cashing cheques

one_f_in_mansfield

i recently started work again and i am being paid by cheque.i have been to a couple of banks but i am unable to open a bank account due to a bad financial history.i am therefore having to cash my pay-cheque at a money lenders and i am losing 5% of my wages.can anybody suggest any bank which would let me open a bank account. i want none of the banks facilities at present i would just like to pay in my wages.

jonesMUFCforever

Most banks will open a basic account for you providing you provide Identification and Address confirmation.
Please note some banks will do their utmost not to open an account for you as they believe them to be a waste of time.
Do you not have any old accounts at any bank which you could reactivate?
Eric

nh

I think the post office do a basic account - so people with bad credit histories can get their benefits paid direct.

deedee_3

The Halifax do a good basic bank account. It gives you an electron card and you can ban on line. We had a bad credit history and they were happy to open an account for us.

Jen_Jen_5

the PO account is only for direct payment of benefits, you cant have other money paid into it.

The Co-op seem to take their responsibilties seriously and arnt too difficult to open a basic account go to their website and there should be a tel. no

all banks should have them available, but as prev. post states they try to dissuade you as they cant make money from you.

Jonni2bad

We opened a basic account with HSBC about 10 months ago. I've been quite impressed with the facility, in terms of having online-banking facilities, being able to pay by Direct Debit or Standing Orders, and there is NO CHARGE for failures to pay. You also get up to £10 in an interest free overdraft, meaning you can always withdraw the last few pounds in your account if things are very tight!

Actually reverting to one of these accounts has saved us no end of money. We pay for most things in cash, which means you see the money in your pocket and know everything you spend money on, more so than when you simply flash a debit card.

Good luck!!

Walletwatch

Both Abbey and Halifax have account variants that do not require too much by way of a credit check, but still offer you a Visa electron card to access your money

iceburn

As someone already posted the POCA (Post Office Card Account) is only for benefits. Can't the employer write the cheque to a different person? (not sure if that is legal or not but I know some do it.) How about open a saving account? For example the Alliance and Leciester easy saver account. Can put the cheque at Post Office and A&L as well. Or other saving account. Also Nationwide flexaccount (The red one) is quite easy to open. But lastly do you have any family member who have a good relationship with a bank? Since they could speak to the bank manager of their branch and sometimes that can help.

louise1234_2

Lots of banks offer basic bank accounts. It is a govt initiative to try and make basic banking facilties available to all.

You could open a savings account with a cash card, which would not be credit checked (as no way of going o/d). This would allow you to pay in chq and take cash out at ATM.

How bad is your credit history?? If you are bankrupt or under an IVA it will be difficult, but if we are talking about defaults, & arrears it should not be much of a problem.

starlite_2

i was working at a restaurant who paid by cheque and i too had no bank account at the time. speak to your employer as they can often open you an account with their bank for the purposes of your wages going in. i also know some employers have a business bank account with immediate cheque cshing facilities for employees, i did this for a while, just took my cheque , payslip, i.d and a letter from the company into the branch and they gave me the cash. speak to someone at work to see if any of these are options for you.