Are we compatible?
Before you apply, it’s worth checking if you're eligible for an account.
At Mettle, we’d like to offer an account to as many businesses as possible. But unfortunately, there are some business activities and industries we can’t support.
Key eligibility criteria
Your business must be registered and trading in the UK
You’ll need to be a UK resident
You’ll need a UK phone number
You’ll need an iOS or Android device to open and manage the account. For Apple devices, you’ll need to be on iOS 13 or later and for Android you’ll need to be on 7.0 or later
Your main account balance is up to £1 million for both limited companies and sole traders
You and any other person of significant control (PSC) have to be 18 or over to open an account
You’ll need to be a UK tax resident only
You only pay tax in the UK
Sole traders
A sole trader is someone who is self-employed and the sole owner of their business. They pay tax on business profits, via a self-assessment tax return.
We support most sole traders (depending on business activities) apart from partnerships where multiple sole traders are working together.
Limited companies
Limited companies are registered with Companies House, and will have at least one director. Here are a few requirements for limited companies:
Only one owner can access the account
There needs to be at least one person of significant control (PSC) listed for your company
The person opening the account must be a director and a PSC
There can't be more than two PSCs, and all PSCs must be individuals
Your limited company must be in an ‘active’ state on Companies House
Business types we don’t support
Here are some examples:
Public limited companies (PLC)
Private company limited by guarantee without share capital
Private Fund Limited Partnerships (PFLP)
Unlimited companies (Unltd)
Limited liability partnerships (LLP)
Community interest companies (CIC)
Industrial and provident societies (IPS)
Royal charters (RC)
Charities (registered or unregistered)
Non-profit organisations
Clubs or societies
Trusts
Business activities we don’t support
Here are some example activities and industries that we currently don’t support:
Alcohol and tobacco manufacturing
Adult entertainment or services
Distilleries
Armaments and defence
Gambling
Pharmaceutical companies
Some manufacturers (including manufacturers of rubber products, manufacturers of medical, dental or veterinary equipment, and others)
Embassies and consulates
Trust and company service providers – eg involvement in the formation of other companies
Money Service Businesses (MSB) – eg foreign exchange
Virtual currency or cryptocurrency
Freight shipping
Not quite what you’re looking for?
Check out NatWest’s range of business accounts to see if there’s a good fit.