Banking that fits how your organisation is actually run.

A CIC limited by shares with one or two owners can generally apply — Mettle is built for sole traders and companies with up to two owners. A CIC limited by guarantee, or one with a larger board, usually won't fit Mettle's eligibility and needs a dedicated charity or business account.

Generally no. Mettle is designed for small businesses with one or two owners, not for charities governed by a board of trustees. Charities are better served by a specialist charity bank account — and we'll point you to the right options.

It depends on your structure. Smaller, company-style social enterprises can benefit from a free Mettle account that feeds FreeAgent. Charities and larger organisations usually need a charity or community account with multiple signatories and dual authorisation — we advise on the best fit for your governance.

Where a Mettle account fits, its transactions feed straight into FreeAgent, so your bookkeeping largely does itself. For other accounts, FreeAgent connects to most UK banks via open banking feeds.

Good financial controls — two people authorising payments — protect both your funds and your trustees personally. It's a governance expectation funders and regulators look for, and something we help you set up.

It's the bank account a treasurer runs on behalf of a club, community group, PTA, church, society or small charity. Some banks sell it as a named product (often alongside a community or charity account); what actually matters is that the account is in the organisation's name, lists more than one signatory, and gives the treasurer statements they can reconcile and report from.

Please don't. Money in a personal account is legally the individual's — exposed to their bankruptcy, divorce or death, and hard to separate at year-end. It also makes the treasurer's report, an independent examination and any funder audit far harder. Open an account in the organisation's name with at least two signatories instead.

No. Mettle is built for sole traders and companies with one or two owners, so it can suit a small company-style social enterprise or a one or two-owner CIC — but it is not designed for a trustee- or committee-governed charity, club or community group. Those need a proper charity or community account with multiple signatories.