Can you withdraw money from a frozen account?

Has your UK bank account been frozen? There are lots of reasons why this may happen, but it can be quite alarming if it happens to you. It may mean you don’t have access to your money, and will need to take steps to get your account unfrozen.

In this article, we’ll run through what you can and can’t do with a frozen bank account - including whether you can withdraw money from one. We’ll also cover how to unfreeze an account, step-by-step.

Remember though that the info below doesn’t constitute financial advice. For this, it’s always recommended to consult a professional financial advisor.

Can you withdraw money from a frozen account?

No, you won’t be able to withdraw any money from a frozen account until it is unfrozen.

This will only happen when the reason for the freeze has been resolved.

Reasons why accounts can get frozen

There are lots of reasons why UK bank accounts can be frozen, such as:

• The bank spotting what looks like fraudulent or unusual activity on the account
• The account being used in a way that violates the provider’s terms and conditions (i.e. not being used for a long time, or being used for criminal activity)
• A creditor or debt collector has a court judgment against you
• There’s a dispute between two people named on a joint account.

It can sometimes even happen by mistake, even if you’ve done nothing wrong.

Steps to unfreeze a frozen account: What to do

If your account has been frozen, you’ll be without access to the funds in it - so you’ll need to try and get it unfrozen as quickly as possible.

Here are some steps you can try to unfreeze an account:¹

1. Contact the bank or account provider. Make sure you have account details and security verification information ready, so the bank can verify that you’re the account holder. They may then be able to tell you the reason the account has been frozen.
2. If the cause of the freeze isn’t too serious, you may be able to resolve it quickly. For example, by providing evidence that a transaction was made by you and wasn’t fraudulent, or making a small deposit if the reason for the freeze was inactivity on the account. Your bank will advise you on what steps to take.
3. For more serious situations, you’ll need to take further action - for example, clearing debt or resolving a legal situation.
4. After following all instructions from your bank, check back within the given timescale to see if the account has unfrozen.

What can you do while an account is frozen?

Depending on the bank or provider, you may still be able to do some things with a frozen account.

For example, you may be able to make deposits into the account, although it depends on the account and provider.

But you almost certainly won’t be able to do any of the following:

• Withdraw or transfer money
• Make purchases using a linked debit card
• Close the account.

What to do if your Wise account has been frozen

Has your Wise account been frozen? This may happen because Wise needs to close your account, possibly because use of the account goes against Wise’s Terms of Use and/or Acceptable Use Policy.

Read our help centre article for all the information you need to know, including what happens next and what you can do about it.

Send, spend and receive your money across borders, with Wise

After reading this, you should have a better idea of what you can and can’t do with a frozen bank account - and how to go about unfreezing it.

Looking to move on from your current bank account? Or perhaps you need a more convenient, cost-effective solution for managing your money in multiple currencies.

In either case, a Wise account could be the ideal alternative to a bank account.

Open a Wise account online and you’ll be able to send, receive, hold and convert between 40+ currencies - all in one place. Wise only ever charges low, transparent fees*, and you’re guaranteed the mid-market exchange rate whenever you convert currency.

You can even get a Wise card for spending in 40+ currencies all over the world, and earn returns on balances in GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest. Capital at risk.

Capital at risk. Growth not guaranteed. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority with registration number 839689. When facilitating access to Wise investment products, Wise Payments Ltd acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Wise Assets UK Ltd. Please be aware that we do not offer investment advice, and you may be liable for taxes on any earnings. If you’re uncertain, we urge you to seek professional advice. To find out more about the Funds, visit our website.

Sources used:

1. Statrys - how to unfreeze an account

Sources last checked on date: 10-Mar-2025