Savers are being advised to take advantage of bumper bonuses on easy-access accounts to beat rock-bottom interest rates.

Research from Moneyfacts, the financial data firm, reveals that seven of the top ten easy-access accounts now offer “significant” introductory bonuses which make up most of the rate on the account.

For example, Alliance & Leicester’s Online Saver Issue 5 has an overall rate of 3.15% and a bonus of 2.65%.

Two years ago, the biggest bonus on offer was just 1% from Scarborough building society, which offered an overall rate of 6.3%.

Rates generally plummet once a bonus period ends. The rate on the Alliance & Leicester account will drop to as low as 0.5% in 12 months time.

Advisers historically cautioned savers against taking up bonuses. Moneyfacts, for example, does not feature accounts on its website that have a bonus of more than 1%.

Michelle Slade at Moneyfacts said: “Bonuses provide short-term gains. However, if savers neglect to move their money when the bonus ends, they may find themselves left with an account paying an uncompetitive rate.

“Savings providers that offer the top bonuses will inevitably recoup that money at a later stage — so you have to be vigilant when depositing your hard-earned cash in these accounts.”

However, David Black of Defaqto, another financial data firm, pointed out that bonuses could help boost returns while interest rates are on hold.

Next week, the Bank of England is widely expected to leave interest rates at 0.5%, the fifth month in a row without change after rates fell 4.5% from October to March.

Black said: “Bonuses tend to be the best way to get a decent rate of return these days. Savers would be shooting themselves in the foot if they avoided them altogether.”

Savers should be aware, though, that introductory bonus rates are not always “fixed”.

Of the best-buy accounts with bonuses, Abbey’s Instant Access Saver Issue 3 at 2.5%, Bradford & Bingley’s Instant Access Saver Issue 3, also at 2.5%, and Britannia building society’s Easy Saver at 1.12% are “variable” and can be reduced at any time.

Slade said: “Many of the top deals that have launched since Bank rate began to fall now come with catches — an increasing number of savings accounts restrict the number of withdrawals that can be made.”

Figures from the Bank of England published last week showed that the average rate paid on easy-access accounts was just 0.16% in June — unchanged since April. The average notice account was 0.23% for the second month in a row.

The figures do not include internet accounts — according to Moneyfacts the average internet easy-access account has fallen from 5.2% two years ago to 1.04% now.