Community Bank Account

brumptk

Hiya

I was asked earlier this year to do the village planters by a member of our parish council. She gave me £100 start us off as a personal donation in cash. I was then also given further donations in cash. 

We are wanting to apply for grants to take this further in the future and need a bank account as I now have 2 volunteer helpers and I would like us all to be able to access the money, pay in cash and cheques etc. 

I don't really know where to start as we aren't a charity as such? 

Katie 

SebH

Hello Katie,

It’s often not very obvious, but banks do offer “charitable”-type accounts to organisations beyond the strict definition of a registered charity.

The Lloyds Bank Treasurer’s Account, for example, also allows clubs/associations/societies to use it (and the account is free). See the details here: https://www.lloydsbank.com/business/business-accounts/specialist-accounts/treasurers-account.html

They really cover any non-profit or community group, but you may have to draw up a group constitution to show to the bank. I recommend doing this and declaring yourself a non-profit unincorporated association. This is the same kind of structure that residents associations for maintaining private roads, etc, often use (and your use case is very similar). You could simply call yourselves “Village Name Planting Association”, or something similar.

Other posters have experience with these types of account, so it may also be worth searching the forum to see what that turns up. Barclays offer a similar account, and so do Metro Bank, etc. Just avoid HSBC.

Daliah

These are the ones I know of:

brumptk

Thank you this is really helpful. We have a Lloyds near me so I’ll pop and see themZ