The savings saints and sinners

By THIS IS MONEY
Updated: 11:49 EST, 7 January 2009

Money Mail is the leading scrutiniser of savings products in the High Street by post, by phone and over the internet.

Naughty and nice: Who is rewarding savers and who isn't

And from this week we offer another service in our campaign to secure a better deal for savers.

In each edition of Money Mail we will be highlighting the savings saints and sinners.

- Find the best savings rates

- Independent savings tables

We want to give credit to those banks and building societies which have treated their customers particularly well when it comes to setting interest rates and to shame those who have behaved especially badly.

If you have examples of changes to interest rates or terms and conditions you think we should be focusing on, please email Sylvia Morris at sy.morris@dailymail.co.uk or write to Savings Saints And Sinners, Money Mail, Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT.

The saint

Our first saint is Yorkshire Building Society for its Internet Saver account. The rate was cut by just 0.75 percentage points in response to the 1 point cut in Bank of England base rate in December.

It now pays 3% after 20% savings tax (3.75% before tax) on £1 or more, making it the top-paying internet-based account from mainstream providers.

Over the past year the society has cut the rate by a total of 2.25 points against a 3.5-point fall in base rate.

The sinner

Our first sinner is Halifax, for its dreadful Isa Saver. This is a popular branch based-account where the pitiless bank has pared the interest paid to the bone.

Rates start at a miserly 0.1% on balances up to £3,000 and 0.15% up to £10,000. This time round, it passed on the 1 point base rate cut to anyone with more than £12,000 in the account.

Even savers who have £27,000 or more now earn just 0.61% - or £183 interest a year on £30,000. In the past 12 months their rate has been cut by 3.9 points against a 3.5 point cut in base rate.

Best savings rates

This is Money is home to the web's best savings tables. Unlike rivals, our tables are free from commercial bias and our savings expert strips out deals with catches so you always get the best account...

• General accounts (internet, branch, over-50s)
• Cash mini Isas
• Children's accounts
• Child trust funds
• National Savings
• Tessa transfer Isas
• Fixed-rate accounts
• Over-50s accounts (click and scroll down)
• Compare and apply: get the best savings accounts