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Virgin Money: Essential Current Account reviews

Name: Essential Current Account
Rating: 3.04 (142 reviews)

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3.01

Based on 142 reviews, last reviewed 22nd Jan 2026

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

No new 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

37%

12%

39%

Latest highest rating:

4

They have been great when you have had a problem and... They have been great when you have had a problem and sort it out for you Reviewed on: 22nd January 2026

Latest lowest rating:

1

Completely useless, l have been on the phone for ove... Completely useless, l have been on the phone for over two hours no response Reviewed on: 4th June 2024

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About this product

The Virgin Money Essential Current Account is no longer available to new customers.

Virgin Money reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used Virgin Money before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

Virgin Money Essential Current Account reviews (142)

Review of the Virgin Money, Essential Current Account:

Surely the 5 star reviews here are fake?

I haven't a clue what is in the heads of the people running Virgin Money. If you read the negative reviews you'll see the legitimate reasons why people are frustrated. I have been with this bank for several years (I have no choice) and despite responses by Virgin saying 'thank you for your feedback, we will try and improve' they've done nothing other than add insult to injury. As mentioned by other people here, you can not do much online and have to go into a branch to do transfers. You can call them up but to make a new transfer you have to go to the branch. That isn't helped by them closing their branches!!! I live in London where you'd think this wasn't a problem but instead of being able to go to my branch in east London I now have to go to a branch in tourist central Piccadilly Circus. I was told in a letter that apparently my branch in east London closed because the landlord had put the rent up. Whoever heard of such a thing from a bank???!! Then when I go all the way to Picadilly Circus I find out where the money they saved has been spent on... free coffee and sandwiches and a grand piano!!!! I asked the teller what the hell this was and she said 'to improve customer experience''. You think sandwiches and a grand piano are preferable to me over not having to travel across London or being able to do ANYTHING online??? No double as a response to this review I'm going to get an empty 'Thanks for your feedback xxx, I'll be sure to pass that on to the relevant teams for you. If there's anything else we can help with in the meantime, just get back in touch! Thanks, Jane'.... absolute, empty rubbish. Enough of the lip service Virgin staff and !"£$% do something!!!! This bank wouldn't exist without some sort of support from the rest of the Virgin brand. Reviewed on: 26th March 2019

Reply from Virgin Money Good afternoon, thanks for taking the time out to share your feedback. I’d like to take a look into your experience and share this with relevant department so that they can review and respond to you directly. So that I can do that, can you please email your name, address and contact number across to [email protected]? Thanks, Lindsay. Response date: 26th March 2019

Basic - but decent

Since moving my account from Yorkshire Bank to VM, I have received good service, overall. Reviewed on: 12th January 2022

INTERNET ACCOUNT THAT CANNOT BE OPERATED ON INTERNET

My M Plus account has been blocked for the last three days. Have rung them five times no help by rude, unprofessional uneducated staff who does not have a clue about what they are talking about and have been lied to, at times during the conversation have held the phone for over 40 minutes, can't get any money out to buy food wish to close the account but not able to as the account has been blocked You ring and speak to staff who cannot do anything as the account has been blocked. wish I had never heard of Virgin Money Please Please stay well away from this bank as it is really not a bank - opened an internet bank account - cannot operate the account via internet Had enough - will have to go to a branch to close the accounts hoping that there are no further problems created by Virgin my request to all is to close their accounts by transferring to other high street banks Reviewed on: 27th October 2021

Bunch of bankers

Don't offer Internet banking which is essential during a global pandemic. Can only view!! What good is that. Staff rude lacking good manners and courtesy I will be leaving Reviewed on: 24th October 2021

They dont even deserve 1 star

As others have commented - They lock your money away and will not let you access it - very very shady practice. To say customer service is shockingly bad would be an understatement. There is NO customer service. Using the app is hideous and internet banking is impossible to use without using the app at the same time. Steer clear of Virgin Money! Reviewed on: 18th September 2021

when you put money into VIrgin current account forget access to it

I have been trying to transfer my money to another account of mine but they block the payment. called numerus times, they promised they ll unlock the payment, nothing happened even the day after. Called again telling them I need the money transfer right away or I am referring to the ombusdman and they hung up. will refer to Ombudsman and all the authorities. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE! Reviewed on: 18th September 2021

Still on hold

Been on hold to close my account for 57 minutes and still waiting... Reviewed on: 14th September 2021

Can close your account with 2 months notice without explanation

Got a letter saying that they are closing my account in 2 months. I don't believe that I have committed any misconduct but it would be nice to get a reply from the branch manager. Matter has now gone to financial ombudsman Reviewed on: 6th September 2021

Useless app

I don't get any notifications of transactions till the next day it sends wrong balance alerts and overall its useless really considering moving to another bank as fed up with virgin Never had any problems when it was clydesdale bank Reviewed on: 2nd September 2021

Appalling service and useless authentication code process

Since Virgin Money has started to send authentication codes to enable access to online banking, their system has basically locked me out. They claim that the non-arrival of the code is the fault of Virgin Mobile. Yet many other banks that I have accounts with work perfectly well - their authentication code whizzes through within a few seconds. Hence it is Virgin Money that has not made the necessary adjustment to allow their customers to receive their code if they also happen to use Virgin Mobile. There are other problems too such as not sending a temporary password when requested by phone, and giving so much automated information when calling that it takes at least 5 minutes to get through to an advisor. Avoid this company if you also happen to have Virgin Mobile Reviewed on: 20th August 2021

App is great and great switch offer

Free wine who wouldn't want that. The switching process was straightforward and the banking app works great. I've never needed to speak to anyone as I can do everything I need to do on the app. Reviewed on: 19th August 2021

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