Opening a bank account in the UK (and other things to do when moving to the UK)

On October 23, 2021October 18, 2021 By notyouravggiraffeIn UK2 Comments

It’s a cliché expression, but I can’t believe it’s been over a month since my plane landed at Heathrow airport. I feel like everything has been go, go, go the whole time, so I’m trying to take some time to reflect, and to write about what has been the most stressful part of my move: opening a bank account. It’s one of the big things when you move abroad, but there are certainly others, so I’ll be writing about those as well – hopefully this might help if you’re (thinking of) moving to the UK!

Enjoy a soothing London gif before I dive into the horror of opening bank account here

Opening a bank account in the UK

Since I moved to the UK for a job, opening a bank account was top of my list of priorities because I wanted to be paid. The last time I opened an account in the UK, I was a student, and I’ve since found that the requirements for opening an account as a student are endlessly easier than when you’re here under any other status (essentially as a student, all you need to do is show a letter of acceptance from the university where you’ll be studying and they’ll let you open an account – except at NatWest where they have a three year residency requirement for students wanting to open a student account). It took two weeks for me to find a bank that would accept me, and I’m not going to lie, I cried through the streets of London on a few occasions because of how stressful the whole process was. I’m not sure how helpful writing up my experience will be for future movers to the UK, but in case it is, here’s how it went down.

Before I moved, I made an appointment with Santander online for shortly after my arrival since a lot of banks are currently requiring you make an appointment in advance due to the pandemic. Santander has a bank account that is specially for people who have relocated to the UK within the last twelve months, either to study or to work. Perfect, right? Or so I thought. To open a bank account in the UK, you need proofs of address, and this is a whole catch-22 situation where you sometimes can’t get those proofs without a bank account, but you can’t get a bank account without them (flashbacks to France). Santander required two proofs of address, but would allow me to use a letter from my employer with my UK address as one of them. I had already sorted out my living situation, so I had an address going in, but you can see how this would be problematic if you didn’t have a permanent address, yet. The list of proofs of address you can use is fairly long, but as a non UK citizen, about 1/3 of them weren’t available to me anyway. The bank also wouldn’t accept my lease agreement as I didn’t go through an estate agent, I didn’t have a utility bill or council tax as that’s included in my rent, and I couldn’t provide a bank statement from the UK as I didn’t already have a UK bank account (Monzo is usually recommended but I was denied for reasons beyond my knowledge). I was told that a good workaround is to apply for a provisional driver’s license but that requires sending your passport off, and there’s currently a massive backlog so that would’ve been problematic given that I didn’t want to wait potentially 16 weeks to open a bank account! The first full day I had in London, I rang HMRC to change my address on file so I could get an NiN letter with that on it as Santander had said they’d accept it, but of course, I couldn’t make that phone call until I was physically in the UK (if you don’t already have an NiN, you might have to apply for one – anecdotally I have heard of some people needing one to open a bank account, but that wasn’t ever asked of me).

ANYWAY, I went to my appointment without a second proof of address (as I didn’t have one), and was promptly told they couldn’t do anything until I had one. Since I’d already rung HMRC, I decided to play the waiting game and see when that documentation arrived. It took eight working days, and then I immediately made another appointment for Santander because hooray, I now had the necessary documents! Too bad my HMRC letter didn’t have a date on it so Santander wouldn’t take it (you can imagine my face when the employee told me that). Their suggestion at that point was to either phone HMRC again and wait another 10 working days, or try another bank. I chose the latter, and so began a four hour journey through central London, which was (I’ll admit) a little teary at times.

I went to Barclay’s next and the first branch I stopped in told me their next appointment wasn’t for three weeks, so I ventured further on to another branch, and they told me to download their app to apply. Unfortunately, their app doesn’t work on the US App Store, so I would’ve had to change the region for the App Store, which would then cancel out the subscriptions I have, which… no thank you. It ultimately didn’t matter as they wouldn’t accept my HMRC letter as proof of address, nor would they accept my letter of employment as my employer isn’t registered with UKVI. At this point, I was genuinely asking myself how on earth I was going to get a bank account so that I could get paid!

I googled Lloyd’s and Metro bank, both of whom either required a dated HMRC letter, or other proofs of address that I didn’t have as someone who had just moved (funny how you can be hired by a company in the UK, be on a contract where you’re paid in £ and still be told they won’t let you open a bank account). I was about to give up when I happened upon an HSBC. I was pretty sure based on my research that it wouldn’t be an option, but I decided to give it one last go anyway. They let me apply with just my letter of employment from my employer! I had to do the application process online in the branch and then wait while they processed it – I wasn’t approved for the account they had recommended I apply for, but they did approve me for another one and at that point, I was so desperate just to get an account going that I took it and RAN. I truly can’t believe how hard it is to open a bank account here. I thought France was the worst, but the UK manages to eclipse that entirely.

If you’re moving to the UK for work, here are some items you can use as proof of address so you can have that list handy (although know that every bank will have their own idiosyncrasies so do a quick Google beforehand if you can):

Letter of employment from employer (this needs to be on letterhead paper with the name of your employer, your full name, your UK address, and salary information, all signed by someone in HR)
Council Tax statement (this is something all UK residents other than students pay so get that set up ASAP if not included in your rent)
Utilities bill (again, need to get it set up since you have to show a letter with your address on it, and it might take a while to generate the statement, assuming utilities aren’t included in your rent)
Lease agreement (this tends to need to be from an Estate Agent or a registered letting company, so if you do a bare lease agreement or something with family/private, it might not work)
Provisional Driving License (you can apply for this once you’re in the UK, but it will require sending off your passport/BRP to DVLA [depending on your status in the UK])
HMRC tax statement (only works if you’ve worked in the UK before)
National Insurance Number Letter from HMRC (if you already have an NiN, you can ring them to change your address and they’ll send you a new letter. Make sure it’s dated as banks tend to have a clause of “dated within the last three months”. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait to get your NiN as you can’t ring HMRC to do that)
Bank statement from a UK bank account (this is where Monzo comes in handy, although they’ve tightened their requirements for approval so it’s hit or miss if they’ll approve you. You can only open a Monzo account once you’re in the UK)

Additionally, you’ll need to show a proof of identity which will either be a UK/Irish passport, or a non UK/Irish passport with your right to live inside or your BRP (being a visitor or a tourist doesn’t tick this box). Americans also need to know their Social Security Numbers (you don’t have to show proof of it, though) as due to FATCA, all foreign bank accounts have to be declared.

I did get my debit card within a week of opening the account, though, and the PIN as well so that was quick! I knew opening a bank account would be difficult, but I genuinely had no idea how stressful it would be. If you manage to open an account with just a letter of employment (as I did), and are using a temporary address (like an AirBnb or a friend’s place), be sure you’ll be there long enough to receive your card and PIN as those will come through the post.

Registering with a GP

In addition to opening a bank account once I got here, I also needed to register with a GP. I had an NHS number from when I studied abroad, but the surgery where I’d been registered was local to where I studied abroad, and not where I’m now living in London (and you need to be registered with a GP that services the postcode where you live). If you don’t already have an NHS number, you’ll have to get one at some point, although I’m not sure if you need it to register or if you can do it without (assuming you weren’t automatically registered with your visa type). This process involves going onto the NHS website to find what GPs might service your catchment (and I say might as they might service the first letter and number of your postcode, but not the last three), and then investigating if they’re accepting new patients. If they are, you can apply to register there. I was able to do it online, and now I’ve got a GP in the UK. I’ll comment that I received no notification that I’d been registered so phoned up to confirm, but the process was quick and easy (I was registered in two days). My only big gripe is that the UK hasn’t yet come up with a way to register Covid vaccinations from abroad. While it’s noted in my file at my GP, I can’t have access to the Covid Pass, and if they start rolling out boosters to the general public, it’s going to be a mess to get that as the NHS has no record of me having gotten the first two doses (fun things to deal with in the future).

As a side note, A&E (Accident and Emergency) care is free to anyone, whether you’re registered with a GP or not! There is a triage system in place, so you might have to wait a bit of time, but you can access that care if you need it. You can also phone 111 to speak with an NHS advice professional who can instruct you on further steps for your care.

Getting a phone number

When you initially arrive in the UK, you’ll want a phone number. The best way to start is with a Pay As You Go plan. This will give you one month of data/texts/minutes. I started out buying a SIM from Three, but then when my month was up, I switched to EE because they have better service, and I could get WiFi in tube stations (which is something I missed while on Three). Unfortunately, without a British bank account, you can’t get on a monthly phone contract, and even with one, you’ll have to pass a credit check. I’m currently on a rolling monthly contract so I’m not locked into anything (always a little worried the world will flip upside down again), but if things start to look super permanent for me, then I’ll consider transitioning to a 12 month contract. The benefit of my switching out of Pay As You Go, though is also that since I’m now on a contract, it will start contributing to my credit score in the UK! This is especially a big deal as there isn’t really any other way for me to build credit currently, as I’m ineligible for any UK credit cards without at least three months residency (and most require even more, sometimes even up to three years!).

Those are the biggest things (to me at least) when it comes to moving to the UK! It’s certainly overwhelming, and over a month in, I’m still getting used to everything, but at least I’ve sorted most of the bureaucratic things (until tax season comes around, ugh). I hope this was somewhat helpful if you’ve got your sights set on the UK, or are in the process of making plans to move there. Please let me know if I’ve forgotten anything, though!

Moving to the UK!

On September 12, 2021September 12, 2021 By notyouravggiraffeIn UKLeave a comment

I’ve been pretty quiet on the blog the past few weeks, and while a lot of that is due to the fact that I haven’t been up to much, it’s also because I’ve been preparing for an(other) international move! This time, I’m headed to London. I’m absolutely thrilled to be heading back to the UK, and to be doing so for a job, since that feels way more adult and legit (and in a different way than my experience with TAPIF, not to disparage that at all, but this has more of a long lasting feeling). Much as it feels weird to write, this move has the makings of being a more permanent one, so the process has been overwhelming to say the least! With that in mind, I figured I’d write up a little bit about the process, since it’s not all been super smooth and easy.

Pre-departure preparation

As with any kind of move, there was a lot of packing to be done. Luckily, I had been planning on moving to the UK in September anyway (the initial plan had been grad school but sometimes life hands us different plans, and that’s okay!), so it wasn’t like I was completely unprepared when it came to figuring out what I would bring. Once again, I was thrown back into the mindset of weeding through my closet to decide what clothes I wanted to bring, what shoes were coming along (and trust me, it was a lot), and anything else that I wanted to have immediately. It’s always a weird feeling to try and pack up your life, and you’d think after the several times I’ve done it that it would be a piece of cake, but alas, it only gets marginally easier each time. All I can say is thank goodness for space bags.

Pandemic Travels

Much like when I went over to France, pandemic restrictions are still in place. Unlike last time though, more is open so more people are traveling, and you can definitely feel it in the airports (and even in checking my seat assignments before leaving). The UK currently requires a negative Covid test taken within three days of departure, based on the date of departure of the flight that will actually take you to the UK (I had to take two flights given that no non-stops were running from PDX). It’s a bit confusing compared to France’s 72 hour requirement, but it’s three calendar days – I left Wednesday September 8, and was tested Sunday, September 5 to ensure I had the results back in time (my provider where I was tested was estimating 48-72 hour turnaround time, but it ended up being just over 24 hours so it was fine anyway). The US is currently an amber list country, but vaccinated Americans are given the same treatment as travelers coming from green list countries – no need for isolation, and a requirement to take another Covid test within two days of arrival. Unvaccinated Americans are classed with any other amber list traveler, and must isolate for 10 days, taking tests on days two and eight (with an option to book an additional day five test for test and release). Any tests must be booked before arrival, and you have to fill out the information on the Passenger Locator Form (which will include a unique code given to you when you book your Covid test), which also indicates where you will be staying and your purpose of travel, within 48 hours of your arrival into the UK. Here are all the documents I needed:

LIST OF REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Passport
Boarding pass
Negative Covid test, taken within three days of boarding flight to the UK
Passenger Locator Form (with unique reference code for prebooked day two test)
CDC vaccination card

Although the journey was long, it was fairly painless (other than the backs of my ears, which by hour ten of the journey were less than happy from the mask – I’d love to hear earsaver techniques, I am ALL EARS, pun intended). Due to it being an international flight, I was unable to check in online with Delta, and had to wait to do so at the airport, so that meant allowing slightly more time in the morning before my flight. In Portland, they verified my Covid test, vaccination card, and passport before issuing me my boarding pass. I had to first fly to Atlanta, and although the flight was pretty full, it wasn’t as full as my app had indicated it might be (no complaints from me)! As they’ve been for several months now, masks were required on both legs of my journey, and just like when I flew to France, I had no issues with it (other than the ear thing, but that’s because I went in a KN95 this time instead of a cloth mask so the straps were less forgiving). The three hour layover in ATL went pretty quickly, given that around 45 minutes before boarding started, everyone was called to the gate so they could verify our documents. There they checked covid tests, vaccination cards, passenger locator forms, and passports, before writing all that information down and putting a red sticker on my boarding pass to indicate I’d cleared document check. They were making people fill out the locator form if they hadn’t done so before they’d be considered fully checked in, so that’s a much needed document (in addition to everything else). The flight to London was pretty good, all things considered. There was dinner and lunch service, plus some good snacks so can’t complain about that! I was able to watch the new David Copperfield film, and apart from the uncomfortable headphones, and the fact that the flight tracker map didn’t work (I might be the only one, but it’s absolutely one of my favorite parts about flying), I enjoyed my flight, and was able to sleep for a lot of it. Delta isn’t currently running flights to the UK from the US, so I flew with Virgin Atlantic (a codeshare). I’ve never flown them before, but I enjoyed their service and the experience was comparable to the flights I’ve taken with Delta. Other than some pre-departure drama involving a cancelled flight with no notification, the whole process of flying during this next phase of the pandemic wasn’t horrible.

Customs at Heathrow oddly didn’t feel that much different than in non-pandemic times. Since I used an EU passport (although this applies to UK citizens, US passport holders, and a handful of other country passports), I used the E-gates. Nobody checked any of my documents once I arrived in London, but if you can’t use the E-gates, they absolutely will, and if there are any problems with the E-gates, customs can check those documents, too. Getting my bags took a while, and because I have so much stuff (moving will do that to you), I took a cab to where I was staying instead of trying to navigate the tube (which I would’ve done given any other circumstance). The traffic was absolutely horrific, and for that alone, if you can take the tube, do it.

Some ambiance lighting (and orange juice) to set the mood for the long flight to London

After Arrival: the Practical Things

After I was able to unload all my things, the first task I had to conquer was getting my day two Covid test taken. You can do this anytime between arrival (day 0) and day two, so I booked mine for the same day I arrived just so I could get it done. There’s a long list of providers you can use, and you can opt to have it swabbed by a professional, or to have a kit mailed to you. Considering I was staying at an AirBnb, and didn’t know the mail situation, I opted for finding a place in person. I used a testing center in Canary Wharf, and was able to get in before my appointment time so that was nice. It was five minutes to get the swab done (which was less painful than France, but more-so than the US – I have thoughts on the somewhat metaphorical analogy this makes), and I was pleased with the process, although I’ll grumble a bit about the price of it (£65 for those of you curious). The test results came via email in 54 hours, which was longer than the 48 hours I was promised. I will say it’s a little odd that they ask you to take a test within two days of arrival, but you have no requirement to isolate while you wait for the results. It seems a little risky, given a lot can happen in two-three days, but here we are.

The next thing I had to do was get a SIM for my phone (if only because for as well as I know London, I’m still not an expert at getting from place to place without a little maps assistance). Since I was out at Canary Wharf for my test, I hopped on the DLR to get to Westfield Stratford so I could visit a Three store. There are loads of mobile providers in the UK – and I’ve used three and EE in the past – but I used Three when I studied abroad so I had an urge to use them again. It wasn’t nearly as smooth as I wanted it to be, but the good news is that since I’m on a Pay As You Go plan, I can switch providers at any point if I want to do that. Either way, my phone is now fully functional in the UK.

The element I still haven’t sorted though is opening a bank account. For as much as I thought France was horrifically bureaucratic and difficult, the UK is proving to be worse (who would’ve thought that was possible??). In order to open an account, you need a proof of address. Since I’ve already sorted my living situation, this should be easy, right? WRONG. To prove that I’ll be earning in the UK, I have a letter from my employer confirming my employment with them, as well as my UK address (where I’ll be moving next month). This, however, isn’t enough for any banks. They want post that was delivered to you or a lease agreement (but this can only be from an Estate agent or through a council agreement, which mine isn’t, so my lease agreement doesn’t count). A lot of the things you can use as proof of address aren’t available to me as a non UK citizen (registration on the voter roll, current driver’s license – I could apply for a provisional license but that involves sending off your passport and has a massive wait time, etc…). I’ve changed by address with HMRC so they can send me an updated letter with my National Insurance Number (thank goodness I already had one of these since the backlog is running ~ 16 weeks to get one right now), but that’s going to take 10-16 business days, so that’s essentially my time frame for when I’ll be able to open a bank account. I couldn’t update my address until I was actually in the UK, so really this whole process is a whole catch-22 of epic proportions. I tried opening online accounts like Monzo and Monese, since that’s recommended to try and get something with your address on it, but Monzo denied me (with no reason given, much to the consternation of the bank tellers with whom I spoke about it), and Monese required paying for the debit card (which didn’t seem worth it just to generate a statement I could use for opening an account somewhere else). It’s definitely still a work in progress, and an infuriating one at that. Fingers crossed I’m able to resolve that at some point in the near future, if only so I can be paid (just a small thing, really).

Random moving to the UK tip: Since there’s a possibility this move will be for a while, one thing that could become important for me down the line is having UK credit history. Unfortunately, my US credit history doesn’t transfer outside the country, so I’m essentially starting from scratch. That means I’ll be back in the endless cycle of being unable to get credit cards because of a lack of credit history, but being unable to generate any credit history because I can’t get a credit card. Something that was suggested to me was to get an American Express credit card in the US. After three months of use, I can exchange it for a UK one, no questions asked. This way (in at least three months’ time), I’ll be able to start generating some credit history in the UK! I have no idea if it’ll be successful or seamless, but I’ll report back on that one. I was, however, impressed with the speed with which I received my card in the US!

Despite the minor bank account hiccup, my arrival into London has been lovely, and I’m over the moon to be back. I’ve been able to wander around a bit (blog post incoming on that one), and it really does feel like coming home in a weird way. I’m still definitely stressed about the pandemic, and its effects on the UK (and my job), but I can tell I’m going to have to channel my worries differently over here. Contrary to what I’m used to in Washington (I can’t say the US because not every state has handled the pandemic the same), mask wearing is not really a thing outside, nor is it truly required/enforced inside. I’ve been a little disappointed by how many places have signage recommending the use of a face mask, but not requiring it – seems silly to think most people would automatically comply with recommended than required. It’s more lax than France for sure, but I’ll have to adjust since this is where I’m going to be living for the foreseeable.

It’s hard to believe that I set foot in London for the first time (almost exactly) five years ago, and here I am moving here. If only my 20 year old studying abroad self could see me now. I had no idea at the time how much my life would change from studying abroad (which is cliché, I know, but I do have some proof of that fact), and I’m truly so grateful that the stars have seemingly aligned to make my coming back possible. Here’s to a new adventure!

Not Your Average Giraffe

Tag: Moving abroad