Paid by cheque but no bank account

Mojisola

ses6jwg wrote: »

Can he not just open a simple instant access savings account or a basic bank account with a normal high street bank?

I don't see why it's such a big deal and why you would need to resort to paying fees for cashing the cheque?

It doesn't matter if he has no photo ID.

A utility bill, council tax bill, coupled with a letter from the DWP about his pension/ winter fuel allowance or HMRC will often suffice, along with his bus pass.

Or even a paper based driving license if still in date?

I think it does. When my son wanted to open a bank account a couple of years ago, he had to get a passport because they insisted on photo ID.

cottager

Mojisola wrote: »

I think it does. When my son wanted to open a bank account a couple of years ago, he had to get a passport because they insisted on photo ID.

Which bank? I didn't have to at LTSB when opening a Classic+Vantage current a/c last year -- I've no passport and only an old-style driving licence, so nothing with a photo.

OP, I know the firm's told you already it must be a cheque, but it surely cannot be that they can't offer a way round this for someone in your FIL's situation. I think I'd be inclined to write to bring the circumstances to their attention, confirm what's already been told to you verbally, and say you've now exhausted all possibilities except for taking it to a cheque-cashing facility, but you feel it's unreasonable to expect your FIL to suffer possibly hefty/disproportionate fees to do this and thus not receive the full amount he's entitled to; then put the ball back in their court to come up with another solution.

Maybe the firm could send a suitably worded letter of authority or mandate for your FIL to sign and return, which would enable them to re-issue the cheque in the name of another party? (Or maybe you could nicely ask if they'd be prepared to stand the encashing fee!).

I think you could argue it's unreasonable to expect someone to go through the rigmarole of opening some sort of account specifically and only for banking a single one-off cheque.

If it's not resolved satisfactorily, write again to put it on a complaint footing?

Mojisola

cottager wrote: »

Which bank? I didn't have to at LTSB when opening a Classic+Vantage current a/c last year -- I've no passport and only an old-style driving licence, so nothing with a photo.

This was with LTSB. Even though we've had personal and business accounts with them for years and he produced his birth certificate, they wouldn't accept our word as to his identity.

Recently I was added as a signatory to my parents' account at another bank and they also insisted on seeing my passport as I only have the paper driving licence.

lawrie28

If you go into a bank, then the anti money laundering proceure is to generally ask for passport etc. HOwever, if he is applying for a basic bank account ONLINE, (so set him up with an email address etc, even if only you ever access it) or over the phone, then he should not need to supply ID as they will do electroinc checks to confirm identity.

Can he open an account with the post office to put the cheque into, as he already holds an account with them, so they know who he is?

cottager

Mojisola wrote: »

This was with LTSB. Even though we've had personal and business accounts with them for years and he produced his birth certificate, they wouldn't accept our word as to his identity.

Recently I was added as a signatory to my parents' account at another bank and they also insisted on seeing my passport as I only have the paper driving licence.

[Off-topic]
Worrying. I applied in branch and the paper licence was fine.

ID's become a real hassle over recent years, when requirements don't seem to be standardised over all institutions: they can have slightly different lists of acceptable ID, or a difference of interpretation -- one suspects not always accurate -- of the regulations in their procedures (even within the same bank, it now seems!).

Setting aside any other issues about it, the scrapped national ID card would have been ideal as a universally accepted means of ID over all types of institutions and for many purposes. Personally I had no objection to it apart from the cost, and database security was a must obviously. I think it's unreasonable to expect/oblige anyone to buy a passport if they never anticipate travelling, or be forced to upgrade their paper licence for no other reason, when it's acceptable to the police and in law for its intended purpose.

ses6jwg

Whoever is telling you that you NEED photo ID to open an account is either very thick or very lazy.

Plenty of banks will open accounts without photo ID but you need to provide a suitable replacement such as a letter from the DWP, and a utility bill.

Santander certainly do not need photo ID to open an account.

If he is on the voter's roll and he is verified electronically his bus pass alone will suffice

izools

The last bank account I opened required no ID whatsoever. I applied online for my HSBC Green Current Account, and a week later recieved a letter with my sort code and account number asking for a specimen signiature. Returned, and the following week my card / chequebook / bumpf arrived