18 year old unable to get current account

Dyscovery

Hi, my 18 year old son has been rejected several times trying to get a current account.  He has been told he needs forms of ID which I understand, but he has a provisional driving licence which is not fully accepted because he doesn’t have a full licence, he has a dated saving account statement, but it’s rejected because it doesn’t have a sort code.  He has a HMRC tax letter which has not been accepted because it isn’t dated and the HMRC never date their letters.  He lives with us, his parents, he needs to have a tenancy agreement, a phone bill, water, gas bill.  Catch 22.  He can’t get any of these without a current account.  Has any one any suggestions..  he doesn’t have a passport, which I am reluctant to spend a Fortune on as it is something he won’t use as he is autistic and won’t travel abroad.  His wages are minimal and are going into our account.  Thanks

[Deleted User]

Does he not have a payslip with dates?
Should be on the council tax role at 18 to vote so will that not work?
Maybe a doctor's letter or similar?

Daliah

Deleted_User said:

Should be on the council tax role at 18 to vote so will that not work?

I think you mean the Electoral Register, which he should definitely be on at age 18.

jon81uk

Has he not had any form of bank account prior to this? I had an account age 13 that then got converted to an adult account later on. But then I don't think they wanted as much ID back in the 90s...
I would have thought if he already had an under 18s account it is easy to stay with the same bank and convert to an adult account.

If he was under 18 and going with the same bank that you use then you could have helped with the ID, but now he is over 18 it is different. Also the provisional license could have been used if under 18.

jay1804

Dyscovery said:

Hi, my 18 year old son has been rejected several times trying to get a current account.  He has been told he needs forms of ID which I understand, but he has a provisional driving licence which is not fully accepted because he doesn’t have a full licence, he has a dated saving account statement, but it’s rejected because it doesn’t have a sort code.  He has a HMRC tax letter which has not been accepted because it isn’t dated and the HMRC never date their letters.  He lives with us, his parents, he needs to have a tenancy agreement, a phone bill, water, gas bill.  Catch 22.  He can’t get any of these without a current account.  Has any one any suggestions..  he doesn’t have a passport, which I am reluctant to spend a Fortune on as it is something he won’t use as he is autistic and won’t travel abroad.  His wages are minimal and are going into our account.  Thanks

Have you tried any of the online/app banks, Monzo, Starling or Chase?

Also definitely check if , he's on the ER. 

xylophone

He should check the Electoral Roll as above.

Has he tried making an appointment with one of the local banks ?

You could accompany him with your own proofs ( driving licence/council tax statement/utility bills etc) - the address on his savings account will be the same as yours, as will the address on his PDL).

He will also have an NI number. This will show on his payslip.

eskbanker

The ID verification requirements vary from bank to bank, but they'll publish these on their websites, so it should be possible to review them for any bank being considered, to ascertain if there's a match, although to be fair these may not be as specific as the need for a savings account to have a sort code.

p00hsticks

When you say he's been rejected, is this specifically because they won't accept his ID ?

I'd say it's worth him phoning up / going into a branch to speak to someone. The banks do have a standard list of ID they'll accept but they ought to have a bit of leeway to work round it.

One common item that can often be accepted is the copy of the birth certificate that was originally issued at the time of registration - do you have that for him ? (Later copies are no use as anyone can order them). 

I've successfully used tax coding letters to prove my identity before now - they are dated, relate to a specific tax year, and when I've phoned up HMRC to request one before now they are quite used to being asked for them as a means of proving identity.  Does he receive any benefits such as UC ? A letter from DWP is often mentioned as usually a good proof of ID.

General_Grant

Dyscovery said:

Hi, my 18 year old son has been rejected several times trying to get a current account.  He has been told he needs forms of ID which I understand, but he has a provisional driving licence which is not fully accepted because he doesn’t have a full licence (banks that I know accept a provisional licence because you have to be identified in the same way, whether you have passed a driving test doesn't come into it), he has a dated saving account statement, but it’s rejected because it doesn’t have a sort code (is it one received in hard copy from the savings account provider or one downloaded as a pdf?).  He has a HMRC tax letter which has not been accepted because it isn’t dated (the ones I get are dated) and the HMRC never date their letters.  He lives with us, his parents, he needs to have a tenancy agreement, a phone bill, water, gas bill.  Catch 22.  He can’t get any of these without a current account.  Has any one any suggestions..  he doesn’t have a passport, which I am reluctant to spend a Fortune on as it is something he won’t use as he is autistic and won’t travel abroad.  His wages are minimal and are going into our account.  Thanks

Who provides the savings account?  Do they also provide current accounts?

Marchitiello

jon81uk said:

Has he not had any form of bank account prior to this? I had an account age 13 that then got converted to an adult account later on. But then I don't think they wanted as much ID back in the 90s...
I would have thought if he already had an under 18s account it is easy to stay with the same bank and convert to an adult account.

If he was under 18 and going with the same bank that you use then you could have helped with the ID, but now he is over 18 it is different. Also the provisional license could have been used if under 18.

Still possible, although not sure if it is easier if the parent also bank with the same bank. I have opened a direct access child saving account for my son when he turned 7 (min age required by RBS), and then opened child friendly current account (each with a proper visa debit card) when he turned 12 with Barclays, RBS and HSBC (not yet done Santander as we had to book an appointment in branch, whilst the other was done remotely). Many of my friends though I was crazy to open so many account for a child but I have done it exactly to avoid the OP or other similar scenarios.. once he turns 18 he will have at least 6 years banking history with all those banks and potentially easier access to financial products.

Dyscovery

Thank you everyone.  So he had an account with the Norwich and Peterborough that they closed when they were taken over with the Yorkshire Building Society and he kept his savings account only.  We have been into the bank and the bank manager had agreed to accept his proof of identity, but was overruled by the people who make up the accounts.  We have phoned, emailed and seen face to face all to no avail.  His tax insurance letter is undated and the tax people have said they never date Thierry letters.  Can I get a joint account with him .?