Expat with Barclays? Here are your options if your account is being closed

MSE_Ben_T

Expats who bank with Barclays face having their UK accounts closed following a "strategic review" by the bank, leaving some customers worried about the alternatives available to them. Read our full story: 

Expat with Barclays? Here are your options if your account is being closed

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lemonpress

'None allow new customers to open standard accounts with a non-UK address' is not quite correct at least as far as the Netherlands is concerned. An ordinary current account - not an expensive 'premier' one - can be opened with HSBC using a registered Dutch address. 

GeordieinAotearoa

I only found out that they'd closed my account when I was alerted by my pension provider that a payment had failed. Numerous phone calls to Barclays failed to persuade them to disclose the balance, reopen the account briefly to allow me to transfer my funds, or do anything helpful whatsoever. They claim to have sent me 3 messages within the secure system - I never saw them, received no alerts and was otherwise completely unaware. No warning messages when I logged in. They did, however, continue to provide me with email and secure alerts to tell me that a statement was available to read - like everything was normal. As if this were more important than to advise me that my account was to be closed - after 40+ years as a customer. The person on their 'complaint line' was completely unsympathetic and didn't agree that it was unreasonable not to do anything other than provide the unannounced, hidden messages. Appalling customer service.

GeordieinAotearoa

lemonpress said:

'None allow new customers to open standard accounts with a non-UK address' is not quite correct at least as far as the Netherlands is concerned. An ordinary current account - not an expensive 'premier' one - can be opened with HSBC using a registered Dutch address. 

That's great. Unfortunately they wouldn't entertain this for a NZ resident, despite my still being HMRC registered et al.

Angelas_Mum

I am a legal tax paying resident in Spain and have been for many, many years,  I have also been a UK Barclays bank current and savings account holder for over 40 years.  They wrote twice to me at my Spanish address in 2022 to say that they were closing my accounts on the 24 November 2022 as they were no longer serving clients who were resident in the EU/EEA.  I have subsequently, successfully, opened a normal  HSBC UK current account, on line. They accept EU/EEA residents.  There is no need to have a large income, nor a minimum account holding,  unlike various Expats Offshore accounts with UK banks. All I had to do was upload an up to date copy of my UK passport and a suitable up  to date proof of my Spanish address.  They give you a list of acceptable proofs that they will accept. They also required a selfie photograph.  My welcome pack and all separately "key", debit card and PIN numbers were posted to me to my Spanish address.  Once my current account was successfully up and running I then made telephone contact with HSBC UK, as per their website and opened a deposit account.  This cannot be done on line,  The lovely, helpful lady I spoke to did all of the necessary over the phone and towards the end of the call informed me of my newly opened savings  account number.  She even did a token transfer of 50 GBP, at my request,  in to that savings account from the newly opened current account.  Both accounts are running fine by the way with no problems.  Hope that this is of some help

GeordieinAotearoa

Angelas_Mum said:

I am a legal tax paying resident in Spain and have been for many, many years,  I have also been a UK Barclays bank current and savings account holder for over 40 years.  They wrote twice to me at my Spanish address in 2022 to say that they were closing my accounts on the 24 November 2022 as they were no longer serving clients who were resident in the EU/EEA.  I have subsequently, successfully, opened a normal  HSBC UK current account, on line. They accept EU/EEA residents.  There is no need to have a large income, nor a minimum account holding,  unlike various Expats Offshore accounts with UK banks. All I had to do was upload an up to date copy of my UK passport and a suitable up  to date proof of my Spanish address.  They give you a list of acceptable proofs that they will accept. They also required a selfie photograph.  My welcome pack and all separately "key", debit card and PIN numbers were posted to me to my Spanish address.  Once my current account was successfully up and running I then made telephone contact with HSBC UK, as per their website and opened a deposit account.  This cannot be done on line,  The lovely, helpful lady I spoke to did all of the necessary over the phone and towards the end of the call informed me of my newly opened savings  account number.  She even did a token transfer of 50 GBP, at my request,  in to that savings account from the newly opened current account.  Both accounts are running fine by the way with no problems.  Hope that this is of some help

That's great. I spoke to one of the HSBC reps on the phone who said yes, they would take New Zealand residents. Got excited, went to complete their online form only to run into a road block when I had to state my country. Phoned them again and the second person said sorry no, the other guy was wrong, we can't accept you. I guess for anyone outside EE/EU there are no options, other than for the likes of Wise/Revolut which not all organisations will accept as a place to pay your money (pensions etc).

pridehappy

Starling Bank seem to be great if you live abroad but still have a UK address, they seem to be attempting to encourage people too with the Euro Current Account. It’s also easy to manage online too (not sure if they can dispatch cards abroad though).

financies

The downside of starling is that you cannot exchange money, as you can with revolut in your app accounts. You need to do international transfers.

Olenna

pridehappy said:

Starling Bank seem to be great if you live abroad but still have a UK address, they seem to be attempting to encourage people too with the Euro Current Account. It’s also easy to manage online too (not sure if they can dispatch cards abroad though).

It's a breach of the T&Cs as they specially require UK residence so not the best advice.
https://help.starlingbank.com/personal/topics/setting-up-an-account/who-is-eligible-for-a-starling-bank-account/