What is a basic bank account

bigdec

What is a basic bank account and what is required to open itand which banks have them.

saubryn

A basic bank account is one that has just an ATM card, no debit card or overdraft facility. Anyone can open one, no matter how bad their credit rating, but you still need to provide all the usual ID bumph (I found that one out when my husband tried to open one - he had no passport, no other bank account, and all the bills were in my name at the time. What a hassle!)

I think most banks do them, but you aren't supposed to have any other accounts when you open one. My husband is with HSBC, but I've heard good things about the Co-Ops basic account. Natwest do one too, but I think they're useless and would stay away from them!

ReportInvestor

A&L
Barclays
Clydesdale / Yorkshire Bank
Co-op Bank
Coventry BS
Halifax
HSBC
Lloyds
Nationwide BS
NatWest / RBS
Norwich & Peterborough BS

ID = Driving License/passport plus utility bill).

The accounts won't offer a cheque guarantee card. Most don't offer a cheque book (except N&P BS). None allows an overdraft.

But you can get a cash card / standing orders and direct debits.

So basically you can't go overdrawn.

Toomuchdebt

Are there any banks that offer an account without having a utility bill?My bf doesn't have any bills in his name at all.The only thing he will have soon is a letter from DVLA with registration documents.His wages are going into a friend's account at the moment(didn't want them coming in mine in case I decide on bankruptcy after all).He isn't on the electoral roll either as he is from abroad.

bigdec

Can benefits be paid into a basic bank account

Toomuchdebt

bigdec wrote:

Can benefits be paid into a basic bank account

Yes-I get mine paid into my basic account

saubryn

Toomuchdebt - I think you may end up having the same problem we did. If he's over 18 then I don't think they take birth certificates. Marriage certificates aren't accepted either. They might accept a letter of entitlement from the benefit office if its less than three months old, but don't quote me on that.

My husband isn't on the electoral roll either.

In the end, the only bank that would open one for us was HSBC - we tried Alliance and Leister, Lloyds TSB and Natwest before them, and none of those would accept what little ID we had.

I would suggest trying HSBC - take every scrap of paper you can find that has his name on it, inlcuding payslips. Beg, plead and whimper at them and they might be willing to help - we had to get a managers discretion signature or something as technically it wasn't enough.

One thing - if he's from abroad, he'll have a passport won't he? That should be a big help.

Toomuchdebt

He does have a passport and a driving licence-he doesn't live in the same town as me and we're not married(yet)-his payslips have been coming to my address but he will change that to where he is at the moment-HSBC already refused him.He's not entitled to any benefits,so no help there.He's reantinga room from friends so not formal agreement either.He may be there less than 6 months you see so doesn't want to rent a more expensive one with a contract.He's just not got anything with an address and because he works through an agency he can't even get an employer's letter.