How can a 16 year old open a bank account without proof of address?

Graciesmum

We've been living in the USA for the last several years. My 16yr old is returning to the UK to work for the summer and will be staying with friends. I'm thinking she will need a bank account to receive wages etc. Since she's staying with friends, how can she open a UK account? She used to have a child's account but I closed it before we left.

colsten

She will need an NI number if she wants to work in the UK. She should apply for it using the address she will be staying at. She can then use the confirmation letter as proof of address.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number

eDicky

Mobile-only banks such as Starling Bank, Monzo, require the applicant's address only for card delivery, no proof of address needed.

Graciesmum

Thanks, but I don't think I should rely on that. She can't apply until she's actually in the UK, and apparently it can take up to 2mos to get an appt and get the ni number.

Graciesmum

Cheers, I will look into them.

anna42hmr

Graciesmum wrote: »

We've been living in the USA for the last several years. My 16yr old is returning to the UK to work for the summer and will be staying with friends. I'm thinking she will need a bank account to receive wages etc. Since she's staying with friends, how can she open a UK account? She used to have a child's account but I closed it before we left.

some banks in respect to children's / under 18 accounts i have in the past that some banks will accept a letter of introduction from an existing (fully ID'd) adult customer as one of the two forms of id (with the passport/birth certificate as the other form). Would the friend she be staying with be happy for them to ask their bank of that would be something that they could accommodate (at least in interim when she can then get statements from the new bank?)

Nick_C

If she is only going to be here for the summer, perhaps you could arrange for her wages to be paid into your friend's account, and they could give her cash?

Alternatively, look for a savings account that accepts BACS credits and allows cash withdrawals through an ATM. Yorkshire BS might be suitable.

System

colsten wrote: »

She will need an NI number if she wants to work in the UK. She should apply for it using the address she will be staying at. She can then use the confirmation letter as proof of address.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number

She may already have one - it depends if she was born in the UK or it's using some other access method e.g. Irish Passport.

Graciesmum

She was not born in the UK. She has British citizenship by descent.

Wheres_My_Cashback

Gracie, Kate, Megan, Cassie, lovely names ;-)

deadendwaterfall

Graciesmum wrote: »

She was not born in the UK. She has British citizenship by descent.

Best of both worlds, eh, US AND British citizenship. :T