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Barclays Blue Rewards review: Is it worth joining?
Find out what you can get with Barclays Blue Rewards membership scheme, and if it's worth the monthly fee.
If you bank with Barclays, you can add Barclays Blue Rewards to your current account for a fee, and earn various cash rewards. We explain how to use the scheme to pay for itself – and more – plus whether there are better deals available.
What are Barclays Blue Rewards?
Barclays Blue Rewards is a paid-for add-on you can opt to include on your Barclays current account. The scheme costs £5 a month and for this you get a monthly reward, plus money back if you have or open other products with the bank. Plus, you’ll have access to the Blue Rewards Saver and Rainy Day Saver accounts which pay higher rates of interest compared to other Barclays’ savings accounts.
Compare current accounts that are eligible with Barclays Blue Rewards
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How to get the rewards
To earn the rewards, you’ll need to have a Barclays current account and agree to pay the membership fee of £5 a month. You’ll also need to pay at least £800 into your current account each month and register for the Barclays app or online banking.
You’ll receive a £5 monthly cash reward when you successfully pay 2 or more direct debits from your nominated account. You’ll then earn different monthly cash rewards for different products, as we explain below:
- £3 a month if you have or take out a personal residential mortgage with Barclays
- 3% cashback when you take out or renew home insurance with Barclays
- £1 a month if you have or take out a personal loan with Barclays
- £1.50 a month if you take out life insurance with Barclays or £5 a month for life insurance with critical illness cover (for first 12 months of cover only)
When you earn the cash rewards, the money will be paid into your Rewards Wallet, not your Barclays bank account. You’ll then need to transfer the cash out of the wallet via online banking or the Barclays app.
What are the benefits?
The main benefits of Barclays Blue Rewards are the cash offers, both for holding the account and for opening other products with the bank. Keen savers will also be able to access more competitive savings accounts.
Who is it for?
Barclays Blue Rewards is suitable for anyone who holds a Barclays current account and is looking to earn something extra. To qualify for a Barclays current account you will need to be a UK resident and at least 18 years old. To qualify for Barclays Blue Rewards you will need to be happy to pay £5 a month, be able to pay at least £800 into your current account each month and register for the Barclays app or online banking.
Pros and cons of Barclays Blue Rewards
Pros
- Range of cash awards
- The more products you have with Barclays, the more you earn
- Access to better savings accounts
Cons
- Membership fee of £5 a month
- You’ll need to meet the eligibility criteria
- Cash rewards aren’t paid directly into your bank account
Our verdict: Is Barclays Blue Rewards any good?
If you’re a loyal Barclays customer, then adding Barclays Blue Rewards to your current account will earn you a little extra cash each month – the more products you have with the bank, the more you’ll earn. Gettomg access to some very competitive savings accounts is a particularly attractive bonus, if you want to keep all your accounts with one bank.
Overall, however, there are more competitive schemes out there. For a start, the £5 monthly cash reward is instantly erased by the £5 monthly fee. What’s more, the fact that you have to withdraw your cash rewards from your Rewards Wallet makes the whole process unnecessarily complicated. So it’s well worth comparing what else is on offer from other banks before taking the plunge. You can compare a range of current accounts in our full guide.
Frequently asked questions
Banking scores
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
To find out more, read our full methodology.
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