Where is first direct based?

First direct's registered address is 40 Wakefield Road, Leeds, LS98 1FD. They also operate a second site at Maxim Park near Glasgow in Motherwell. The Leeds site is the primary location and the bank's home since its 1989 launch.

Who owns first direct?

First direct operates as part of HSBC UK Bank plc. Customer deposits are protected under the FSCS up to £120,000, a limit shared across HSBC UK, HSBC Private Bank, first direct and M&S Bank.

When was first direct founded?

First direct launched in 1989 as the UK's first telephone bank. It was also the first UK bank to offer a 24/7, 365-days-a-year service from the outset.

How many customers does first direct have?

First direct states it has over 2 million customers, and notes that many of them have stayed with the bank for more than a decade.

Is first direct hiring in Leeds?

Yes. First direct lists roles at its Leeds site on its careers pages, covering customer service and, according to available information, technology and software engineering. Starting salaries from £25,000 are advertised, alongside private medical insurance and six or more weeks of paid holiday.

FinTech / Digital Banking · 200-500 tech staff in Leeds · Stourton

First Direct

Digital-first bank based in Leeds since 1989

firstdirect.com ↗Founded 1989

First direct is a digital and telephone bank headquartered in Leeds, operating as a subsidiary of HSBC UK. Launched in 1989 as the UK's first telephone bank, they now serve over 2 million customers and offer current accounts, savings, mortgages, credit cards, loans and insurance — all without monthly fees on the core account. Their 24/7 service model has been in place since day one.

What they do

First direct is a retail bank operating entirely without branches. Customers manage their money through a mobile app, online banking and a 24/7 telephone service. The bank sits under HSBC UK Bank plc, which means eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme — a limit shared across HSBC UK, HSBC Private Bank, first direct and M&S Bank.

The current account is the core product: no monthly fee, a virtual card available immediately on opening, and the ability to set up in minutes. Around that sits a broader range of products — savings accounts, credit cards for purchases and balance transfers, personal loans and mortgages. Insurance products are also available, including travel, mobile phone and motor breakdown cover delivered through partners Aviva and the RAC.

The mobile app handles the day-to-day: spending tracking, budgeting tools, card freezing, secure log-on and live chat. Customers who need branch-based services — paying in cash or cheques, for example — can use HSBC branches for those transactions.

First direct also runs a Money Coach service, staffed by a dedicated team available seven days a week, for customers experiencing financial stress. A Vulnerable Customer Support Team and a Bereavement Support Team operate separately, each with their own direct lines and extended hours.

The bank has two operational sites: Leeds, which is the registered address at 40 Wakefield Road, LS98 1FD, and Maxim Park near Glasgow in Motherwell. Recruitment runs across both locations.

Where they sit in Leeds

First direct has been a Leeds institution since its 1989 launch. The Wakefield Road address has been the bank's home throughout, and Leeds remains the primary hiring location. The careers pages list roles across customer service and, per the researcher's note, in-house technology and software engineering teams.

The bank's place in Leeds's financial services landscape is significant. It predates the wave of challenger banks by decades — the 24/7 model and the no-branch approach were genuinely novel in 1989, when telephone banking itself was new. That history gives first direct a different standing from the fintechs that followed: it is a large, regulated bank with a long track record in the city, not a startup.

With over 2 million customers, many of whom have stayed for more than a decade according to the bank's own figures, first direct sits at the larger end of the Leeds tech and finance employer spectrum. Starting salaries from £25,000, private medical insurance, pension schemes and six or more weeks of paid holiday are listed on the careers pages. The bank has received awards from Which?, Moneywise and Cool Brands, among others, though specific years and categories are not detailed in the available source material.

The independent service quality survey published in August 2026 — covering approximately 1,000 customers of each of the 17 largest personal current account providers — is a regulatory requirement under FCA rules. First direct participates alongside the other major providers. Results are published on the bank's SQI page.

For engineers and technologists in Leeds, first direct represents one of the longer-established in-house digital banking employers in the region. The scale of the customer base — and the complexity of running a 24/7 digital-first bank under HSBC UK's regulatory umbrella — means the technology function is substantial, even if the source material does not detail specific stacks or team sizes.

What they offer

Current account — no monthly fee, virtual card on opening, app-based management with spending and budgeting tools.
Savings accounts — interest-bearing accounts described as designed to help customers save.
Credit cards — available for purchases and balance transfers.
Mortgages — residential mortgages with a dedicated phone line and extended opening hours.
Insurance — travel insurance with Aviva, mobile phone insurance with Aviva, and motor breakdown cover with the RAC, available as part of the First Directory package.

FAQs

What does first direct do?: First direct is a retail bank that operates without physical branches. Customers bank via a mobile app, online banking and a 24/7 telephone service. Products include current accounts, savings, mortgages, credit cards, loans and insurance.
Where is first direct based?: First direct's registered address is 40 Wakefield Road, Leeds, LS98 1FD. They also operate a second site at Maxim Park near Glasgow in Motherwell. The Leeds site is the primary location and the bank's home since its 1989 launch.
Who owns first direct?: First direct operates as part of HSBC UK Bank plc. Customer deposits are protected under the FSCS up to £120,000, a limit shared across HSBC UK, HSBC Private Bank, first direct and M&S Bank.
When was first direct founded?: First direct launched in 1989 as the UK's first telephone bank. It was also the first UK bank to offer a 24/7, 365-days-a-year service from the outset.
How many customers does first direct have?: First direct states it has over 2 million customers, and notes that many of them have stayed with the bank for more than a decade.
Is first direct hiring in Leeds?: Yes. First direct lists roles at its Leeds site on its careers pages, covering customer service and, according to available information, technology and software engineering. Starting salaries from £25,000 are advertised, alongside private medical insurance and six or more weeks of paid holiday.