Starling Bank

Digital bank. Products & services: Current & Business Accounts.

Updated: 2 August 2026

Company Overview

Industry: App-only retail and business banking (finance)
Parent company: Starling Intermediate Holdings Limited
Regulator: Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority (FRN 730166)
Ombudsman: Financial Ombudsman Service
Customers: Around 4.6 million open accounts (2025 annual report)
Founded: 2014 (banking licence granted July 2016)
Legal entity: Starling Bank Limited (Companies House 09092149)

3.62per 1,000Complaints per 1,000 accounts
79.86%(plus 19.90% closed within 3 days)Closed within 8 weeks (after 3 days)

What customers complain about

Customers complaining to Starling most often cite delays and timescales, alongside payments, fraud and scam handling, and account access or account closures. As an app-only bank there is no branch to visit: complaints go through in-app chat, the 020 7930 4450 phone line, email or post to Cardiff. Starling aims to resolve payment-service complaints within 15 calendar days and has up to 8 weeks for other complaints before you can escalate to the free Financial Ombudsman Service. For authorised push payment (APP) scam payments made on or after 7 October 2024, Starling is generally required to reimburse eligible victims under the mandatory reimbursement rules. In its latest self-published FCA return the bank reported a 40.99% uphold rate on banking and credit-card complaints.

Complaint categories

1
Delays and timescales
Starling records delays and timescales as the main cause of complaints in its latest self-published return - customers waiting on payments, investigations or account actions.
Starling complaints-data page, main cause of complaints (banking and credit cards).
2
Payments, fraud and scams
As a payments-led bank, complaints frequently concern Faster Payments, card transactions and authorised push payment (APP) scam claims - now within scope of mandatory reimbursement for payments made on or after 7 October 2024.
Starling how-to-complain page (payment-service complaints) and PSR APP reimbursement rules.
3
Account access and account closures
Reported themes include account freezes, closures and access issues; the FCA's 2024 action noted large numbers of accounts opened for high-risk customers, and account de-risking is a known pressure point for challenger banks. Account-closure dissatisfaction is a reported theme, not a verified per-category statistic.
Reported, not verified - drawn from review platforms only; category share is not published by Starling.

Latest statistics

17,323Complaints opened (banking and credit cards)Latest 2025 return (self-published)
79.86%(plus 19.90% closed within 3 days)Closed within 8 weeks (after 3 days)Latest 2025 return (self-published)

Figures are Starling's own complaints return, self-published to the FCA and shown on its complaints-data page (latest 2025 reporting period as published). Rate, uphold and resolution figures relate to the 'banking and credit cards' product category; the 'credit-related' category was reported as N/A. Percentages are as stated by Starling.

Contact methods

In-app chat (fastest)Open the app, tap the account menu, then Help to start a chat.
Phone (24/7)020 7930 4450
Emailhelp@starlingbank.com
Post - Customer Relations TeamStarling Bank Customer Relations Team, 8th Floor Brunel House, 2 Fitzalan Road, Cardiff CF24 0FG.
Financial Ombudsman Service (escalation)0800 023 4567

Complaint journey

1
Raise your complaint with Starling
Contact Starling through the app, phone, email or post.
Typical responseImmediate
What happens
Complain via in-app chat (account menu then Help), by phone on 020 7930 4450, by email to help@starlingbank.com, or by post to the Customer Relations Team in Cardiff. Give as much detail as possible and say how you would like to be contacted.
2
Acknowledgement and handling
Starling assigns a handler and confirms it is looking into it.
Typical responseBy 5th working day
What happens
You get a dedicated complaint handler who keeps you updated. If the complaint is not resolved quickly, Starling sends a written acknowledgement by the fifth working day; it may arrange an in-app call for more details.
3
Resolution or final response
Starling issues a summary resolution or a full final response.
Typical response3 days / 15 days / 8 weeks
What happens
If resolved within three working days, you receive a summary resolution communication. Payment-service complaints (Faster Payments, transfers, card transactions) target a final response within 15 calendar days. Other complaints have up to 8 weeks for a final response.
4
Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service
Take an unresolved complaint to the free ombudsman.
Typical responseWithin 6 months
What happens
If you are unhappy with the final response, or 8 weeks pass without one, refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. You normally have six months from the final response to do so. The service is free and independent.

Response times

Starling issues a written acknowledgement by the fifth working day where a complaint is not resolved sooner. Complaints resolved within three working days receive a summary resolution communication. For payment-service complaints (Faster Payments, transfers and card transactions) Starling aims to send a final response within 15 calendar days of receipt, with almost all resolved within 35 business days in exceptional cases. All other complaints have a regulatory maximum of 8 weeks for a final response, after which you may go to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

If your complaint isn’t resolved

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

Financial Ombudsman Service

Recent news

2 October 2024
The FCA fined Starling Bank GBP 28,959,426 for failings in its financial-crime systems and controls, including sanctions-screening gaps dating from 2017 and repeated breaches of a requirement not to open accounts for high-risk customers (over 54,000 accounts for about 49,000 high-risk customers were opened during the restriction).
Read more
7 October 2024
The PSR's mandatory reimbursement rules for authorised push payment (APP) scams came into force, requiring banks including Starling to reimburse eligible victims of Faster Payments and CHAPS scams (up to GBP 85,000) for payments made on or after this date.
Read more

Earlier cases

2 October 2024
Historic: FCA Final Notice against Starling Bank Limited, penalty GBP 28,959,426 (reduced by 30% for early settlement from GBP 40,959,426) for anti-money-laundering, financial-crime and sanctions-screening control failings between December 2019 and November 2023.
Read more

Know your rights

Payment Services Regulations 2017
Govern how Starling must handle payments, unauthorised transactions and payment-service complaints, including the 15-day / 8-week response framework. This is general information, not legal advice.
FCA DISP rules (Handbook)
Require Starling to acknowledge and investigate complaints, send a final response within 8 weeks, and tell you about your right to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This is general information, not legal advice.
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 / FSCS
As a licensed bank, eligible Starling deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to the standard limit if the bank fails. This is general information, not legal advice.
PSR APP scam reimbursement requirement (from 7 October 2024)
Requires Starling to reimburse eligible victims of authorised push payment scams for in-scope Faster Payments and CHAPS payments made on or after 7 October 2024. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How do I complain to Starling Bank if there are no branches?

Because Starling is app-only there is no branch to visit. Use in-app chat (account menu then Help), call 020 7930 4450 (24/7), email help@starlingbank.com, or write to the Customer Relations Team, 8th Floor Brunel House, 2 Fitzalan Road, Cardiff CF24 0FG.

How long does Starling take to respond to a complaint?

Starling targets a final response within 15 calendar days for payment-service complaints (such as Faster Payments and card transactions) and has up to 8 weeks for other complaints. Simple issues resolved within three working days get a summary resolution communication.

Will Starling refund me if I was scammed?

For authorised push payment (APP) scam payments made on or after 7 October 2024, Starling is generally required to reimburse eligible victims of in-scope Faster Payments and CHAPS scams, up to GBP 85,000, unless a specific exception applies.

Is my money safe with Starling?

Yes - Starling holds a full UK banking licence (granted by the PRA in July 2016), so eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, unlike money held with e-money apps.

Who regulates Starling and where do I escalate?

Starling is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA (firm reference number 730166). If your complaint is not resolved, escalate free of charge to the Financial Ombudsman Service, normally within six months of Starling's final response.

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