Barclays !!!!!!??

benoit

I applied online for a current account and they asked me to take ID into my local branch. I know i will be in a minority here but Barclays bank looked at me like i just stepped off a flying saucer when i said i didn't have any kind of photographic ID.

Is it really that weird for a UK citizen who doesn't ever go abroad not to have a passport? Or for someone who doesn't drive not to have a driving license?

I know i am in the minority but lots of people don't have passports or a driving license. They wont let me activate the account i was approved for online because i don't have any photographic ID, which kind of makes the assumption that every person in the uk MUST have photo ID & you can't have a bank account at Barclays without it - even though i have a Barclaycard i can't have a Barclays bank account.

According to my local branch nobody can have a bank account at Barclays unless they have photo ID, which basically excludes everyone who doesn't. I have never been unable to open an account at any bank just because i had no photo ID, they always allowed other kinds of ID to be used. Why do they need a picture anyway? Does the manager want to perve at me in his Y fronts or something?

Fortunately I'm not that desperate for an account with them that i am going to go out & get a passport or driving license that i'm never going to use anyway, just because Barclays seem to think the entire UK populace MUST have photo ID.

!!!!!! basically.

Spuddle

Weird!!

I have no ID apart from birth certificate.
Any time ive told someone this, i get the !!!!!! "well why not go and get a provisional licence or a passport then"

Oh, sorry, but why the hell should i? i dont want a damn licence or a passport and no way in hell am i forking out for one!


Weird enough, when i withdrew a large sum of money at a barclays bank in london, i took in my horses passport [not even a proof of ID! no photos, signature or anything] but because it had my name and address in, they accepted it no problem [although with a few funny looks lol]

I guess if you really need an id, there is a place online that does official ID cards for £10

opinions4u

Try referring them to their own web site.

Identification documents required: Barclays Bank Account, Current Account Plus, Additions Active and Premier Bank Account
To open an account we need confirmation of who you are and where you live, according to government regulations. We need two original documents (not photocopies) from the lists below.




To confirm who you are, we need one of the following:

• Full UK passport.
• Full foreign passport.
• Passport in old name (must have supporting document regarding change of name, eg marriage certificate, Decree Nisi with birth certificate or Deed Poll document).
• UK driving licence: Paper version - full licence only. Photocard version - full and provisional.
• Blue Disabled driver's pass (must be current).
• European Union member state identity card.
• Firearms licence (must be current).
• Police warrant card.
• UK Armed Forces ID card.
• If you are applying for an ISA account we require your National Insurance number also.

To confirm where you live, we need one of the following:

• UK driving licence with current address: Paper version - full licence only. Photocard version - full and provisional. (Cannot be used if it has already been used for ID).
• European Union member state identity card (if not used as ID).
• UK bank statement - no older than three months (Internet statements are not acceptable).
• UK credit card statement - no older than three months (Internet statements are not acceptable).
• UK mortgage statement - no older than 12 months (Internet statements are not acceptable).
• Foreign bank statement.
• Gas, water, electric, cable TV or landline phone bill (less than three months old). Mobile phone bills are not acceptable.
• Local authority council tax bill (current financial year).
• Council rent book (must be current).
• Household or motor insurance certificate (no older than 12 months).

They will also have some sort of discretion to accept other documents as the web page goes on to state:

If you have any questions about the documents you need including other options available, please speak to a Personal Banker at any branch.

Halifax have a slightly different list of ID requirments.

A shotgun certificate is good enough there. Wonder how they'd react if you took the gun in?

wontfallforit

benoit wrote: »

I applied online for a current account and they asked me to take ID into my local branch. I know i will be in a minority here but Barclays bank looked at me like i just stepped off a flying saucer when i said i didn't have any kind of photographic ID.

Is it really that weird for a UK citizen who doesn't ever go abroad not to have a passport? Or for someone who doesn't drive not to have a driving license?

I know i am in the minority but lots of people don't have passports or a driving license. They wont let me activate the account i was approved for online because i don't have any photographic ID, which kind of makes the assumption that every person in the uk MUST have photo ID & you can't have a bank account at Barclays without it - even though i have a Barclaycard i can't have a Barclays bank account.

According to my local branch nobody can have a bank account at Barclays unless they have photo ID, which basically excludes everyone who doesn't. I have never been unable to open an account at any bank just because i had no photo ID, they always allowed other kinds of ID to be used. Why do they need a picture anyway? Does the manager want to perve at me in his Y fronts or something?

Fortunately I'm not that desperate for an account with them that i am going to go out & get a passport or driving license that i'm never going to use anyway, just because Barclays seem to think the entire UK populace MUST have photo ID.

!!!!!! basically.

I'm surprised that any bank has allowed you to open an account (as an adult) without photo ID. Customers must be identified to satisfy rules and regulations regarding fraud, money laundering, terrorism, etc. Barclays - and any other bank you are new to - don't know you from Adam, and need to check you are who you say you are.

Might be worth you applying for a provisional driving licence or a passport, for some proof of ID in the future. I realise that this isn't entirely convenient - and it obviously comes at a cost - but institutions where you can prove your identity without photo ID are becoming few and far between in this day and age. The driving licence is the cheapest option.

My guess is that any bank with whom you don't already have an existing relationship (current accounts, rather than credit cards) would react in the same way if you walked in tomorrow and attempted to open a current account.

benoit

wontfallforit wrote: »

I'm surprised that any bank has allowed you to open an account (as an adult) without photo ID. Customers must be identified to satisfy rules and regulations regarding fraud, money laundering, terrorism, etc. Barclays - and any other bank you are new to - don't know you from Adam, and need to check you are who you say you are.

Might be worth you applying for a provisional driving licence or a passport, for some proof of ID in the future. I realise that this isn't entirely convenient - and it obviously comes at a cost - but institutions where you can prove your identity without photo ID are becoming few and far between in this day and age. The driving licence is the cheapest option.

My guess is that any bank with whom you don't already have an existing relationship (current accounts, rather than credit cards) would react in the same way if you walked in tomorrow and attempted to open a current account.

My guess is you are wrong. In the last 6 months i have been accepted for current accounts at Halifax, RBS, Loyds TSB, Nationwide, and Co-Op all without any photo ID whatsoever. That's what is so strange about it - they were all willing to accept other forms of ID and don't refuse point blank to let you have an account unless you have photo ID.

Barclays seem to have made the assumption that every single person in the UK has photo ID, which in essence discriminates against quite a lot of people who don't have photo ID. Like i said, i realise i am in a minority but so are many people.

seeya23

apply for a Cash Card Accounts



Identification documents required Cash Card Accounts
To open an account we need confirmation of who you are and where you live. We need two original documents (not photocopies) from the lists below.
To confirm who you are, we need one of the following:

• Full passport.
• European Union member state Identity Card.
• UK Photocard driving licence or UK full paper driving licence.
• Benefit books/benefit entitlement letters; includes pension, Child Benefit, income support, disability and Job Seeker's Allowance.

To confirm where you live, we need one of the following:

• UK Photocard driving licence or UK full paper driving licence with current address (if not used as identification).
• Gas bill (less than three months old).
• Water bill (less than three months old).
• Telephone bill for a fixed line (less than three months old), not a mobile phone bill.
• Local authority council tax bill (current financial year).
• Bank statement (less than three months old) from another bank (Internet statements are not acceptable).
• Mortgage statement that's less than 12 months old (Internet statements are not acceptable).
• Council rent book (must be current).
• HM Revenue & Customs notice of tax coding (current tax year).

You can't use the same item twice. For joint accounts, we'll need this identification from both of you.

http://www.personal.barclays.co.uk/BRC1/jsp/brccontrol?site=pfs&task=homefreegroup&value=12866

benoit

Spuddle wrote: »

Weird!!

I have no ID apart from birth certificate.
Any time ive told someone this, i get the !!!!!! "well why not go and get a provisional licence or a passport then"

Oh, sorry, but why the hell should i? i dont want a damn licence or a passport and no way in hell am i forking out for one!


Weird enough, when i withdrew a large sum of money at a barclays bank in london, i took in my horses passport [not even a proof of ID! no photos, signature or anything] but because it had my name and address in, they accepted it no problem [although with a few funny looks lol]

I guess if you really need an id, there is a place online that does official ID cards for £10

That's the way i see it. I know we live in different times & all that but it does appear that Barclays are cherry picking & if they honestly think i am going to take a driving test (when i am never going to get a car) of buy a passport (when i am never going to travel) just for a crappy basic current account then they can go and swivvle. LOL

benoit

seeya23 wrote: »

apply for a Cash Card Accounts



Identification documents required Cash Card Accounts
To open an account we need confirmation of who you are and where you live. We need two original documents (not photocopies) from the lists below.
To confirm who you are, we need one of the following:

• Full passport.
• European Union member state Identity Card.
• UK Photocard driving licence or UK full paper driving licence.
• Benefit books/benefit entitlement letters; includes pension, Child Benefit, income support, disability and Job Seeker's Allowance.

To confirm where you live, we need one of the following:

• UK Photocard driving licence or UK full paper driving licence with current address (if not used as identification).
• Gas bill (less than three months old).
• Water bill (less than three months old).
• Telephone bill for a fixed line (less than three months old), not a mobile phone bill.
• Local authority council tax bill (current financial year).
• Bank statement (less than three months old) from another bank (Internet statements are not acceptable).
• Mortgage statement that's less than 12 months old (Internet statements are not acceptable).
• Council rent book (must be current).
• HM Revenue & Customs notice of tax coding (current tax year).

You can't use the same item twice. For joint accounts, we'll need this identification from both of you.

Top man/woman/person delete as applicable (providing you have photo ID PMSL) :rotfl:

That was the one i thought i applied for, obviously not.

SarahMoon

You can get a driving license without a test, its just a provisional license.

wontfallforit

benoit wrote: »

My guess is you are wrong. In the last 6 months i have been accepted for current accounts at Halifax, RBS, Loyds TSB, Nationwide, and Co-Op all without any photo ID whatsoever. That's what is so strange about it - they were all willing to accept other forms of ID and don't refuse point blank to let you have an account unless you have photo ID.

Why, if you don't mind my asking, have you attempted to open CAs with 5 different banks in the last 6 months?

Even if you haven't actually opened the accounts, you've got as far as the application stage. Strange But hey, it's your money. Don't forget that CAs form part of your credit file, even if they come without overdraft/other credit facilities...

Barclays seem to have made the assumption that every single person in the UK has photo ID, which in essence discriminates against quite a lot of people who don't have photo ID. Like i said, i realise i am in a minority but so are many people.

I understand what you're saying and can see why it'd be inconvenient/frustrating for you, but, I wouldn't call it "discrimination". There's nothing stopping you from a) obtaining photo ID (albeit at a cost), or b) simply not banking with Barclays. There's plenty of other choice, as you've indicated above. You're not missing out on anything by being 'denied' a CA with Barclays.

I'd sooner bank with an institution that rigorously checks the ID of its prospective customers, even if that means unfortunately turning some people away. And as it happens, I do bank with Barclays, but I bank elsewhere also. Perhaps I've become so accustommed to showing my passport in all of my banks' branches that I don't even think about it anymore (even with HSBC, with whom I've banked with for quite some time, I'm still regularly asked to present ID at the counter, when withdrawing money, asking for balances, etc.)

benoit

SarahMoon wrote: »

You can get a driving license without a test, its just a provisional license.

You need a full driving license. They will accept a provisional if you are under 18.