Options for opening UK acc.

catbear

I looked around the forum and am seeking clarification for the conclusion I've drawn.

Basic story is my wife is applying for an NHS bursary to do a course she been accepted on, they won't let her progress with her bursary application until she provides a UK bank acc number and sort code.

We don't need a card or anything else right now, just acc details to progress the application, time is of the essence.

Monese seems to be out as it's Estonian based.

The conclusion I've come to is to ring an AIB branch (she banks with AIB in the republic) north of the border and arrange to drop in. It's really inconvenient right now but unless I'm missing something I don't see any other option.

So anyone got any ideas?

dobsdave

Type 'open uk bank account' into boards search, covered numerous times.

Crunchienut

I had a similar need a couple of years ago and called into Ulster Bank in Newry with usual ID. Current account opened no problem. I'm not a UB customer in ROI. I imagine First Trust (AIB) would be similar - but as you say, give them a call first to check

catbear

Crunchienut wrote: »

I had a similar need a couple of years ago and called into Ulster Bank in Newry with usual ID. Current account opened no problem. I'm not a UB customer in ROI. I imagine First Trust (AIB) would be similar - but as you say, give them a call first to check

Thanks Crunchienut, just glad to hear someone has done it in recent years. I'm planing on ringing a few Newry banks in the morning, they must get this regularly. Just want to know that this is possible as none of the official bank websites will give a clear answer.

thanks dobsdave, I'll done the searches and they mostly come back with online applications that could take time to complete and I'd like to have this wrapped up by the weeks-end if possible.

dobsdave

http://personal.aib.ie/our-products/current-accounts/sterling-current-account

catbear

dobsdave wrote: »

http://personal.aib.ie/our-products/current-accounts/sterling-current-account

Thanks so much dobsdave, hopefully this can provide a UK based acc with which my wife can progress her application. that's the best lead I've got so far.
I actually have sterling accs in my local irish bank but they're adamant that it had to be a UK based acc, hopefully this will work. I can get onto it first thing in the morning.

CiniO

dobsdave wrote: »

http://personal.aib.ie/our-products/current-accounts/sterling-current-account

That's an account in foreign currency, but it's still Irish account, not UK account.
No good for OP.

catbear

CiniO wrote: »

That's an account in foreign currency, but it's still Irish account, not UK account.
No good for OP.

Are you sure, the sort code is for a location in London.

Yggr of Asgard

catbear wrote: »

Monese seems to be out as it's Estonian based.

Monese is not Estonian based, it's Estonia account only for € inwards payments which are subject to fee's and you need reference numbers as it's a holding account.

You will get your own bank account number with UK sort code (Natwest) for £ payments and you get a visa debit card. £ payments are direct to the account (no reference number etc. needed).

Yggr of Asgard

You could also look at PayWithFire which also gives a UK bank account.

However there is no cards on this, so you need to withdraw to another account to get the cash and the conversion to € has a 1.25% fee but all other activity is free.

Also note that BACS payments are not accepted inbound, but most likely it's going to be a fasterpay anyhow.

catbear

Yggr of Asgard wrote: »

You could also look at PayWithFire which also gives a UK bank account.

However there is no cards on this, so you need to withdraw to another account to get the cash and the conversion to € has a 1.25% fee but all other activity is free.

Also note that BACS payments are not accepted inbound, but most likely it's going to be a fasterpay anyhow.

Thanks Yggr of Asgard, (I feel like I was swept into some fantasy realm where I've long flowing blond hair, a well shaped beard and yield a large broadsword) there's so much new stuff happening in this sector i got a lot of contradicting information in my searches. Hopefully the AIB option will get back to me soon.

Yggr of Asgard

catbear wrote: »

(I feel like I was swept into some fantasy realm where I've long flowing blond hair, a well shaped beard and yield a large broadsword).

That's a typical day for me at home....

I hope you find the right solution for your UK account challenge.

soirish

Monese seems to be out as it's Estonian based.

So anyone got any ideas?

Monese provides UK accounts what is the problem?

The account is in £.

Monese gives you your own UK Bank Account Number and Sort Code which you can use for £ transactions (incoming/outcoming) and via visa debit card.

catbear

soirish wrote: »

Monese provides UK accounts what is the problem?

The account is in £.

Monese gives you your own UK Bank Account Number and Sort Code which you can use for £ transactions (incoming/outcoming) and via visa debit card.

From what I've read on other threads about monese the bic number is Estonian. Yes it is a £ acc but it does not seem to provide a UK sort code and acc number.

soirish

catbear wrote: »

From what I've read on other threads about monese the bic number is Estonian. Yes it is a £ acc but it does not seem to provide a UK sort code and acc number.

Please read the full thread, I think Estonian BIC applies to EUR account only.

catbear

soirish wrote: »

Please read the full thread, I think Estonian BIC applies to EUR account only.

I was reading it on my phone so will have a more thorough look now. If it does check out then I'm applying asap, AIB are making an absolute hames of our application which they initially assured us would only take a few days.
After this morning encounter with them I estimate it could take a few weeks to get sorted.
This is really frustrating as we don't actually need to use a UK bank acc, just need to have one.
If monese doesn't work out I'm ringing bank branches in Newry on Monday.

catbear

Ok, went through the monese app and it appears to have supplied me a sort code that checks out as UK based. Hopefully when we run it through the application it will be accepted as such and that will be a load off our minds.

thanks for everyone's imput. I'd read other stuff about monese from last year that left me with more questions than answers but having experienced the doofery of AIB messing up a simply application process it massively increased my need for a resolution immediately.