAQs

Check out our most frequently asked questions

Savings FAQs
Contact us

We're here to help

Chat to our friendly Customer Service team today.

0345 241 3785

schedule 8:30am to 6pm Monday to Friday

schedule 8:30am to 12:30pm on Saturday

You can also pop in to your local branch or book an appointment.

Book an appointment