id for opening accounts problems

lemonjelly

Hi all,

I don't frequent this board as much as others, but do pop in...

I'm wondering if anyone can share advice regarding acceptable ID for opening a bank account? In particular, with reference to proving your address.

I work with people who generally have difficulty with this (women fleeing violence, or refugees granted leave to remain who are in NASS accommodation where all bill are in the company name, not the person). This means that such people don't have tenancy agreements, council tax bills or utility bills in their names.

Can anyone help with suggestions as to what they can provide?

NB letters from hospitals aren't being accepted currently.

Cheers in optimism!:)

p00hsticks

Some possibilities are either communications from HMRC (e.g. tax coding notices) or the DWP - for example letters concerning any benefits claimed. The former is especially useful as I believe it also qualifies as a Category A proof of ID for those of us who don't have passports or driving licences.

dzug1

lemonjelly wrote: »

Can anyone help with suggestions as to what they can provide?

NB letters from hospitals aren't being accepted currently.

Is that by every bank or just the one(s) you have tried?

I would have thought that someone sufficiently senior in the bank would have the discretion to accept it - if you can get to them.

lemonjelly

Thanks for the replies (the HMRC one is significantly noted...)

I'm asking on behalf of the people I work with & support. People in DV refuges or NASS accommodation tend not to have utility bills or similar available to take to a bank. Also, people fleeing DV will leave all their ID behind - generally they take what they are wearing & what is in their pockets...

Such people tend to be lower income or benefits claimants. My feeling is that the everyday staff are less inclined to use their discretion, as in my experience the banks are less interested in the business of basic bank accounts & similar.

If anyone else can help, all suggestions gratefully recieved.

If anyone is aware of banks/building socs with really good practise on these type of issues I'd also be grateful.

dzug1

Benefits can be paid into a Post Office Card account which does not require any ID to open - just a letter of invitation from the benefits office. They can be reluctant to issue such a letter (they are under pressure to persuade people to have bank accounts) but persistence pays.

No other facilities on the card - just cash at the PO and some ATMs.

lemonjelly

dzug1 wrote: »

Benefits can be paid into a Post Office Card account which does not require any ID to open - just a letter of invitation from the benefits office. They can be reluctant to issue such a letter (they are under pressure to persuade people to have bank accounts) but persistence pays.

No other facilities on the card - just cash at the PO and some ATMs.

So by obtaining such a letter from the Jobcentre the Post Office should in theory open an account?

dzug1

lemonjelly wrote: »

So by obtaining such a letter from the Jobcentre the Post Office should in theory open an account?

Not only in theory - in reality. The letter from the job centre is a specific request to the PO to open such an account for the applicant, not 'ID'.

There will be a form to fill in - possibly two - somewhere on which there will be a section on not having ID.

The PO send the forms off, a bit later the applicant gets a PIN in the post and a letter to take to the PO to pick up the card.

They then need to give the job centre the account details so they can start paying into it.

The only thing I would say is that the PO (or rather their processing agent) is VERY picky about the form being filled in EXACTLY right. No alterations, everything inside the boxes, right colour ink, etc