Best bank account for internship in the UK

joshyboy

I'm looking at bank accounts with my girlfriend who's coming to the UK for an internship, and I can't quite figure out which one is the best for her.

There won't be many (or any) international transfers, and it will be used to pay bills and receive income.

Does anyone have any advice or recommendations for the best account for her to get?

PRAISETHESUN

When I first moved to the UK I had this exact struggle - If she has never been to the UK before, it is likely she will struggle to get anything other than a basic bank account since she will not pass a credit check - most high street banks will offer one if you apply (and fail) for their standard accounts. Depending on the length of stay in the UK some banks may also refuse her on this basis. She may also struggle with having appropriate documentation, particularly for proof of address - every bank is different so I would advise her to look through what documents she has (or is likely to be able to get) and then check which banks would accept them. Some info on basic accounts here: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/basic-bank-accounts/

Personally I find the Monzo/Starling/Revolut the easiest accounts to get in this instance since you just need to be able to verify your identity and have a valid UK postal address to send the card and documents to. These are app-only accounts however, which puts some people off, but Starling/Monzo have the same FSCS protection as most high street banks (Revolut does not). Down the line if she prefers the brink and mortar aspects of the high street banks, she should be sufficiently set up in the UK to have enough documents to open an account with one of these banks instead.

Flobberchops

Any bank, really, but the intern status may prevent her using an employer's reference letter as proof of UK address. If you're happy to have her added to a household utility bill, that should sidestep the issue.

eDicky

Starling Bank and Monzo are available to any UK resident without address verification, so she can use yours for card delivery. Just install the app(s) and sign up.