Barclays customers urged to note 8 words in the fine print for £900 payments

Barclays customers have been urged to act sooner rather than later if they want to cash in on a bonus offer. The bank is currently offering a range of payments worth up to £900 if you switch to them.

Customers can bag up a one-off switch payment for £200 when moving over to a Barclays Bank Account or £400 when switching to a Premier Current Account. On top of this, you can also get up to £500 if you move over your ISA savings to Barclays.

You need to apply for a full switch by November 27 to secure the bonus cash for switching your current account, and you'll need to request you ISA transfer by November 28 to get the extra funds.

There may still be several weeks left to secure the bonus cash, but people tempted by the offer have been encouraged to act now as the deadline dates may change. Aaron Peake, personal finance expert at credit score service CredAbility, said: "It's a good time to get moving rather than leaving it until the last minute. Many people make the mistake of waiting until the final week, but that can backfire."

He said there is a risk Barclays could close the offer early if it proves to be hugely popular. Mr Peake said: "We've seen this happen before with other switch deals when too many people apply at once.

"Acting early gives you the best chance to lock in the bonus without any last-minute stress or disappointment." The terms and conditions for the current account switch offer include a warning about this.

The rules state that if a situation beyond the control of Barclays happens "we may withdraw, amend or replace this offer". Mr Peake also encouraged people to think about how they will use the extra funds.

How to best use the Barclays bonus cash

He explained: "It can be tempting to treat it as free money, but using it smartly can make a real difference. For example, you could put it straight into an emergency savings pot to build a small safety net.

"A lot of people in the UK don't have even £100 set aside for unexpected costs, so a switch bonus can give you a great head start."

He said another good option is to spend the cash on paying off any credit card balance or overdraft you have. The finance expert said: "Reducing your debt can save you money in interest and can help improve your credit score too, especially if it brings down your overall credit utilisation.

"If you're already on top of your bills, you could consider using it to cover the extra heating costs that come with winter or even put it towards Christmas shopping to take the edge off seasonal spending."