first direct

Digital bank. Products & services: Current Accounts, Savings, Loans.

Updated: 2 August 2026

Company Overview

Industry: Retail banking (telephone/internet-only)
Parent company: HSBC Holdings plc
Regulator: Financial Conduct Authority (and Prudential Regulation Authority); HSBC UK Bank plc Firm Reference Number 765112
Ombudsman: Financial Ombudsman Service
Legal entity: HSBC UK Bank plc (trading as first direct)

What customers complain about

Launched in October 1989 as the UK's first telephone-only bank, first direct has built its reputation on customer service and runs entirely by phone, app and online banking with no physical branches. It serves around 1.9 million customers (2024) from its Leeds headquarters and offers a single current account (the 1st Account), Regular Saver and other savings, personal loans, mortgages, credit cards and insurance. It has no separate banking licence: it trades under the HSBC UK Bank plc authorisation (FRN 765112), so regulators and the ombudsman treat it as HSBC UK Bank plc trading as first direct. This shapes how you complain and how the complaint is recorded in official data.

Complaint categories

1
Digital and telephone banking outages
With no branches, first direct customers are wholly dependent on the app, online banking and phone lines. When these go down, customers cannot access money or make payments and have no branch fallback. first direct was among several banks hit by mobile/online banking problems on 28 February 2025, and customers reported platform issues again in August 2025.
TechRadar live coverage of the 28 February 2025 UK bank outages naming first direct; reported platform issues in August 2025. Labelled as reported service disruption, not verified individual complaint outcomes.
2
Payments, fraud and scam disputes
The largest published complaint category for first direct is 'banking and credit cards', which includes disputed transactions, unauthorised payments and authorised push payment (APP) scam claims. Under the mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules (in force from 7 October 2024), banks including HSBC UK Bank plc / first direct must reimburse most victims of APP scams.
HSBC UK Bank plc complaints data 2025 H2 shows banking & credit cards as first direct's largest complaint category (7,756 opened). Category identified from official complaints data, not from anonymous reviews.
3
Mortgage / home finance handling
Home finance complaints have the highest uphold rate for first direct (62.3% found in the customer's favour in 2025 H2), covering issues such as mortgage administration, rate changes and application handling.
HSBC UK Bank plc complaints data 2025 H2: first direct home finance 490 complaints opened, 62.3% upheld.

Latest statistics

7,756(1.87 per 1,000 accounts; 49.4% upheld)first direct (standalone) - Banking & credit cards complaints opened2025 H2 (1 Jul - 31 Dec 2025)

Both the FCA and firms publish complaints data every six months. HSBC UK Bank plc publishes first direct's figures separately as well as combined; the FCA firm-level tables report the data under HSBC UK Bank plc. Figures below are for the most recent published period, 1 July to 31 December 2025 (2025 H2), as published by HSBC UK Bank plc. Percentages 'upheld' means found in the customer's favour.

Contact methods

Complaint journey

1
Raise it with first direct
What happens
Contact Customer Relations by phone (03 450 511 378), in the app (Help > Chat now), in Online Banking (Message us), or by post to Customer Relations, first direct, 40 Wakefield Road, Leeds LS98 1FD. Because first direct is a division of HSBC UK Bank plc, this is the same as complaining to HSBC UK Bank plc trading as first direct.
2
Let first direct investigate
What happens
first direct aims to answer payment-service complaints within 15 calendar days (up to 35 in exceptional circumstances) and all other complaints within 8 weeks, though it says most are resolved much sooner. You will get a final response or, for simple cases, a summary resolution communication.
3
Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service
What happens
If you are unhappy with the final response, or 8 weeks pass with no resolution, you can refer the complaint free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the final response. The ombudsman is independent and can order first direct/HSBC to put things right.

Response times

first direct's own targets: payment-service complaints answered within 15 calendar days (up to 35 in exceptional circumstances); all other complaints within 8 weeks. The FCA rules give any regulated firm a maximum of 8 weeks to issue a final response before you gain the right to go to the ombudsman. You then have 6 months from the date of the final response to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

If your complaint isn’t resolved

If first direct can’t put things right, you can escalate — free of charge — to an independent body:

Financial Ombudsman Service

Know your rights

Payment Services Regulations 2017
Govern first direct current-account payments. Unauthorised transactions must generally be refunded promptly, and payment-service complaints carry first direct's 15-calendar-day (up to 35) response target.
APP fraud reimbursement rules (PSR mandatory reimbursement, from 7 October 2024)
As part of HSBC UK Bank plc, first direct must reimburse most victims of authorised push payment (bank-transfer) scams for eligible Faster Payments, subject to the scheme's rules and limits.
Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974
Applies to first direct CREDIT products - the credit card makes the bank jointly liable with the retailer for eligible purchases between £100 and £30,000. It does NOT apply to debit-card payments from the 1st Account current account, where a chargeback claim is the route instead.
FCA Consumer Duty (DISP complaint-handling rules)
first direct, as part of FCA-regulated HSBC UK Bank plc (FRN 765112), must handle complaints fairly, issue a final response within 8 weeks and tell you about your right to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Frequently asked questions

Is first direct a separate bank from HSBC?

No. first direct is a trading division of HSBC UK Bank plc, not a separate legal entity. It shares HSBC UK Bank plc's banking licence and FCA authorisation (Firm Reference Number 765112), so a complaint about first direct is legally a complaint against HSBC UK Bank plc trading as first direct.

How do I complain to first direct if there are no branches?

Complain by phone to Customer Relations on 03 450 511 378, in the mobile app (Help > Chat now), in Online Banking (Message us), or by post to Customer Relations, first direct, 40 Wakefield Road, Leeds LS98 1FD.

How long does first direct have to respond?

first direct aims to answer payment-service complaints within 15 calendar days (up to 35 in exceptional cases) and all other complaints within 8 weeks. If 8 weeks pass with no final response, or you are unhappy with the response, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Can I take a first direct complaint to the Financial Ombudsman, and does it cost anything?

Yes. If you have a final response, or 8 weeks have passed, you can refer the complaint free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the final response. The ombudsman is independent of first direct and HSBC.

Does the FCA deal with my individual first direct complaint?

No. The FCA regulates HSBC UK Bank plc (which trades as first direct) and publishes complaints statistics, but it does not resolve individual disputes. Individual complaints are resolved by first direct and, on escalation, the Financial Ombudsman Service.

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