How to Get Money for Free in the UK: 8 Legit Ways

It might sound too good to be true, but there are plenty of legitimate ways to get free money in the UK.

Banks, apps and other companies regularly offer cash, cashback, free shares and account credit to attract new customers. The catch is usually that you'll need to complete a few steps first — such as switching your bank account, making a purchase or signing up through a promotional link.

We've been tracking these offers for years at My Side Gig. Rather than listing individual deals here that could expire tomorrow, this guide covers the main strategies you can use to get money for free and links you to our regularly updated lists of available offers.

You can also skip straight to our complete list of free money offers.

1. Get paid to switch bank accounts

Bank switching bonuses are one of the highest-paying ways to get free money in the UK.

Banks regularly offer cash incentives to persuade people to move their current account to them. You normally need to open an eligible account and complete a switch using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS).

Depending on the promotion, there may be some additional requirements. For example, you could be asked to pay a certain amount into the account, move across Direct Debits or use the new account within a specified period.

Once you've completed the requirements, the bank pays the switching bonus into your account.

The important thing is that you don't necessarily have to switch your main bank account every time. If you're planning to claim several bonuses, you can set up a separate account specifically for bank switching.

👉 See the latest bank switching bonuses →

2. Earn cashback on money you're already spending

Cashback is slightly different from a traditional sign-up bonus because you're usually getting some of your own spending back.

The simplest strategy is to check whether cashback is available before buying something you were going to purchase anyway.

Traditional cashback sites pay you when you click through their website to a retailer and make a purchase. There are also instant cashback apps and services that let you buy discounted gift cards or receive cashback more directly when spending.

Used properly, cashback can be stacked too. You might be able to combine a retailer promotion, cashback platform and rewards card on the same purchase.

The key is not to buy something purely because cashback is available. It's most valuable when you're earning money back on spending you would have made anyway.

👉 See the latest cashback offers →

👉 See the latest instant cashback offers →

3. Claim sign-up bonuses

One of the easiest ways to get money for free is simply taking advantage of companies competing for new customers.

Apps and websites regularly offer introductory bonuses for signing up through a promotional or referral link. Depending on the offer, you might receive cash, vouchers, account credit or another reward.

Some require nothing more than creating and verifying an account. Others might ask you to make a small payment, deposit money or complete another qualifying action first.

The amounts can look relatively small individually, but there are usually plenty of offers available. Working through several worthwhile bonuses can quickly add up.

Before signing up, always check the requirements and how long you'll need to wait for the reward.

👉 See the latest sign-up bonuses →

4. Get a bonus for taking out a credit card

Credit card providers often offer generous welcome bonuses to attract new customers.

Depending on the card, the reward could be cash, cashback, points or credit to spend with selected retailers. Some offers pay a simple joining bonus, while others require you to spend a certain amount on the card within the first few months.

These can be some of the larger sign-up rewards available. However, you shouldn't take out a credit card purely for a bonus unless it's suitable for you. Always check the eligibility requirements, fees, interest rate and any minimum spending needed to unlock the reward.

If you do use a credit card for a welcome offer, paying the balance off in full can help you avoid interest charges that could quickly outweigh the value of the bonus.

👉 See the latest credit card sign-up bonuses →

5. Claim free shares from investment apps

Investment platforms sometimes offer free shares or investment bonuses to attract new customers.

Typically, you'll need to open an account, verify your identity and complete a qualifying action such as depositing or investing a certain amount.

The reward could be a fixed amount or a randomly allocated share within a particular value range.

There are a couple of important differences compared with cash bonuses. Investments can rise or fall in value, and some platforms require you to keep your deposit or reward invested for a set period before you can withdraw it.

If you're only interested in the bonus, make sure you understand exactly how much of your own money is required and how long it needs to remain invested.

👉 See the latest free share offers →

6. Get paid to complete online tasks

If you've worked through the easiest sign-up bonuses, get-paid-to sites can provide another source of extra money.

These platforms are paid by advertisers to find new customers or people willing to complete particular activities. They then share some of that money with you.

Tasks can include completing surveys, testing apps, playing games, signing up for trials and completing promotional offers.

The amount of effort required varies considerably, so it's worth concentrating on the better-paying tasks rather than trying to complete everything you see.

Some GPT platforms also offer welcome bonuses, giving you a useful head start before you've completed many tasks.

👉 See the latest get-paid-to offers →

7. Take advantage of pension bonuses

Pension offers aren't the quickest route to spendable cash, but they can be valuable if you're already looking to open or transfer a pension.

Some pension providers run promotions that reward new customers for opening an account, transferring an existing pension or being referred by another customer.

Instead of receiving money that you can immediately withdraw, the reward will generally be added to your pension or investment account.

That means these offers are better viewed as free money for your future rather than money for today.

Pensions and investments are long-term financial products, so don't choose a provider purely because of a promotional bonus. Check the fees, investment options and terms as well.

👉 See the latest pension offers →

8. Get paid to make money transfers

Money transfer companies sometimes offer bonuses or rewards to new customers.

These promotions generally require you to make a qualifying transfer before receiving the reward. There may be a minimum transfer amount, specific currencies or countries that qualify, and fees or exchange-rate costs to consider.

They're most useful when you already need to send or exchange money. If you're making a transfer purely to earn a bonus, check the total cost first to make sure the reward leaves you better off.

Some transfer promotions can offer sizeable rewards, so they're worth checking alongside more traditional sign-up bonuses.

👉 See the latest money transfer offers →

How much free money can you get?

There's no fixed amount because promotions constantly change.

Someone claiming a single sign-up bonus might only make £5 or £10, while combining bank switches, cashback, sign-up rewards and other promotions can be worth considerably more.

Rather than trying to complete everything at once, start with the easiest and highest-paying offers and work down from there.

We track the available promotions, requirements and rewards on our main Free Money page so you don't have to hunt around for them individually.

👉 Browse all current UK free money offers →

Is free money actually free?

Sometimes, yes — but "free money" doesn't necessarily mean you'll receive cash without doing anything.

Companies offer these incentives because acquiring a new customer has value to them. Instead of spending all of their marketing budget on advertising, some businesses give part of that money directly to new customers through sign-up bonuses, referral schemes and other promotions.

Some offers require no deposit or spending at all. Others require you to deposit money, make a purchase, switch an account or complete another qualifying action.

We always recommend looking at the requirements rather than just the headline reward.

What's the easiest way to get money for free?

Sign-up bonuses and no-deposit offers are generally among the simplest because they can require little more than creating and verifying an account.

Bank switching bonuses usually involve more work, but the rewards can be significantly higher. Cashback is particularly useful over the longer term because you can continue earning money back on purchases you were already making.

The best approach is to combine several strategies rather than relying on just one.

Our Free Money page brings the current offers together in one place, including the amount available, requirements and expected payout time, so you can decide which ones are worth completing.

Offers and eligibility requirements can change. Always check the latest terms before signing up. Some links on My Side Gig are referral or affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you use them at no additional cost to you. Investment and pension products can fall as well as rise in value and should not be chosen solely because of a promotional reward.