Basic Bank Account with Barclays

stokelady

I have a poor credit rating and have struggled to get a standard current account.

I have recently been accepted by Barclays Bank for a basic account. The debit card seems great, I can pay at the pump (which most other electron/visa cards dont) I was wondering if this is classed as a full basic visa debit card?

Also does anyone have any experience with barclays basic accounts - if you conduct your account well are they likely to offer an upgrade, or will this not be the case until my credit rating drastically improves?

Thanks in advance

dr_adidas01

stokelady wrote: »

I have a poor credit rating and have struggled to get a standard current account.

I have recently been accepted by Barclays Bank for a basic account. The debit card seems great, I can pay at the pump (which most other electron/visa cards dont) I was wondering if this is classed as a full basic visa debit card?

Also does anyone have any experience with barclays basic accounts - if you conduct your account well are they likely to offer an upgrade, or will this not be the case until my credit rating drastically improves?

Thanks in advance

Its a debit card that checks to see if you have funds available before authorising a payment if you don't then it will decline the payment, hence why its called an online or electronic card as you know it. What do you mean by a full basic visa debit card?

I don't know if they do upgrade basic accounts i've not heard anyone on this forum mention they have had a barclays cash card account upgraded to a full current account.

stclair

dr_adidas01 wrote: »

Its a debit card that checks to see if you have funds available before authorising a payment if you don't then it will decline the payment, hence why its called an online or electronic card as you know it. What do you mean by a full basic visa debit card?

I don't know if they do upgrade basic accounts i've not heard anyone on this forum mention they have had a barclays cash card account upgraded to a full current account.

They changed the Terms & Conditions some time ago now to suggest cash accounts could be upgraded:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3682985

cheops2006

I started with a basic bank account and was upgraded to a full account this year automatically when my yearly electronic review statement came.

stokelady

thanks for the replies, how long did you have the basic account for before they upgraded you?

worriedpenguin_2

I was upgraded automatically eight months after opening the basic account. I had a large lump sum deposited around that time so I don't know if that's related, but I had been managing my account properly even if my credit rating hadn't changed in that time.

The debit card works like any other Visa debit in my experience, with the exception that it doesn't have contactless payment and you can't personalise it, unlike the card offered with the regular current account.

pmduk

worriedpenguin wrote: »

The debit card works like any other Visa debit in my experience, with the exception that it doesn't have contactless payment and you can't personalise it, unlike the card offered with the regular current account.

Actually Barclays is about the only bank, to my knowledge, that will give contactless cards on basic accounts, and you can personalise cards on this account.

Mrs_Ryan

You definitely can personalise the card- I've had one since they trialled them. And my card also works on trains, I've used it a couple of times onboard.