Top simple deals vanish

SIMPLE easy- access accounts paying top rates are disappearing.

Ford Money has closed its Flexible Saver to new customers. Those already in the online account will continue to earn 1.42 pc. Charter Savings Bank has also withdrawn its easy-access account at 1.31 pc.

Ford Money says it is reviewing its deposit-taking needs. Its Flexible Cash Isa pays a lower 1.27 pc.

Savers paid £5.4 billion into easyaccess accounts in the first two months of 2019 — nearly ten times the £572 million put into bonds and more than double the £2.2 billion that went into cash Isas.

Trade body UK Finance says that savers are keeping cash close to hand amid economic uncertainty.