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Opening a bank account in the UK without a proof of address
You can open an account with a digital bank in minutes.
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With these banks, you will need a UK address and a proof of identity (passport or driving license will do), but usually no proof of address.
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Banks that don’t (normally) ask for a proof of address
- Starling Bank. A UK based digital bank that let’s you set up from your phone.
- Revolut . A UK current account set up on your phone that allows you to hold multiple currencies.
- N26. The EU’s biggest mobile bank, launched in the UK earlier in 2019.
- Monese
- Monzo
The UK’s most popular digital bank, which you can set up from your phone.
The banks in this list are all challenger/digital banks. You can read more about challenger banks like the ones above in our in depth article, but basically a challenger bank is a recently born bank. They try to make banking easier and cheaper for customers, thus “challenging” the market dominance of traditional banks such as Lloyds, Barclays and HSBC.
- Challengers are digital and mobile only.
- They don’t have any physical branches and you do everything from an app.
- Challenger banks are free
- You’ll get a UK bank account complete with account number and sort code, which allows you to have your salary paid into it.
The most popular challenger banks in the UK are Starling and Monzo, both of which have a full UK banking licence. Your money with them will be protected up to £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), just like with any traditional bank.
Other popular options are N26, which has a full EU banking licence, Revolut, which is in the process of getting one and Monese, which has an electronic money licence issued by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
What counts as proof of address?
Some banks will need a proof of address.
If you’re asked for proof of address, here’s what will count:
- Utility bills. If you have one of these (telephone, water or electricity, but usually not Internet or mobile phone), you’re sorted as any bank will take them. The same applies to this year’s council tax bill. Ask your housemate to get one of those in your name, this may actually be the fastest way to get yourself a reliable proof of address.
- EU driving licence. Many banks will take an EU driving licence as proof of address, but obviously, in most cases you won’t have your brand new British address on your fairly old European licence, so it might not be that useful. Cheer up though, you can still use it to drive around.
- HMRC tax notification letter. Not a straightforward solution, but again, most banks will take it. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is the government department that collects taxes. If you already have a payslip and National Insurance Number (NIN), you may be able to register for a personal tax account and print a certificate of the taxes you’ve paid in the UK for the current year. However, if you’re looking at opening a bank account to get your first salary paid, you’ve lived in the UK for less than 12 months and you don’t have a British passport, you’ll usually get a depressing message from HMRC saying it’s unable to verify your identity and get you an HMRC tax account.
- Bank or credit card statement. Not much use if you’re trying to open a first one, but banks will accept other bank statements as proof of address.
- Tenancy agreement. Some banks accept it, others will only take it if it’s issued by a housing association or by the local council. Traditional banks usually publish a list of the documents they’ll take as proof of identity and address. Checking it before starting your application will save you from wasting time.
- University acceptance letter/enrolment certificate. If you’re a student, you can print one directly from your university’s online portal. Again, some banks will take it, some won’t.
Criteria can vary from bank to bank and some branches (and even some employees!) can be stricter than others. All of the above will have to be recent and display both your name and the exact same address you’re using for your application.
Challenger banks are good for moving country
Aside from being quick and easy for sign up to, challenger banks have a series of features that appeal to people who travel, such as:
- Low fees for using the card abroad. With most challenger banks, transactions abroad come for free, and so does withdrawing cash from ATMs, at least up to a certain limit. If you travel quite a lot or are planning to spend your holidays back home, you’ll save a nice amount of money in fees.
- Multicurrency accounts. Both Revolut and Monese already come with free EU accounts together with the UK one and Starling is currently rolling out the same feature. With Revolut, you’re covered even if the euro isn’t the currency you need: you can exchange money in 24 different currencies without paying any fee up to £5,000 a month, at the interbank exchange rate.
- Budgeting features. Most challengers offer a smart digital banking app that includes detailed data reports on how you spend your money, plus ways to put some aside for a specific goal, which can be helpful if you’ve just moved to the UK and are struggling to figure out what kind of lifestyle you can afford with your current salary.
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