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ING shouldn't be allowed to sell to Barclays

Ed Bowsher
by Lovemoney Staff Ed Bowsher on 09 October 2012  |  Comments 9 comments

Barclays said today that it's buying ING Direct in the UK. This deal isn't good news.

ING shouldn't be allowed to sell to Barclays

I can understand why the Dutch bank ING Direct is selling its UK business to Barclays. It makes sense for ING to concentrate on markets where it has a large branch network and it’s getting a reasonable price from Barclays.

But this deal isn’t good news for the British consumer. I’ve said before that we desperately need more competition in the UK banking market, but this deal is going to reduce competition. That’s not healthy.

ING Direct currently offers some attractive savings accounts and mortgages, and I fear that customers may lose out in the long term.

True, Barclays has said that ING Direct customers should expect their accounts to retain at least equivalent terms and conditions when the deal goes through next year. But I fear that will gradually change.

Even if I’m wrong, why take the risk of that happening? It would make much more sense for the ING UK business to be sold to a ‘challenger’ player such as Tesco, Virgin or Co-op. Today's news is a real shame.

Positive

That said, there is one positive aspect to the deal. It suggests that new Barclays boss, Antony Jenkins, wants to focus on the retail banking rather than the ‘casino’ investment banking business.

It’s also worth noting that the savings protection for ING savings customers will change as a result of this deal. If ING Direct went bust tomorrow, savers would be able to claim compensation from a Dutch government scheme. But once the deal has gone through, savers will be protected by the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

I imagine that Barclays and the former ING Direct business will share the same banking licence. So if you currently have £75,000 with Barclays and £75,000 with ING, you’d only get protection up to £85,000 on savings worth £150,000.

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Comments (9)

  • Nick C
    Love rating 2
    Nick C said

    I hope the ING customers do not get the treatment I have had. I opened my Barclays account in 1951 and had not used it recently but went to pay in some money - it was an account in credit too. I tried to access the account but found that Barclays had closed the account and taken the small amount for themselves!! I asked them where it was and they said that they could not trace me and I should have read the small print in 1951!! I am in the local phone book and have lived in the same home -locally- for 42 years!! I had an interview with a local Manager for 1 hour and 7 weeks later got a cheque for my money which they had taken! In between they have sent me a new Barclaycard as they have taken over EGG!! Watch your funds ING customers!! NC

    Report on 11 October 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves
  • The Bank Manager
    Love rating 72
    The Bank Manager said

    Hi 'celticlass',

    As you have an ING ISA, what you need to do is look around on comparison websites for another ISA that will accept transfers in.

    Do you know if you have an instant access cash ISA, or is it a fixed rate/term ISA?

    Whatever you do, do not try to cash in the funds, as you'll get your gross interest, but will not be able to use the full annual ISA limit again this financial year - i.e. if you deposited £5,640 on 6th April 2012, you can cash that and take the funds to another provider this year, as you have fully used your allowance.

    Instead, find a new provider, ask them to assist you with a transfer and they will send off your request to ING, so the monies can retain their tax free status.

    When the monies get to the 'new' cash ISA, you'll also have the benefit of the accrued interest being applied, so in effect, your balance is likely to be higher at the ISA, than that which is currently on the ING ISA statement (unless you have any penalty to pay?).

    The ING website suggests that from 03-08-2012, it offered 2.96% Gross P.A. as the rate guaranteed for 12 months from account opening, reverting to 1.00% Gross P.A. thereafter (3.00% AER).

    If you took out your ISA from 27-07-2012 they offered 3.15% Gross P.A., reverting to 1.00% Gross P.A. after 12 months (3.20% AER).

    Now recently, the financial sector has once again squeezed rates for savers and increased those for some borrowers (the Santander SVR mortgage rate springs to mind, increasing from 4.24% to 4.74%), so taking a general peek at some sites, I'm aware that M&S Money do a 1 year fixed rate cash ISA at 3.10% AER that allows transfers in. You need a minimum deposit of £500 and can apply by post or phone. The caveat here though, is that being a fixed account, if you wish to withdraw funds, there is a £50 penalty (see the M & S Bank site for greater detail).

    Marks & Spencer has the full £85,000 UK savings safety guarantee under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but being part of the HSBC Group, if you already have £85,000 in investments with HSBC, additional funds with M & S Bank might not be covered. Ask them first (0808 002 2222).

    Hope this helps you?

    Report on 13 October 2012  |  Love thisLove  0 loves

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