Opening a bank account

It can be difficult to open a bank account in the UK. To make life easier try to organise an account before you leave home. It could be that your bank at home has an affiliation with a UK bank, if so this can speed up the process once you get to the UK.

There are also companies in the UK that for a small fee will help you organise a bank account. This can be a good option, as they will already have established relationships with the banks.

If you do decide to go it alone when you arrive in the UK you should be able to open an account within a week.

You will need as much documentation as possible (The more documentation you have, the easier your application should be) this should include proof of ID (passport, birth certificate) and evidence of your UK address (a lease or utility bill with your name on it). It's also worth bringing a letter from your bank at home as record of your credit history, and a letter from your employer in the UK.

The major UK banks are Barclays (www.barclays.co.uk), HSBC (www.hsbc.co.uk), Lloyds TSB (www.lloydstsb.com), Nat West (www.natwest.co.uk), Royal Bank of Scotland (www.rbs.co.uk) and Opening hours for UK banks are typically 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Some open on Saturday mornings.