first direct Wins Best Overall Provider in the MoneySupermarket 'Supers' Awards

LONDON, January 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

MoneySupermarket recognises the best banks and building societies in 2012

MoneySupermarket, the UK's number one comparison website, today announced the winners of the 2012 'Supers' awards. The 'Supers' award the financial services companies that have provided the very best products and services in the last year - as judged by MoneySupermarket customers and leading independent experts. Times are tough for people in the UK and having access to great products to help them save and manage their money is increasingly important.

The winners of the 2012 'Supers' awards are as follows:

Best Current Account Provider  - first direct

Shortlisted - The Co-operative Bank, first direct, Santander

Best Savings Account Provider - Santander

Shortlisted - Halifax, ING Direct, Post Office, Santander

Best Mortgage Provider - HSBC

Shortlisted - Chelsea BS, first direct, HSBC, NatWest

Best Credit Card Provider - Barclaycard

Shortlisted - Barclaycard, Halifax, Tesco Bank

Best Loans Provider - Sainsbury's Bank

Shortlisted - Derbyshire BS, Sainsbury's Bank, Tesco

Product Innovation Award - Santander 123 Current Account

Shortlisted - Santander 123 Current Account, Santander 123 Credit

Card, Nationwide BS for 'Savings Watch'

Best Overall Provider - first direct

Highly commended - Santander

Kevin Mountford, head of banking at MoneySupermarket, said:

"The MoneySupermarket 'Supers' awards recognise those brands that have stood out from the pack during 2012. Despite on-going challenges for the industry as a whole, we have seen many banks and building societies continue to offer a range of competitive deals for consumers. More importantly, feedback from our customers, who purchase and use these products on a daily basis, was vitally important and we have taken their feedback on board in deciding the winners.

"For the second year running, first direct has taken the crown for the 'Best Overall Provider' award, being recognised by both its customers and our judges for the lead position it holds in the market. Once again, first defect's customer service was ahead of its rivals, scoring consistently across all of its main product areas."

first direct provides both telephone banking and online banking services to its 1.2m customers. It offers a full range of personal banking products including its award winning Current Account and offset mortgages.

For more information contact:
Susannah Clark / Paul Lawler
MoneySupermarket
+44(0)7834-525961 / +44(0)787-237-9545
Susannah.clark@moneysupermarket.com / paul.lawler@moneysupermarket.com

For further information contact Rebecca Hirst on +44(0)113-276-6899, rebecca.hirst@firstdirect.com or Louise Weaver / Hugh Murphy at The Wriglesworth Consultancy on +44(0)20-7427-1400, l.weaver@wriglesworth.com / h.murphy@wriglesworth.com