You've opened your dummy account. You're ready to switch. Then you read the terms: "Account must have at least 2 active direct debits."
If you're using a fresh Chase dummy account for switching, it won't have any direct debits on it. Moving your real bills is a pain — and pointless when you're going to switch away from this account in a week.
The community figured this out years ago. There's now an entire cottage industry of services that exist purely to give you cheap direct debits for bank switching. Here's every option, ranked by cost.
What counts as an "active" direct debit?
Before spending anything, understand what banks actually check:
Must be a direct debit — not a standing order (some banks accept either, but most specifically say "direct debit"). Direct debits are pulled by the merchant; standing orders are pushed by you. They're different mandates. Our direct debit guide explains the differences in detail and walks you through setup.
Must be "active" — the DD mandate needs to be set up and at least one payment needs to have been collected. A mandate that exists but hasn't taken a payment yet usually doesn't count.
Must be in place at the time of the switch — some banks check that the DDs exist when the switch completes, not just when you apply.
"Household bills" caveat — a few banks (notably some Santander offers) have specified "selected household direct debits" rather than any DD. This means your 50p dummy DD might not qualify. Always check the specific offer terms.
How many? Most offers require 2, some require 3 (Club Lloyds). A few require none at all.
The options, ranked by cost
1. 30pence.co.uk — 30p/month
The cheapest dedicated DD service. Sets up a real direct debit processed through Stripe. Mandate appears within 24-48 hours, first payment in about 5 business days.
- Cost: 30p per DD per month
- Setup time: 24-48 hours for mandate, ~5 days for first payment
- Can you set up multiples? Yes — each counts as a separate DD
- Total cost for 2 DDs: 60p/month
2. 50pDirectDebit.co.uk — 50p/month
Similar to 30pence, slightly more established. Real DD via Stripe.
- Cost: 50p per DD per month
- Setup time: 24-48 hours
- Cancel anytime
- Total cost for 2 DDs: £1/month
3. SwitchDebits.co.uk — 50p/month
Another dedicated switching DD service. Same principle.
- Cost: 50p per DD per month
- Setup time: Similar to above
- Total cost for 2 DDs: £1/month
4. Scrimpr — £1/month
Run by the moderator of r/beermoneyuk. Uses Stripe. Well-known in the community.
- Cost: £1 per DD per month
- Setup time: Quick — mandate appears within 24-48 hours
- Each DD has a unique mandate reference
- Total cost for 2 DDs: £2/month
5. Charity direct debits — £1-2/month
Set up a small direct debit to a charity. Cool Earth is the community favourite because they set up the mandate within days (some charities take weeks).
- Cost: £1-2/month minimum
- Setup time: Cool Earth is fast (days). Others can take 2-4 weeks.
- Counts as a legitimate DD from a recognised organisation
- Bonus: You're actually helping the planet. But only do this if you genuinely want to support the charity — they incur costs for DD setup.
- Total cost for 2 DDs: £2-4/month
6. PayPal — free
Adding money to PayPal from your bank account creates a direct debit mandate. Some switchers use this as a free DD.
- Cost: Free (you're just adding money to your own PayPal)
- Setup time: Up to 5 days
- Caveat: Some users report transfer issues. PayPal's DD mandate can be unreliable — it sometimes shows as a "continuous payment authority" rather than a true DD, and some banks don't count it.
- Verdict: Works for some people, but don't rely on it as your only option.
7. Savings apps — £2-4/month
Moneybox, Plum, and similar savings apps use direct debits to collect deposits.
- Cost: Moneybox minimum is £2/week (but you're saving it, not spending it)
- Setup time: Varies
- Each app creates a separate DD
- Caveat: The money goes into an investment account, so there's (minimal) market risk
- Verdict: Good if you already use these apps. Not worth signing up just for the DD.
8. Credit card minimum payments — free
If you have a credit card, the monthly DD to clear it counts.
- Cost: Free (you're paying your own credit card bill)
- Setup time: Immediate if DD is already set up
- Caveat: The credit card needs to have some activity for the DD to actually collect a payment. An empty card with a DD that collects £0 may not count as "active."
- Verdict: Great free option if you already have credit cards in use.
9. Your actual bills — free
Council tax, energy, broadband, mobile phone, water — these all use direct debits.
- Cost: Free (you're paying bills you already have)
- Setup time: Immediate if already in place
- Caveat: Moving real bills to a dummy account means they'll bounce around when you switch. CASS redirects them, but it can take a statement cycle to settle.
- Verdict: Fine if you don't mind the temporary disruption. Most serial switchers avoid this and use dummy DDs instead.
The cost-benefit maths
Let's say you use two 30p DDs for a bank switch that pays £175:
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Switch bonus | +£175 |
| 2x 30p DDs for 2 months | -£1.20 |
| Net profit | £173.80 |
Even the most expensive option (2x Scrimpr at £2/month for 2 months) only costs £4 against a £175 bonus. The ROI is absurd.
Setup timing — don't get caught out
This is where people mess up. The timeline matters:
- Day 1: Open your dummy account (Chase, Monzo, etc.)
- Day 1: Set up 2-3 cheap direct debits on the account
- Day 2-3: DD mandates appear on the account
- Day 5-7: First DD payments are collected (this is when they become "active")
- Day 8+: Now you can switch. The DDs are active and will transfer via CASS.
Don't try to set up DDs and switch on the same day. The mandate needs to be established and at least one payment collected before most banks consider it "active."
Allow 2 weeks between setting up your DDs and initiating the switch. This gives comfortable buffer for any delays.
What happens to your DDs after you switch?
CASS automatically transfers all direct debits from your old account to your new one. Your 30p DDs will keep running from your new bank account.
Cancel them once you've confirmed the switch bonus has been paid. You don't need them anymore (until your next switch).
Or keep them running — at 30-60p/month, they cost less than a Freddo. Having active DDs on your account means you're always ready for the next switch without any setup delay.
Which banks need how many DDs?
| Bank | DDs required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First Direct | 2 DDs or standing orders | Also needs £1,000 pay-in and 5 payments |
| Club Lloyds | 3 active DDs | Plus £100 debit card spend |
| Santander | 2 "selected household" DDs | Check terms — may need real bills |
| NatWest | Varies by offer | Check current terms |
| Co-op Bank | 2 active DDs | Plus £1,000 pay-in |
| Nationwide | Check current offer | Requirements change per offer |
| Barclays | 2 active DDs | Plus other requirements |
The Santander warning: Some Santander offers specify "selected household direct debits." This has been interpreted by some users as needing real utility or subscription DDs rather than 50p dummy ones. If you're targeting a Santander switch, read the terms carefully and consider using real DDs or at least a named subscription service.
StoozeMax built-in direct debits (coming soon)
We're building cheap direct debits directly into StoozeMax — so you can set up your dummy DDs, open your account, and initiate your switch all from one place. No need to visit three different websites.
In the meantime, create a free StoozeMax account to track your switches, and use any of the services above for your DDs. If you're new to the switching process, our step-by-step switching guide covers everything from opening your dummy account to collecting your bonus.
Read our complete guides: Bank Switching: The Complete UK Guide | Stoozing Guide | Regular Savers Guide