UK banks

[salavan]

Does anyone know a UK bank that will open an account for non residents or infact any bank with a deposit protection

HSBC expat offers 50k protection but minimum balance of 60k which leaves 10k unprotected

Investec you have to have a large annual income so that's out for me.

[Crossy]

Try Lloyds International, I opened an IoM account with no UK address and a minimal initial deposit (5k GBP IIRC).

 

I will say this was some years back and things may well have changed by now, but it can't hurt.

 

You're not going to be able to open a UK onshore bank account without being demonstrably resident ????

 

[baansgr]

If you are non resident then you can not have or open an account. You can open offshore accounts with HSBC etc but as you are aware they do not come under the protection

[wgdanson]

8 minutes ago, Crossy said:

You're not going to be able to open a UK onshore bank account without being demonstrably resident

But once you have one, you can change to your Thai address.

[Crossy]

5 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

But once you have one, you can change to your Thai address.

Some, yes, but don't try with Barclays ...

[baansgr]

If its protection being your main concern, open Thai banks, at present is reasonable 1 million although on a decreasing scale on deposit dates. Thats per account not person so plenty scope.

Edited October 14, 2018 by baansgr

[wgdanson]

12 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Some, yes, but don't try with Barclays ...

Nationwide and First Direct are good with it, in fact F Direct will post the fee gift (Bose wireless headphones) to my Thai address. I just changed my 40 yr old Barclays over to F Direct. They do FREE transfers GBP to Bkk FCA. Sorry we are not helping Salavan. Don't know how you can do it.

Edited October 14, 2018 by wgdanson

[Jip99]

13 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

But once you have one, you can change to your Thai address.

 

Yes, but you are leaving yourself vulnerable to them identifying your expat status and insisting on closure..... I think Crossy may have been alluding to that with Barclays.

 

Transferwise Borderless account works.

[wgdanson]

1 minute ago, Jip99 said:

 

Yes, but you are leaving yourself vulnerable to them identifying your expat status and insisting on closure..... I think Crossy may have been alluding to that with Barclays.

 

Transferwise Borderless account works.

Yes it does, thanks. Been there and got one.

[Sophon]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

If its protection being your main concern, open Thai banks, at present is reasonable 1 million although on a decreasing scale on deposit dates. Thats per account not person so plenty scope.

The coverage amount was scheduled to be lowered to 1 mio in 2016, but that was changed as follows:

So currently the guaranteed amount is 10 mio baht. The coverage is per person, not per account.

 

Sophon

[Chivas]

If the OP is concerned with the likes of HSBC going bust I would rcommend under the mattress

Simply never going to happen

[KittenKong]

19 hours ago, Crossy said:

You're not going to be able to open a UK onshore bank account without being demonstrably resident ????

Not so. There are several onshore UK banks that accept non-resident customers, with the usual provisos of being able to show who you are and where you live. They are quite clear about this on their websites.

[KittenKong]

20 hours ago, salavan said:

HSBC expat offers 50k protection

That presumably is one of the offshore protection schemes. They look OK on paper but in fact they have no real backing. If the doodah ever hit the fan there would be little money available to pay up. The offshore schemes bear no comparison to the onshore schemes which are backed by the government.

 

All that said, I would rather never have the need to test the onshore schemes either. Let sleeping doodah lie.

[Just Weird]

18 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Not so. There are several onshore UK banks that accept non-resident customers, with the usual provisos of being able to show who you are and where you live. They are quite clear about this on their websites.

Can you name one, please?  That would be helpful, not to say a revelation!

Edited October 15, 2018 by Just Weird

[Crossy]

6 hours ago, KittenKong said:

They are quite clear about this on their websites.

Not doubting you KK, just going from personal experience trying to open an account in the past.

 

Could you point us at one or more of these banks, the information could be useful to others.

[wgdanson]

7 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Can you name one, please?  That would be helpful.

First Direct

 

[Just Weird]

4 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

First Direct

 

No good if you're not UK resident; that's a requirement according to it's website.

Edited October 15, 2018 by Just Weird

[KittenKong]

6 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Not doubting you KK, just going from personal experience trying to open an account in the past.

I certainly didnt say that it was easy or that such banks are common, but they do exist.

 

Investec was mentioned by the OP. Also Yorkshire bank (aka Clydesdale), Scottish Widows, and a couple of Indian banks. There are others also: look at the smaller names.

[wgdanson]

3 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

No good.

Pray tell me why. I have recently opened with them, with my Thai address. AND they do FREE transfers either GBP to THB or simply GBP to my FCA in GBP. 

Edited October 15, 2018 by wgdanson

[Just Weird]

13 minutes ago, Crossy said:

Not doubting you KK, just going from personal experience trying to open an account in the past.

 

Could you point us at one or more of these banks, the information could be useful to others.

I am doubting him!

[Just Weird]

3 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Pray tell me why. I have recently opened with them, with my Thai address. AND they do FREE transfers either GBP to THB or simply GBP to my FCA in GBP. 

FD will not open accounts for non-residents, that's why. 

Pray tell, didn't you say that you transferred your (resident) Barclays account to FD?

[wgdanson]

3 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

FD will not open accounts for non-residents, that's why. 

Pray tell, didn't you say that you transferred your (resident) Barclays account to FD?

You are correct Mr Weird. Once the account is open, you can then have any address you want, in the whole wide world.

[Just Weird]

2 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

You are correct Mr Weird. Once the account is open, you can then have any address you want, in the whole wide world.

I know I am correct.  

 

"Once the account is open, you can then have any address you want, in the whole wide world".

Impossible to do for a non-UK/EU resident, as I said

[wgdanson]

2 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

I know I am correct.  

 

"Once the account is open, you can then have any address you want, in the whole wide world".

Impossible to do for a non-UK/EU resident, as I said

Would a non-UK/EU person residing and working lawfully in the UK be able to open an account, and then transfer his overseas address if and when he leaves UK?

[Esso49]

This may be a useful read for you;

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2017/08/ask-an-expert-im-an-ex-pat-and-struggling-to-open-a-uk-bank-account-what-can-i-do/

[Jip99]

50 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Not so. There are several onshore UK banks that accept non-resident customers, with the usual provisos of being able to show who you are and where you live. They are quite clear about this on their websites.

 

Evidence please.

 

To my knowledge none will open accounts if you have a Thai address.

[Just Weird]

41 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

I certainly didnt say that it was easy or that such banks are common, but they do exist.

 

Investec was mentioned by the OP. Also Yorkshire bank (aka Clydesdale), Scottish Widows, and a couple of Indian banks. There are others also: look at the smaller names.

You claimed that there are "several" UK banks that will open accounts for non-residents, your suggestion was clearly inferring that they were common.  If such banks do exist and offer normal banking services, which are they?  Why leave us guessing?

 

Investec doesn't count purely because of the OP's requirements, Yorkshire Bank (Lloyds group) will not open accounts for non-residents, Scottish Widows (Lloyds group) will not do it either.  I doubt that any UK banks will do it but for my own use I would love you to prove me wrong.  Please do so, I would love to get a UK bank account again. 

 

What are the "couple of Indian banks" you know of that open accounts in UK for non-residents, or the "smaller names"? 

Edited October 15, 2018 by Just Weird

[Just Weird]

16 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Would a non-UK/EU person residing and working lawfully in the UK be able to open an account, and then transfer his overseas address if and when he leaves UK?

If that person was a UK resident, yes, he would be able to open an account based on the residency requirement. 

 

No idea about whether he'd be able to transfer his address overseas, that would be up to the individual bank but that is not the subject the OP wanted addressing.

[steve73]

I had accounts with Bank of Scotland and Nationwide before I moved to T/L.. No problems changing my address with either of them, although when my BoS credit card expired they wouldn't renew it.

I changed my NW account back to a relatives UK address, and then after 12 months they allowed me to apply for a new CC.  It's actually quite useful keeping one account UK registered, whilst the other is Thai registered.

Edited October 15, 2018 by steve73

[scottiejohn]

This is some of what is required by First Direct, a member of the HSBC group.  All UK banks are similar to this; I have not included how you get the docs certified etc.

 

Who can apply?
You. Probably. If you're over 18, a UK resident, haven't been declared bankrupt or registered for an Individual Voluntary Agreement in the last six years (or be in the process of doing so), and have a phone number and email address we can contact you with, we'd love to welcome you.

 

Documents and certification
What can I provide for Identification?
Please copy ONE document from this List and get it certified - see 'How do I get my documents certified?' below. You can't use the same document for proof of identity and proof of address:
    current full passport
    current full or provisional UK photocard driving licence (not including counterpart)
    current full UK old style paper driving licence
    current National Identity Card (only acceptable for EEA or Swiss National customers)
    Northern Ireland voter's card.
What can I provide for proof of address?
Please copy ONE document from this list and get it certified - see 'How do I get my documents certified?' below. You cant use the same document you've used for proof of identification:
    current full or provisional UK photocard driving licence (not including counterpart)
    current full UK old style paper driving licence
    Council Tax bill for current billing year inducing reminders and demand letters. dated in the last 4 months
    Utility bill eg gas. Electricity, oil or broadband dated in the last 4 months
    water rates bill for current billing period inducing reminders and demand letters. dated in the last 4 months
    telephone bill, dated in the last 4 months-sorry we can't accept mobile phone bills
    Sky or cable TV bl. dated in the last 4 months
    UK bank (excluding first direct), building society or credit union statement. This must include name, your current address and be dated in the last 4 months showing active transactional history
    UK credit card (excluding first direct) statement, dated in the last 4 months showing active transactional history
    UK mortgage (excluding first direct) statement from a recognised lender, dated in the last 12 months
    HM Revenue & Customs tax notification or summary, dated in the last 4 months or billing year
    Benefits Agency letter (Department of work and Pensions (DWP). Jobcentre Plus, Chid Benefit Office or Veterans Agency) confirming your rights to benefits, dated in the last 4 months.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2018 by scottiejohn