Chiclanagir

Just thought this information may be of interest. When in the UK I picked up a leaflet from Lloyds TSB which said if you are new to the UK you could open up a bank account with them with nothing more than your passport. No other ID needed, so if you have a UK address this might be helpful.

Mitzyboy

I opened an business account with Santander last year and they didnt seem to care that I wasnt a UK resident.

jdr

I tried to open a new one a couple of years ago, but it was impossible without a UK address and utility bill with my name and address on it ?

Chiclanagir

Well I thought this was the case but the leaflet that I picked up stated very clearly that if you were "new" to the country all you needed was your passport and ID card. Have the rules been relaxed I wonder.

jdr

Sounds likely. Maybe they are getting short of cash for their bonus payments.

JulianWard

But I guess if you are not new to the country then one would need to lie/make a false statement to obtain the account = Fraud ?

And "passport and ID card" I believe only immigrants to UK have an ID card.

Chiclanagir

Possibly.

Mitzyboy

As I said, I opened an account with Santander with their full knowledge of where I was residing

JulianWard

Sorry Mitzyboy I was not referring to your post but that Originally Posted by Chiclanagir, as above.

I have three account plus a Credit Card with Nationwide (customer for over 30 years) but last year they refused to issue me with a new Debit Card, or allow me to open another account.

whitelinen

The OP clearly states Lloyds TSB, who have been offering this service to returning Brits and anyone else since 2009 to my certain knowledge and probably longer according to posts on other forums.

There is even confirmation of this here on the moving back to UK forum from 2007.

Mitzyboy

Thats just crazy isn't it. Seems to me that some banks have less problem with it. All my banks know I live abroad, but none of them seem to have a problem with it.

You can spend most of your life in the UK, and if you choose to move away to part of the "European Union" then you are treated like a leper by some

JulianWard

They know I live here. Its my account address.

There is no problem with maintaining existing accounts and cards. They just won't allow the opening etc of new accounts, cards etc. Although I did twist their arm with the credit card account. They at first refused, but an email to the CEO did the trick. But when I tried it last time (they having deleted the direct email address for the CEO) they refused.

jdr

Well that is where I tried to open one, and we already have two accounts there with them.

JulianWard

Of course this may not mean anything but this is the list of proving your address. They seem to only refer to UK addresses:-

* Bank, Building Society or Credit Union statement (we do not accept statements printed off the internet)
* Current UK non photo driving licence (only if it is not been used as your proof of identification)
* Utility Bill/Utility Statement or Certificate/Letter from a supplier of utilities dated within the last 3 months
* Local authority tax bill/council tax bill for current year
* Benefits or pensions notification letter confirming the right to benefit (only if it has not been used as your proof of identification)

twistedmelon

NW stopped cash withdrawls abroad on cash cards last year. You still could if you had a visa, I applied for a visa card but was turned down due to not being on the electoral register although we still have a property address.
Changed to Halifax, got visa card no prob, get commission free cash withdrawls.
All a bit of a mystery.