Photo ID needed 27 October 2021 at 2:17PM in Budgeting & bank accounts 17 replies 841 views

fly-catchers

I was going to go for the £150 switch to the RBS. But came to a grinding halt when it came to needing some form of Photo ID. I don’t have a passport and my provisional license is the old paper one. Is there any other types I could apply for? I did go down the route of phoning the RBS which is the option given if you don’t have any photo ID. But after hanging on for over an hour with the usual “we are extremely busy and did you know you can go online!” Gave up! Would being retired but getting a pension be a further barrier?

castle96

retired = bus pass = photo?

eskbanker

fly-catchers said:

I was going to go for the £150 switch to the RBS. But came to a grinding halt when it came to needing some form of Photo ID. I don’t have a passport and my provisional license is the old paper one. Is there any other types I could apply for?

As with most banks, they publish their acceptable documentation for ID verification on their website, including the likes of HMRC tax notifications and correspondence:

https://www.rbs.co.uk/current-accounts/what-do-you-need-to-open-a-current-account.html#Proving-your-identity

General_Grant

Go to What you need to open a Current Account | Royal Bank of Scotland - RBS and scroll down to see what they will accept in branch or by post.  You can manage to do this without photo ID.

A bus pass is not considered appropriate ID.

The RBS website in one place says they accept provisional driving licences and elsewhere that they no longer accept these!

fly-catchers

Its a pity you need to have to phone them to actually proceed with any non photo ID! So far spent over 2 hours of hanging on and the only time so far I actually got a real person. She switched me through to another department. Hung on for 15 more minutes of tortuous music only to eventually be told they had gone home! And actually getting the first automated voice to actually understand what you want is another nightmare. There are no actual branches anywhere near me, so post it will have to be.     

fly-catchers

castle96 said:

retired = bus pass = photo?

Too young at 63. The only thing with my photo on is my old works ID!

fly-catchers

After spending another hour hanging on they tell me the switch and save offer only applies for online applications! Pity they don’t say that on the site where they tell you to phone for information! Might have to get a passport even if I have no intention of going abroad! Though as the Tesco account I was intending to swap needs to be done by the 15th November probably too late for that offer!

eskbanker

fly-catchers said:

After spending another hour hanging on they tell me the switch and save offer only applies for online applications! Pity they don’t say that on the site where they tell you to phone for information!

https://www.rbs.co.uk/current-accounts/switch-your-bank-account-to-rbs.html clearly states:

All applications must be made online to qualify for offer

[Deleted User]

General_Grant said:

Go to What you need to open a Current Account | Royal Bank of Scotland - RBS and scroll down to see what they will accept in branch or by post.  You can manage to do this without photo ID.

A bus pass is not considered appropriate ID.

The RBS website in one place says they accept provisional driving licences and elsewhere that they no longer accept these!

The OP could use their old paper provisional, HMRC tax letters or DWP benefit/pension letters.

They do accept the old paper Driving Licence (full/provisional) for those that still have those.
It's just the (obsolete) paper counterpart of the newer Photocard licence that they don't accept.

fly-catchers

Deleted User said:

General_Grant said:

Go to What you need to open a Current Account | Royal Bank of Scotland - RBS and scroll down to see what they will accept in branch or by post.  You can manage to do this without photo ID.

A bus pass is not considered appropriate ID.

The RBS website in one place says they accept provisional driving licences and elsewhere that they no longer accept these!

The OP could use their old paper provisional, HMRC tax letters or DWP benefit/pension letters.

They do accept the old paper Driving Licence (full/provisional) for those that still have those.
It's just the (obsolete) paper counterpart of the newer Photocard licence that they don't accept.

But the old paper provisional licence (which I do have) might be ok to set up an account but not the Switch offer alas. 

Zanderman

fly-catchers said:

Deleted User said:

General_Grant said:

Go to What you need to open a Current Account | Royal Bank of Scotland - RBS and scroll down to see what they will accept in branch or by post.  You can manage to do this without photo ID.

A bus pass is not considered appropriate ID.

The RBS website in one place says they accept provisional driving licences and elsewhere that they no longer accept these!

The OP could use their old paper provisional, HMRC tax letters or DWP benefit/pension letters.

They do accept the old paper Driving Licence (full/provisional) for those that still have those.
It's just the (obsolete) paper counterpart of the newer Photocard licence that they don't accept.

But the old paper provisional licence (which I do have) might be ok to set up an account but not the Switch offer alas. 

You don't need to prove id for a switch.

Only, usually, for account opening.

Do you mean you can't open the RBS account that you want to (subsequently - it's a later process) switch to?

Edited to add:  if you can open the account on the phone you can, later, do the switch online