How to get a bank account - if you're unbanked - basic bank accounts

Kaos_2

KimYeovil wrote: »

What sort of person does not possess a passport? Surely every grown adult has one.

Wow, how blinkered you are!!!
Both mine and my partner's passports expired last July. We haven't travelled abroad for 10 years and can't afford to. Have you seen how much it costs to renew passports? We simply cannot afford to pay for 2 new passports just to use them as ID!!!!
We do not intend to EVER renew our passports at this time, so please think a little more carefully before you make such a sweeping comment!

Blackadder1_2

The Credit Union current account, known as CUCA, is an ideal for anyone with bad credit, or has been made bankrupt. I have been told they will only turn you down if you have been done for fraud.

They take a whole variety of ID, including Tax Coding, Utility Bills and Benefit letters.

The account has minimal charges in comparison to High Street banks, and you can set up direct debits/standing orders, and you can have full use of a VISA debit card.

usedandabused

alliballi wrote: »

I asked for a basic bank acc with Abbey, and as I have an account with them already and it is not with collections, they refused me and gave me an account with £700 O/D, I only wanted basic account to pay my bills in online, so will just have to be careful with new acc, seemingly as you are all saying it is illegal to refuse a basic bank account to someone is that right or have I misunderstood??

Actually NO, abbey and nationwide and many other banks offer basic accounts but only if you do not have any other account with that institution.

usedandabused

Kaos wrote: »

My partner went bankrupt 5 years ago and we tried all the major high street banks at the time asking for a basic bank acount and none would even consider the idea. We've got used to using my bank account for everything but finally, we have a friend who began working at a major bank who decided to get it sorted. She applied for a normal bank account for him, which was rejected. She then applied for the basic account and it was still rejected! This is a whole 5 years after going bankrupt (and 4 years after being discharged). Luckily our friend in the bank appealed the decision for us and finally he has a basic account but if our friend hadn't worked there it would be a very different story.

your friend should not have applied for a normal account, she should have applied straight for a basic account for your partner.

the Co-op and Barclays are the two banks i know that are bankrupt friendly, and offer a visa debit on their basic bank accounts.

paulasx

Kaos wrote: »

My partner went bankrupt 5 years ago and we tried all the major high street banks at the time asking for a basic bank acount and none would even consider the idea. We've got used to using my bank account for everything but finally, we have a friend who began working at a major bank who decided to get it sorted. She applied for a normal bank account for him, which was rejected. She then applied for the basic account and it was still rejected! This is a whole 5 years after going bankrupt (and 4 years after being discharged). Luckily our friend in the bank appealed the decision for us and finally he has a basic account but if our friend hadn't worked there it would be a very different story.

when i was turned down by barclays i asked if there was any way i could appeal and i got told there wasnt and the advisor wouldnt even give me the number or address of the 'credit risk' team; although when i asked why i was referred to a credit risk team for a basic account, he said they werent actually credit risk, just advisors who say yay or nay!
maybe i need to make friends with a bank worker!!

paulasx

Blackadder1 wrote: »

The Credit Union current account, known as CUCA, is an ideal for anyone with bad credit, or has been made bankrupt. I have been told they will only turn you down if you have been done for fraud.

They take a whole variety of ID, including Tax Coding, Utility Bills and Benefit letters.

The account has minimal charges in comparison to High Street banks, and you can set up direct debits/standing orders, and you can have full use of a VISA debit card.

I have looked at this but it seems to only be available in certain areas. does anyone know if you can apply if you dont live in the area? or if there are any running in the county durham area?
thanks

aji666

My experience with Barclays North Shields branch

2 months ago I received a job offer to start on 6th of April so I thought I should open a bank account in readiness (not having had one since being removed from the joint account I had with ex partner)
After reading good things about the Barclays cash card account I visited the North Shields branch and was given an appointment for the following week and advised what I.D. I should bring, I asked what the likelihood was that that id be declined for this account and told by an advisor that there was NO CHANCE id be turned down.
I attended the appointment and filled in the form with the advisor (and resisted the attempt to sell me home contents insurance) this I was told would be sent off and within ten days I would have card and pin,
2 weeks later I received my form back in the post with a letter stating the advisor had not put their employee number on my I.D. copies. I immediately returned it to the branch and saw another advisor could not locate the original person who filled in my form so he recopied my I.D. and put his own employee number on and promised to send it off again, I asked if because of the 2 week wait so far he would open this in branch but he informed me that he had no choice but to send it off but not to worry as now the error had been corrected I WOULD have card and pin in a week or so.
Forward on 3 weeks I had not heard anything so went into the North Shields branch yet again to enquire and was given the number 0800 015 4996 to call and check the status of my application which I did as soon as I returned home I was unable to get as far as my call being answered due to being kept on hold so long that it used the entire £15 in credit I had on my pay as you go mobile phone.
A few days later I returned to the North Shields branch to again attempt to speak to someone, after waiting quite some time I was able to do this, I was told that now cash card accounts were opened in branch and that an appointment could be made a week from then. I was told this would all be dealt with on the day and I would be there around 30 minutes and I would leave with account number and sort code after that appointment.
I attended this appointment (30th March) and was there close to an hour during which time I answered pointless questions such as my hobbies and my goals in life, also had attempts to sell me contents insurance and savings accounts. At the end of the appointment I was told my application was being referred and the decision would be 48 hours to come back
48 Hours will be Thursday and the advisor has promised to check and contact me immediately, if he does not contact me or I am refused this will stop me gaining employment as my employer needs my account details on day 1 as part of induction.
I now have 1 day to source an account in the hope I get something in case Barclays turn me down.
I have been constantly told by Barclay’s staff that I would not be turned down for this account and that it would be opened quickly, this is causing extreme distress as it is possibly going to ruin my chances of employment after 6 months of unemployment
As an unemployed person I cannot afford the £15 on a wasted phone call and over £20 in petrol costs I have spent so far in going back and forward to the branch to attempt to open an account

Are Staff in the North Shields branch lying to my or are they misinformed?

Blackadder1_2

paulasx wrote: »

I have looked at this but it seems to only be available in certain areas. does anyone know if you can apply if you dont live in the area? or if there are any running in the county durham area?
thanks

If you look at the website abcul.org it tells you of Credit Unions in your area. There are several in Co Durham.

kati_3

Hi everyone,
my credit score is quite bad, I currently bank with HBOS who have been awful with me and have been the main cause for my finances being in a mess, anyway I want to close my account with them and didn't think I'd get anywhere with an alternative basic account. I've just opened a STEP account with Natwest and it all went smoothly, it took about 15minutes to apply online and everything was up and running within a week, I had to sign some forms but didn't have to enclose any I.D! In the past I've had a nightmare trying to open a basic account, maybe things have changed recently in regards to the new government guidelines? Just thought this info may be of use to some of you, good luck and tell me how you get on

josek

I got a Natwest step account very easily. I did all this online. I would class myself as having a poor credit rating