Problem getting my mum a new bank account

Spot5Flowers

Hi
My dear old mum is in her 80's. The small town where we live seems to be losing banks left, right and centre. The bank she has used for 50+ years closes next week. She was hoping to transfer to my bank which still has a branch in the town.
I've gone to make her an appointment today for switching purposes and we've run into some problems. My mother has never had a passport or driving license so we are struggling for ID. She has the council tax in her name. She doesn't get a phone bill as she went paperless (on my email address), for very complicated reasons the gas/electric are not in her name, although she has been paying them since my fathers death 10 years ago. Her only income is her pension which is paid into her current bank account.
Apparently there isn't enough proof of her ID and I'm at a loss as to what to suggest.
(Online banking is not an option, and she prefers to visit the branch for her banking needs).
Any suggestions? The nearest branch of her current bank will be some considerable distance away and not practical for her.

Ben8282

Get her a passport.

alanq

Money Advice Service

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/blog/how-to-beat-id-issues-when-opening-a-bank-account

Spot5Flowers

Getting her a passport isn't an option really. As mentioned, she's in her 80's and her only income is her pension. Neither she or I can afford 70 odd quid for a passport, nor will she be able to go to the passport centre (my daughter went a while ago, it's a long way and difficult to get to. Mother no longer travels well) just to open her a new bank account. She's never had a credit card either. The house has never had a mortgage attached. My dad was left it by his parents.
Seems she's stuck at every turn.

Robin9

Does her Bank have an arrangement with the Post Office for paying in / withdrawing cash ?

Gers

Spot5Flowers wrote: »

Getting her a passport isn't an option really. As mentioned, she's in her 80's and her only income is her pension. Neither she or I can afford 70 odd quid for a passport, nor will she be able to go to the passport centre (my daughter went a while ago, it's a long way and difficult to get to. Mother no longer travels well) just to open her a new bank account. She's never had a credit card either. The house has never had a mortgage attached. My dad was left it by his parents.
Seems she's stuck at every turn.

Passports are free for those aged over 75 years

http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03201/SN03201.pdf

Doesn't solve the travel problem but it's a start.

agrinnall

Gers wrote: »

Passports are free for those aged over 75 years

http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03201/SN03201.pdf

Doesn't solve the travel problem but it's a start.

You're right, but you're also wrong. It's actually for people born on or before 2 September 1929, so 75 year olds wouldn't qualify. Whether the OP's mother would we don't know.

https://www.gov.uk/passport-fees

luvchocolate

Yesterday I went into a bank to start the switch from my old bank, they only looked at the details on my debit cards, they did not look at any of the I.D I took.

xylophone

She will have her bank statements.

She will have a recent letter from DWP concerning her state pension/any other benefits.

She will have a Council Tax bill.

These should be sufficient?

Stuart_W

Robin9 wrote: »

Does her Bank have an arrangement with the Post Office for paying in / withdrawing cash ?

This is worth investigating.

Even if you do get this account transferred, you could be in the same situation again in 6 months.

Branches are closing and will continue to close.

If she is on the electoral roll and has lived there a long time I am surprised that an electronic ID check isn't sufficient, which is clearly what happened to luvchocolate.

molerat

I don't have a photo driving licence or passport and all my bills are paperless. Only ever had to produce ID for one of the 20 or so accounts opened in the past few years and they were happy with council tax and HMRC letter.