Basic Bank Account Thread

book12

daveandjadea wrote: »

Can anyone tell me...

I applied for a basic bank account at Natwest but was denied due to 'bankruptcy' - I'm not bankrupt but I do have a debt relief order, either way for their basic bank account should I have been refused for this?

You have to at least have access to a basic bank account.
The job centre have actually told me that I need a bank account to be in receipt of benefits - as most employers pay employees into their bank account, not having a bank account set-up means you're not 'ready for work'. Thus you're breaking your job seekers agreement if you do not have a bank account, and in turn risk losing your benefits. Of course the job centre are hardly a reliable source of information, and you can appeal against such a decision, assuming you don't starve in the meantime.

Just try another bank. I recommend Barclays basic bank account.

beadgirl87

book12- thank you for your advice. I just want to be prepared when I go in and sort it out. I will look into what you have suggested.

boyle81

hi i am 29 and tryed to open a bank account with several banks in town with a provisional license as this is all the i.d i have now but none of the banks would accept this. any ideas on how to get around this and why dont they accept those as i.d

book12

boyle81 wrote: »

hi i am 29 and tryed to open a bank account with several banks in town with a provisional license as this is all the i.d i have now but none of the banks would accept this. any ideas on how to get around this and why dont they accept those as i.d

Which banks did you try?

Most banks should accept your kind of ID.

pmduk

Providing you are on the electoral register it is often a good idea to apply online as this sometimes avoids ID problems.

In addition, the useful Toynbee Hall guide on providing ID for an application can be downloaded from here

racheyd

Hi, need any advice.
I work full time but only earn £12,500 per year. I have been looking into moving banks but most are quoting this minimum £14,200 per year income!!. It seems they don't care that I also have £8K in savings to bring with me. I am currently with Lloyds and don't see the benefit of staying with them. Have banked with them for 11 years now!
All help welcomed.
Thanks

boyle81

book12 wrote: »

Which banks did you try?

Most banks should accept your kind of ID.

i tried

the royal bank of scotland
natwest
nationwide
barcleys

i cant got to halifax atm as i currently owe them money in there eyes :mad: for bank charges of over £200 which has been hanging over me for sometime now. i do not have an overdraft on my account there so dont see where these charges have come from. i am currently homeless and have been for over a year so cannot repay this dept they ask for at this time

i currently have a post office account for my job seekers to go into although this is no good when i get back into work as they do not allow wages to go into this account.

this is why i want a new account only for wages to go into for when i start work again and can start to sort this dept that i supposidly owe them

Himawari

Hi, I am wondering if anyone here could help me.

I am looking to open a basic bank account as my second bank account.

I am a UK permanent resident of non-EU origin and have been in the UK for 12 years. I am a full-time lone parent on benefits (no maintenance) and looking after a pre-school age child.

I have had a current (Addition Active) account with Barclays for 12 years. I was in Personal Reserve almost all the time between May 2009 and July 2010 and paid about £1300 as Reserve Usage Fee. I always paid the fee every month as required and never went over the Reserve limit. I successfully terminated the Personal Reserve arrangement at the beginning of August 2010. Because I had been in Personal Reserve constantly in the recent past, however, I do not think that Barclays will offer me a basic bank account. I have also been stuck in the £710 overdraft for a while although I have never gone over it.

Other negative factors are:

I am not eligible to be on the electoral roll.

I have maxed up a few sub-prime credit cards. Barclaycard Initial £550, Capital One £1100, Aqua £250 and Vanquis £1000. I have had Barclaycard and Capital One for 5 years; Aqua and Vanquis for 2 years. I have been keeping up with the monthly payment and payment protention plans but never paid in full.

I have been paying for utilities, mobile and landline phones, life insurance, contact lenses and TV licence on direct debit as well as current account fee and overdraft interest without fail.

The reason I would like to have a second bank account is that I would like to pay all my bills out of the account.

Would any banks offer me a basic bank account?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Himawari

Midget_In_A_Bikini

Any tips for me? I have no ID - no passport, no provisional licence, never receive mail, live with my parents so no bills... I'm 18 now and want a basic cash account. Is there anywhere that'll take me? Would prefer to apply online as I can't get out much.

Thanks for any help...

pmduk

Himawari, I'd try Barclays first, you aren't applying for any further credit with them, you may find they're sympathetic.