Bank forcing vulnerable person to break shielding

[Deleted User]

I am writing on behalf of my son.

He is 19 and lives with his brother who is registered as extremely vulnerable due to severe asthma. 

We are at the end of our tether with the HSBC as they have been left with no money and no option but to endanger his extremely vulnerable brother to rectify it. And each time he contacts customer support they are hanging up on him

Essentially they blocked his account when he sent a couple of payments to his other brother on the basis it was suspicious activity and now they are insisting he go to a branch in person to free up the account. His brother lives in the same house and is registered extremely vulnerable and has been shielding since covid, they do not drive so it is out of the question that he takes public transport and enters the bank as the risk of him taking covid back is just too great. They are now without food and cannot pay bills. They have been trying through customer support for two days now to no avail, the last person to hang up on them was allegedly a manager.

We have tried the resolver tool but they cannot be without food for a week while that processes 

sharpe106

Just because his brother is shielding does not mean the son without can't go out. How do you think everybody else in the country carried on? He just has to be careful and when gets home make sure washes hands etc well. 

[Deleted User]

 Hes not shielding his brother is.

 He's allowed to go so long as he washes etc when he gets home. 

adamp87

If there’s a potential fraudulent activity to them then they are doing the right steps really to (aside from hanging up on the phone) ensure this isn’t fraudulent. 

Whilst it’s unfortunate the people in question may have to shield, the bank cannot control that - it may be there is no way to solve this aside form going in person.

Can they have a taxi there and back paid for by somebody? Seems the best option

poppy12345

Not sure which son is shielding but if the son that's having the bank issues isn't shielding then there's no reasons at all why he can't go out. There's lots of people that live with extremely vulnerable people and have continued to work all through lockdown. Just because 1 person is shielding it doens't mean all the people in the same house need to do the same. Stirct hygiene rules when returning home will keep the vulnerable person safe.

Socajam

This is what I do when I go out and return home
Remove my gloves, face mask and wash my hands
Then remove all my clothes, put them in the dirty basket and have a shower.
If I have groceries, I wipe them down, put them down, put them away, then go and have my shower.

[Deleted User]

He doesnt feel its appropriate to take the risk. You can essentially wash all you like but if you have inadvertently touched your face or such whilst out and become infected then you can't wash it out of your system. If that were the solution then no medical staff would get sick. What I am asking is not if he can go out, that's simply not an option for them but if the bank cannot validate in some other way and so they have the right to insist he attends and withhold his money 

bradders1983

Its their account, their terms, their request. Of course they have the right.

Thrugelmir

Making a couple of payments doesn't constitute fraudelent activity. More to the tale?

SidneySmutt

Heathertanit said:

For effect? I'm sorry? What are you implying? They have no other family members in the country as it happens. And as I said that wasn't my question 

What is your question? It was more of a rant to be honest. 

Caz3121

Heathertanit said:

We have tried the resolver tool but they cannot be without food for a week while that processes 

did the shielding brother register for the free food deliveries? (not sure the qualification as it states " for those who need to self-isolate at home for 12 weeks but have no support network of family or friends to help them")
any family members that can arrange an online food shop for them?