Opening a basic bank account or a savings account when not on the electoral roll?

travelling_about

Has anyone ever had any experience of opening a basic bank account or a savings account when not on the electoral roll?

Am currently staying temporarily with a relative and have moved my bank accounts to that address. However, as I expect to spend more than 6 months abroad during this year, I feel that I shouldn’t join the electoral roll there as I won’t be resident in the UK for enough time.

Nevertheless, before going abroad, I would like to open a basic bank account or a savings account with another bank if possible.

Has anyone ever managed to do this – i.e. opened one of these accounts when not on the electoral roll?

Do you have to explain to the bank you are opening the account with why you are not on the electoral roll?

I don’t mind which bank or building society I open the account with – so if anyone knows of which banks are the least demanding in these circumstances, that would be good to know.

agrinnall

Will you be living at your current address on October 10th? If so you must register then, so you might as well register now.

Shakin_Steve

What would be the drawbacks to registering on the electoral roll at your temporary address? None....as far as I can see.
Benefits? A bank account.

jonesMUFCforever

It is quite easy to open bank accounts without being on the electoral roll.
Some may require one or two photo ID documents such as a driving licence and passport - electoral registration is used as a way to electronically ID you - sometimes it works, sometimes it does not and they ask you for ID anyway.

Nick_C

agrinnall wrote: »

Will you be living at your current address on October 10th? If so you must register then, so you might as well register now.

The register is no longer compiled on an annual basis, and the qualifying date of 10 October no longer applies.

Registration is now the responsibility of each individual voter. If you are eligible to vote, you should register whenever you change address. The easiest way to do this is on line.

agrinnall

Nick_C wrote: »

The register is no longer compiled on an annual basis, and the qualifying date of 10 October no longer applies.

Registration is now the responsibility of each individual voter. If you are eligible to vote, you should register whenever you change address. The easiest way to do this is on line.

Well I still got a letter in September last year saying that if the information on residents was not correct that it had to be updated, so if the OP's relatives get that letter this year then they will have to tell him to register at that time even if he hasn't already done so. Or can you point to something to show that 2017 was the last year in which those letters were sent?

Flobberchops

I've opened accounts for people fresh off the boat/plane who have been UK resident for all of a day. (International students, for example, who have never been and never will be on the electoral roll). The current accounts (not even Basic) tend to open just fine. Don't worry.

Nick_C

agrinnall wrote: »

Well I still got a letter in September last year saying that if the information on residents was not correct that it had to be updated, so if the OP's relatives get that letter this year then they will have to tell him to register at that time even if he hasn't already done so. Or can you point to something to show that 2017 was the last year in which those letters were sent?

The system changed in 2014.

Voters should now register individuality whenever they move. There is no qualifying date.

The annual registration form has been been replaced by an annual Household Enquiry Form. This is used to identify changes in the register. On receipt, the Council will write to any new people identified to invite them to register.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/faq/voting-and-registration/what-is-individual-electoral-registration

agrinnall

Nick_C wrote: »

The system changed in 2014.

Voters should now register individuality whenever they move. There is no qualifying date.

The annual registration form has been been replaced by an annual Household Enquiry Form. This is used to identify changes in the register. On receipt, the Council will write to any new people identified to invite them to register.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/faq/voting-and-registration/what-is-individual-electoral-registration

Right, so the OP will need to register then. Whatever the actual mechanism, the end result is the same.

Nick_C

agrinnall wrote: »

Right, so the OP will need to register then. Whatever the actual mechanism, the end result is the same.

The end result is not the same.

Some householders did not complete registration forms or omitted people, leaving some people disenfranchised.

People moving had to wait until 10 October before registering at their new address. That has changed.

IanManc

The OP says he / she is "currently staying temporarily with a relative and have moved my bank accounts to that address".

I wonder if the reluctance to appear on the electoral roll might be due to the relative not wishing to lose their one quarter discount on their council tax for being a single household, which their guest's registration on the electoral roll would spoil?

Just and idea ....... otherwise what possible reason could there be for not wanting to register? After all, it only takes seconds to do it online.