APS providers which aren't online only

SoozyJ22

I'm helping someone to use the APS allowances after their spouse's death. 

The person won't do online banking so we need accounts which can be managed by other means (preferably by phone) and also allow transfers of the allowance, since two of the four ISA providers don't support APS and one is not suitable. The fourth is with NS&I. The amount of allowance available is few multiples of the £85k FSCS limit. They are only considering cash ISAs at this point. 

NS&I seems like an obvious candidate with lots of information on their website, supporting management by phone and not being subject to the 85k limit but I'm struggling to find any other suitable options to consider. 

I've seen the list on the Which? website but most are online only. The ones that support branch access (Kent Reliance, Newcastle, Principality) don't have any branches near where they live in East Anglia. I see Principality is listed as having postal management but the website doesn't give much information and just says to call and I'm not sure how they'd be with just postal management - but I can ask. 

I'm also aware of the Skipton product but the nearest branch is 100 miles away and again I'm not sure how keen they'd be with just postal access, plus the interest rate is lower than NS&I.

Is anyone aware of any other providers that may support what we need? I'm aware that amounts can be transferred out later to other suitable providers, but I've just been asked to help with getting the allowance used. Longer term they will be using an IFA or maybe having support from a close family member to manage their savings and while I know they have three years to use the allowance they are pushing to start using it as soon as possible as they're scared the scheme could be cancelled at any moment (I suspect due too much reading of scaremongering newspapers!)

Thanks in advance for assistance. 

xylophone

Why not just go with NS&I?  It meets the person's requirements and if an IFA is to be consulted in due course, adjustments can be made then?

SoozyJ22

That's my instinctive reaction too xylophone but I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything. 

Rusty190

When my lovely husband died @SoozyJ22, I opted for NS&I, despite their paltry interest rates at the time, just to get the process started - and I didn't have the number of account access and management restrictions you're trying to work around. 
I had no clue how administratvely cumbersome it all is until I had to deal with it so that's why I used NS&I to get some breathing space. 
Good luck. 

friolento

If NS&I is acceptable, why are so many others not acceptable? You can online operate NS&I online / by phone or mail. Plenty of others are just the same.

How about Yorkshire Building Society, or Coventry BS? Santander? Hargreaves Lansdown? HSBC? Halifax? Nationwide?

thecleaner_2

I “think” moneyfarm supports aps but I can’t find any info online. Maybe give them a ring?

SoozyJ22

Rusty190 said:

When my lovely husband died @SoozyJ22, I opted for NS&I, despite their paltry interest rates at the time, just to get the process started - and I didn't have the number of account access and management restrictions you're trying to work around. 
I had no clue how administratvely cumbersome it all is until I had to deal with it so that's why I used NS&I to get some breathing space. 
Good luck. 

I'm really sorry to hear about your husband @Rusty190. Thanks very much for sharing your experiences. 

SoozyJ22

friolento said:

If NS&I is acceptable, why are so many others not acceptable? You can online operate NS&I online / by phone or mail. Plenty of others are just the same.

How about Yorkshire Building Society, or Coventry BS? Santander? Hargreaves Lansdown? HSBC? Halifax? Nationwide?

Nationwide only support APS when the deceased had an ISA with them. I've not looked at the others. I was trying to avoid having to check every single provider's website by asking here to see what experiences others have had. 

SoozyJ22

thecleaner_2 said:

I “think” moneyfarm supports aps but I can’t find any info online. Maybe give them a ring?

Thanks for the suggestion, but their website says you need to download an app in order to withdraw money so that's not going to be suitable here. 

fuzzzzy

We used Skipton by post and other than a few hiccups at the start due to incorrect telephone advice it was all very easy to do in the end. I am presuming they will transfer out to ISAs of their choice after they have sorted all the Additional Permitted Subscriptions. We had large amounts to deal with too so made partial withdrawals out of the Legacy ISA to other ISAs as and when good options came up. They will also be FSCS covered for larger amounts than £85k for 6 months after the balance starts to exceed £85k.

SoozyJ22

Thanks @fuzzzzy. I'd forgotten about the temporary exemption for the £85k limit so thanks for the reminder.