Barclays : Provisional Liscence isn't accepted as proof of ID?
thoragunnr
Posts: 52 Forumite
I went into a Barclays bank today whilst in town to ask for me booking an appointment so that me and my partner can open up a Help-to-buy ISA. He said that we needed to bring a Passport and something with proof of address BEFORE we can even be booked in for an appointment.
I then mentioned that we both don't have a passport (we never needed one as we never left the country at all even before we met last year) so anyway I said we have our provisional Licence as our only ID. The assistant was quite rude by looking around him, giving me silence and humming whilst sinning his Ipad around... took him 5-10 minutes to ask if we had a citizenship card or a nation security card (or something like that - don't remember the correct thing he said) but we were both born in the UK and stayed here for our 23 years of life. He then did that silent treatment thing again before saying we needed a bill with the proof of address then "maybe see what we can use for ID"
SO I'm just wondering if this is true about a provisional license not being classed as ID? and what I could do about it?
I then mentioned that we both don't have a passport (we never needed one as we never left the country at all even before we met last year) so anyway I said we have our provisional Licence as our only ID. The assistant was quite rude by looking around him, giving me silence and humming whilst sinning his Ipad around... took him 5-10 minutes to ask if we had a citizenship card or a nation security card (or something like that - don't remember the correct thing he said) but we were both born in the UK and stayed here for our 23 years of life. He then did that silent treatment thing again before saying we needed a bill with the proof of address then "maybe see what we can use for ID"
SO I'm just wondering if this is true about a provisional license not being classed as ID? and what I could do about it?
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thoragunnr wrote: »SO I'm just wondering if this is true about a provisional license not being classed as ID? and what I could do about it?
Barclays' list of acceptable ID is here:
http://www.barclays.co.uk/current-accounts/what-do-i-need-to-open-a-bank-account/
It's the same list of ID whether you're applying for a current account or a savings account, including an ISA.
Provisional driving licence isn't listed, so yes, it is true. You can't force them to accept a provisional licence if it's not on their list, so your only choices are to come up with some ID which is on the list, or to try a different bank.0 -
Provisional license is definitely not taken as proof of ID, found that out just yesterday.I came into this world with nothing and I've got most of it left.0
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http://www.barclays.co.uk/help/accounts/opening/what-id/
Proof of address is easy to get - council tax bill is the easiest example.
Proof of ID may be trickier - a previous post on here said Barclays may take your right-to-work documentation which could be full birth certificate and NI card.
Provisional driving licence may be problematic with some places - as they can be issued to under 18's as you can learn to drive from 17 they may be problematic in pubs for example. But surely not a bank, you'd have thought.
Failing that ring the number on Barclay's site and say you don't have any of the required documentation listed on the site to open an account. You may have to say what you've got and they can tell you if they can take it.0 -
I used to work for them, Provisional licenses were not taken as proof of ID at the time. I think it's because it's probably not that hard to get a provisional license, but it's more difficult to get a full one so it's far less likely they'll be fake.
At least that's my guess.0 -
thoragunnr wrote: »took him 5-10 minutes to ask if we had a citizenship card or a nation security card (or something like that - don't remember the correct thing he said) but we were both born in the UK and stayed here for our 23 years of life.
Maybe you should have listened a bit more or asked him to clarify, where you were born is immaterial to what he was talking about.
https://www.citizencard.com/thoragunnr wrote: »SO I'm just wondering if this is true about a provisional license not being classed as ID? and what I could do about it?
Many places don't accept the provisional licences as ID, there is nothing you can do about it.====0 -
I have never understood this either, since the only difference between a provisional and a full license is the ability to drive unsupervised. Which of course doesn't really have a bearing on whether you can get a mortgage or not. Also, it seems that some banks will only accept them up to a certain age.I used to work for them, Provisional licenses were not taken as proof of ID at the time. I think it's because it's probably not that hard to get a provisional license, but it's more difficult to get a full one so it's far less likely they'll be fake.
At least that's my guess.
Both are government issued pieces of documentation and one would have thought that all the relevant checks would have taken place before the issuance for the provisional.0 -
They don't accept my old fogey's bus pass either even though ID and entitlement has to be verified when one is applied for. But that's Barclays for you. Twice I have exclaimed "Bah!" and walked out the door of my local branch. Hey it's their loss not mine. How they actually manage to get accounts is beyond my understanding. There are plenty more banks.0
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thoragunnr wrote: »I went into a Barclays bank today whilst in town to ask for me booking an appointment so that me and my partner can open up a Help-to-buy ISA. He said that we needed to bring a Passport and something with proof of address BEFORE we can even be booked in for an appointment.
I then mentioned that we both don't have a passport (we never needed one as we never left the country at all even before we met last year) so anyway I said we have our provisional Licence as our only ID. The assistant was quite rude by looking around him, giving me silence and humming whilst sinning his Ipad around... took him 5-10 minutes to ask if we had a citizenship card or a nation security card (or something like that - don't remember the correct thing he said) but we were both born in the UK and stayed here for our 23 years of life. He then did that silent treatment thing again before saying we needed a bill with the proof of address then "maybe see what we can use for ID"
SO I'm just wondering if this is true about a provisional license not being classed as ID? and what I could do about it?
You should complain about his attitude. If I were you, I would go into the branch, when it is busy, and speak to same rude assistant and tell him that you want to speak to the branch manager in order to complain about his attitude.
You could also write a complaint to their ceo Jes Staley.0 -
They don't accept my old fogey's bus pass either even though ID and entitlement has to be verified when one is applied for. But that's Barclays for you. Twice I have exclaimed "Bah!" and walked out the door of my local branch. Hey it's their loss not mine. How they actually manage to get accounts is beyond my understanding. There are plenty more banks.
Well one suspect that their customers are those who don't try and be difficult, read the T&C's provided and produce the ID requested.
That way Barclays need not be wasting their time (phones/face to face/online whatever) providing a service for any of the UK's awkward squad who will be costing them admin time and money....and if they lose the accounts of this sector of the population I expect they will be delighted.
No financial service company will accept your bus pass as ID so singling out Barclays in this respect is misleading and nor does any finance company accept provisional driving licences either.
I never worked in Finance but in my sector we also had our share of the awkward customer - we simply refused to do any further quotes for them....and it was truly amazing how this resulted in a sudden "attitude re-adjustment".0 -
Well one suspect that their customers are those who don't try and be difficult, read the T&C's provided and produce the ID requested.
That way Barclays need not be wasting their time (phones/face to face/online whatever) providing a service for any of the UK's awkward squad who will be costing them admin time and money....and if they lose the accounts of this sector of the population I expect they will be delighted.
No financial service company will accept your bus pass as ID so singling out Barclays in this respect is misleading and nor does any finance company accept provisional driving licences either.
I never worked in Finance but in my sector we also had our share of the awkward customer - we simply refused to do any further quotes for them....and it was truly amazing how this resulted in a sudden "attitude re-adjustment".
I will remind you that Barclays are being prosecuted for fraud in 2019 as well as 3 of their directors (including their ex-ceo John Varley).
They have core behaviours, which their staff are expected to follow; including acting with honesty & integrity, customer excellence, etc. The rude branch man has clearly not followed these behaviours, hence my suggestion that the OP complain.
The thing that Barclays hates is bad press and losing customers; as it will cost them money.. I still have a current account with them for Kapersky but it only has £1-00 in it.0
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