I've had a brilliant idea -Barclays are closing my UK account as I am non-resident - why don't I tranfer my pension payments to a UK credit card?

[nglodnig]

As I said, just an idea. I will phone UK International state pensions tomorrow to see if they can pay into a UK credit card account in my name. I'll keep people posted (if you're interested). So far I have tried all the major banks to see if I can open an offshore current account - yeah sure, if you've loadsa money and will keep it with us. Thanks, but no thanks.

[London Lowf]

Bank accounts your pension can be paid into

Your State Pension can be paid into:

• a bank in the country you’re living in
• a bank or building society in the UK

 

 

 

An interesting idea but, looking at the above, I'm not sure it will work. Let us know how you get on.

[Mike Teavee]

I don’t see how a pension company can pay a Credit card (they need Sortcode & account number) but even if they could, how do you maintain a UK Credit Card without a UK Bank Account? 
 

Better idea, set-up a Wise Account & get a UK Bank Account (NB I did this from Thailand but had proof of address in UK from Barclays & HMRC so I don’t know if it will work for you if you don’t but if you have a UK account / Credit card registered to a UK address it’s worth a try) 
 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Mike Teavee

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

Let us know how you get on

I will. Watch this space.

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

I did this from Thailand but had proof of address in UK

I don't. Next question.

[nglodnig]

4 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

hey need Sortcode & account number)

I HAVE this, and need to supply a reference which is my credit card number. Credit cards supply sort code/account number for payments. You need to supply the CC number as reference.

Edited May 22, 2023 by nglodnig

[Mike Teavee]

3 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

I don't. Next question.

You have a Barclays account & UK Credit card so have proof of address 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Mike Teavee

[Mike Teavee]

1 minute ago, nglodnig said:

I HAVE this, and need to supply a reference which is my credit card number.

Which Bank do you have Sort Code / Account number for & which country is the registered address?

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

You have a Barclays account & UK Credit card so have prod of address 

My address is not in the UK - if it was this would be simple.

[London Lowf]

Is the account number "00000000"? My Halifax card is with the card # as the reference, and maybe that would ring the alarm bells at DWP.

 

When you call, make sure that your phone is fully charged! I phoned them earlier today, but not the international section.

Edited May 22, 2023 by London Lowf

[Mike Teavee]

Just now, nglodnig said:

My address is not in the UK - if it was this would be simple.

So your Barclays account is registered to a non-UK address? 
 

 

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Which Bank do you have Sort Code / Account number for & which country is the registered address?

Do you want my mothers maiden name too? ???? I have a UK credit card with a sort code and account number. I will see if I can pay into this.

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

So your Barclays account is registered to a non-UK address? 

Er - yeah... that is why it is being cancelled..... must be late in the day in Thailand....  or early depending on your point of view.

[freedomnow]

OP you sound like a surly teenager when you answer people trying to help you..on each answer almost.

 

 

[Mike Teavee]

2 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

Er - yeah... that is why it is being cancelled..... must be late in the day in Thailand....  or early depending on your point of view.

Actually I’m visiting family in the UK so it’s 9:04pm here 

 

just trying to help & offer suggestions, clearly you don’t need them so I’ll leave you to it…

 

 

[nglodnig]

5 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

OP you sound like a surly teenager when you answer people trying to help you..on each answer almost.

 

Well they are pretty obvious questions which I have already answered in my posts above. And to be really brutally honest, I am not asking for help. I am informing interested people what my plan is and will inform this thread if it works. The clue was in the title of this thread - Barclays closing account because of non-residence in the UK.  So questions like: do you have a address not in the UK are let's be honest a tad superflous. But thank you for your interest.

 

[nglodnig]

21 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

You have a Barclays account & UK Credit card so have proof of address 

Yes an address outside the UK which is why Barclays are closing the account.

[London Lowf]

A thought. You say you will phone international - do they already know that you are a non-UK resident? Bear in mind that you lose the index-linking once they find out, and that was worth over 10% this April!

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, London Lowf said:

do they already know that you are a non-UK resident

Yes but I'm resident in a country that gets the increase due to a bilateral treaty.

[nglodnig]

20 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

just trying to help & offer suggestions, clearly you don’t need them so I’ll leave you to it…

 

I'm good thanks I will post results of my endeavours here.

[Mike Teavee]

12 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

Yes an address outside the UK which is why Barclays are closing the account.

Again, I’m just trying to help, IIRC when I opened my Wise account in the UK (had moved to Thailand & my account with them was previously registered in Singapore) I just needed my passport & 1 proof of address so maybe your UK Credit Card address (assuming it’s registered to a UK address) will do. 
 

If you have nothing registered to a UK address then maybe you can have your pension paid directly to your Thai Account (State Pension definitely, Private Pension obviously depends on you Pension company but you can’t be the only person on their books who doesn’t live in the UK so you would hope they have a way of handling it).

 

I very much doubt that paying it to a Credit Card will work but good luck with it & hope you find a solution that works for you 

Edit: I see from post above you’re not living in Thailand, but hopefully your pension provider can pay it to your local bank account. 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Mike Teavee

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

I very much doubt that paying it to a Credit Card will work but good luck with it & hope you find a solution that works for you 

 

I have a couple of accounts in other countries  they can pay into but I am trying to avoid bank charges for int'l money transfer. If I pay into my UK credit card and use that in Thailand it will incur minimal fees. Thanks for looking into this, I wasn't being intetionally surly it's just I've been on this and another thread for some time and keep getting asked the same questions. My apologies if I seemed abrupt.

[Mike Teavee]

2 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

I have a couple of accounts in other countries  they can pay into but I am trying to avoid bank charges for int'l money transfer. If I pay into my UK credit card and use that in Thailand it will incur minimal fees. Thanks for looking into this, I wasn't being intetionally surly it's just I've been on this and another thread for some time and keep getting asked the same questions. My apologies if I seemed abrupt.

No worries, hope you find something that works for you & (without banging a drum) Wise are a good solution in a lot of countries with pretty decent fees / exchange rates when it comes to moving it to a local currency ????????

 

 

[nglodnig]

7 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Wise are a good solution

Thanks I will look into that.

[it is what it is]

or just use a family/friend's uk address.

[Enoon]

57 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

Do you want my mothers maiden name too? ???? I have a UK credit card with a sort code and account number. I will see if I can pay into this.

 

Be prepared to be disappointed.

 

This from my CC terms and conditions:

 

6 Payments to your account

1. You must allow enough time for your payment to reach your account by the payment due date and for it to clear. Please see your statement for details.
2. You must not deliberately make payments that put your account in credit.

 

I think you will find that my provider is by no means unique.

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Enoon

[Mike Teavee]

17 minutes ago, nglodnig said:

Thanks I will look into that.

I’m not sure if you’ve seen this thread but interesting post from a BM about using a UK mail forwarding address for his UK Bank Account & how he didn’t need any proof of address to switch to it…

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Mike Teavee
Updated link

[scubascuba3]

Credit cards aren't meant to have credit balances, short time ones seem ok, check the T&Cs, bank might end up closing it.

 

I would try to open another friendly UK bank account, failing that, Wise

[freedomnow]

3 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Well they are pretty obvious questions which I have already answered in my posts above. And to be really brutally honest, I am not asking for help. I am informing interested people what my plan is and will inform this thread if it works. The clue was in the title of this thread - Barclays closing account because of non-residence in the UK.  So questions like: do you have a address not in the UK are let's be honest a tad superflous. But thank you for your interest.

 

I

have

zero

interest.

 

 

 

 

[treetops]

Credit cards will be allowed to have a positive balance briefly, for example if refunds are made to it or payments made a day or two early.  Putting it regularly into credit will see it shut down quickly.