When you apply for the account they offer you their switching service which transfers all your direct debits, standing orders and bank credits, if you don't accept this, tell them your salary then honour your agreement to credit the account with £500 each month things should be ok. I did use their switching service however and it was fine. They even sent me a letter to sign and send to my old bank to close my old account should I wish, although I didn't as I'd rather have my new account for 3 years first since it's benificial for credit applications to have a longterm bank account.

I think for an Abbey one it is 500 minimum for them to offer you a full bank account as they call it (Visa, not just electron, and a check book and guarantee card). On the options when you open the A/C they ask you if you intend to use it as a secondary account, whether its just for bills, eases your other account, if its for Ebay or something like accepting rent from a tenant etc. You can state whatever you desire. Or you could just open the account as a normal account, tell them your income and salary and not mandate that it goes into the account which is another option with Abbey.

I've got a second current account with A&L to take advantage of this and just move £500 in and out each month. I've not been hassled to move DDs etc and I have no intention of doing so. So you should be OK to keep your existing account. I went for A&L as the funding each month was lower (I think the Abbey one is £1,000) and had a very easy account opening experience (but I had got existing savings accounts with them).

I am interested in the A&L or Abbey 6% savings accounts, however I am reasonably happy with my existing current acc. with another bank and prefer not to close that. I wondered whether they would accept me opening a secondary current acc. with them so that they do not need to process any standing orders etc. I can arrange a £500 payment into the current acc. each month and also whatever was needed to go into the savings acc.