Opening a UK bank account in Northern Ireland

julietblue

Looking to start a job in England next month and obviously they're not going to pay my wages into my AIB current account, I'll need a UK account. I'd really like to have that sorted before I move over so I can get paid right away, but I get there's this whole rigmarole about proof of address, so I'm wondering if I can open a current account with BOI or Ulster Bank or someone in Newry, using my ROI address? And I presume a Northern Irish current account is good enough to get paid in England? It would just save a lot of hassle if I can just open an account in Northern Ireland.

(Still gonna be a trek to get a National Insurance number, but at least I can start working without one, provided it's in the post...)

woof im a dog

Not too sure about your question on a NI account but do you have a place to stay in the UK yet? If you do what you could potentially do is change the address of your Irish account to the UK address and request a paper statement then use this as proof of address to open a UK bank account. I didn't actually do this when I first moved to England but it can be tough otherwise to get proof of address!

julietblue

woof im a dog wrote: »

Not too sure about your question on a NI account but do you have a place to stay in the UK yet? If you do what you could potentially do is change the address of your Irish account to the UK address and request a paper statement then use this as proof of address to open a UK bank account. I didn't actually do this when I first moved to England but it can be tough otherwise to get proof of address!

The job is live-in so my place of employment is my address, and it's 11 miles from the nearest town with a bank, and I don't drive. (Youth hostel in the middle of the countryside). I haven't actually got the job yet, but I'm trying to work out the logistics so I can get the ball rolling when they get back to me this week. I'd be starting work as soon as I move over so that's why I was hoping to get a UK bank account before I move. Northern Irish account with ROI address for opening would just be more convenient.

OU812

If you have an Ulster Bank account, you can open a sterling one in their Newry branch Via email & online application.

But it'll still have an IE sort code - 98-11-40 All banks on the island start with 9 for some reason. Whereas the UK ones appear to have individual identifying codes RBS Birmingham (for example) is 16-13-05 while Barclays in Leicester is 10-80-99.

AFAIK though all banks within the EU are eligible for SEPA direct deposit, it's the currency exchange that's going to get you if you stick with a € account.

Richard

OU812 wrote: »

If you have an Ulster Bank account, you can open a sterling one in their Newry branch Via email & online application.

But it'll still have an IE sort code - 98-11-40 All banks on the island start with 9 for some reason. Whereas the UK ones appear to have individual identifying codes RBS Birmingham (for example) is 16-13-05 while Barclays in Leicester is 10-80-99.

AFAIK though all banks within the EU are eligible for SEPA direct deposit, it's the currency exchange that's going to get you if you stick with a € account.

98-11-40 is still a UK sort code and should be treated as such by your prospective employer. 98-00-xx to 98-49-xx are for Ulster Bank in NI, 98-50-xx onwards are for ROI.

Yggr of Asgard

You could look at Monese, where you can open an UK account online via an APP and also get a £ Visa Debit card with the account. However they charge 4.95£ a month fee. But it's quick and give you access to your money in £ for your living expenses.

If you just need an account but not card you could look at paywithfire which open a UK account online via the app, however it comes with no cards but it is free.

That would be the quickest to open a UK account and than give you time to sort out a permanent account with a UK bank once you have all the paperwork.

armaghlad

julietblue wrote: »

Looking to start a job in England next month and obviously they're not going to pay my wages into my AIB current account, I'll need a UK account. I'd really like to have that sorted before I move over so I can get paid right away, but I get there's this whole rigmarole about proof of address, so I'm wondering if I can open a current account with BOI or Ulster Bank or someone in Newry, using my ROI address? And I presume a Northern Irish current account is good enough to get paid in England? It would just save a lot of hassle if I can just open an account in Northern Ireland.

(Still gonna be a trek to get a National Insurance number, but at least I can start working without one, provided it's in the post...)

You'll need to travel up to Newry but it's easy done, you'll have a UK account with Irish address. You can get fully set up for Online/telephone banking and then when you're in England change the address yourself over the phone.

julietblue

armaghlad wrote: »

You'll need to travel up to Newry but it's easy done, you'll have a UK account with Irish address. You can get fully set up for Online/telephone banking and then when you're in England change the address yourself over the phone.

Yeah, that sounds like the kind of thing I was looking for. Once I have an account, it won't be so hard to change my address, and I'm in Dublin, so it's not too far to Newry. Just wanted to be sure it was possible, so I have an account number and sort code etc and they'll have no problems paying me.

whomitconcerns

I did it in September definitely the easiest way to go. Straight up to branch in newry with republic proof of address and proof of id

armaghlad

julietblue wrote: »

Yeah, that sounds like the kind of thing I was looking for. Once I have an account, it won't be so hard to change my address, and I'm in Dublin, so it's not too far to Newry. Just wanted to be sure it was possible, so I have an account number and sort code etc and they'll have no problems paying me.

I'd advise against Ulster Bank. Their sister bank in England (NatWest) are useless for Ulster Bank customers and incredibly difficult to bank with when across the water. If anything goes wrong and you need to visit a branch they'll look at you as if you've two heads before going to their manager and finding out Ulster Bank is part of the same company...and then telling you they can't do anything anyway.

whomitconcerns

armaghlad wrote: »

I'd advise against Ulster Bank. Their sister bank in England (NatWest) are useless for Ulster Bank customers and incredibly difficult to bank with when across the water. If anything goes wrong and you need to visit a branch they'll look at you as if you've two heads before going to their manager and finding out Ulster Bank is part of the same company...and then telling you they can't do anything anyway.

This is all true. But once done natwest is the best. Close the Ulster bank ac asap once natwest is open, to avoid confusion

armaghlad

whomitconcerns wrote: »

This is all true. But once done natwest is the best. Close the Ulster bank ac asap once natwest is open, to avoid confusion

Why not just open an account with Santander or Nationwide who have branches in NI and England instead of opening two?

Richard

armaghlad wrote: »

Why not just open an account with Santander or Nationwide who have branches in NI and England instead of opening two?

That would make more sense. But will Santander and Nationwide open accounts for non-UK residents like Ulster Bank will?

line console zero

HSBC will open a bank account for you in person if you have an Irish passport and an Irish bank statement as proof of address. Once you're established you can switch online to a bank of your choice.

I did this very thing when I moved to London. I just dropped into HSBC and they booked me an appointment. Two days later I went in an they opened it There and then.

I had no proof of a UK address as I had just arrived but they accepted my Irish address and passport, but mailed my statements to my correspondence address, which was my UK address. I could then use these statements as proof of address for all the other necessities.

whomitconcerns

Richard wrote: »

That would make more sense. But will Santander and Nationwide open accounts for non-UK residents like Ulster Bank will?

Nope they won't. As for hsbc, are you sure they still do that. I vaguely remember looking into that in September and don't remember it being a viable option?

sitstill

I opened an account with Bank of Ireland in Newry a few years ago. It was very easy. Phone up and make an appointment and then just go with the usual ID etc and you'll have a full UK current account with your Irish address. You can also lodge and withdraw money from your Bank of Ireland UK account in any UK Post Office, which is handy.

Additionally, I rang the Newry Jobs and Benefits office and explained my situation to them and they gave me an appointment to get my National Insurance number there. You have an interview and bring various pieces of ID and the number comes in the post a few days later.

It's very easy to get all of this done in one or two trips to Newry and be ready when you get to England!

Hope this helps.

whomitconcerns

You can't get an NI number anymore officially unless you are a current uk resident. I mean you can lie....but....

sitstill

whomitconcerns wrote: »

You can't get an NI number anymore officially unless you are a current uk resident. I mean you can lie....but....

Do you know when that came in? I got mine in 2010.

whomitconcerns

Dunno I got mine in October, and they were pretty clear on it from my first phone call.

julietblue

whomitconcerns wrote: »

You can't get an NI number anymore officially unless you are a current uk resident. I mean you can lie....but....

Okay but like, what if you live in Donegal but work in Derry city? Because I'm sure that happens, but you need a NI number for tax purposes.

whomitconcerns

Don't know about that. But first question asked is when did you move to UK.

Just found out for NI

Living or working in NI is the requirement

http://borderpeople.info/a-z/national-insurance-number-northern-ireland.html

line console zero

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Richard wrote: »

That would make more sense. But will Santander and Nationwide open accounts for non-UK residents like Ulster Bank will?

Nope they won't. As for hsbc, are you sure they still do that. I vaguely remember looking into that in September and don't remember it being a viable option?

Yes I got mine less than 1 year ago. It's called the 'Basic' bank account and it's on their website, just checked it there. It's aimed at people new to the UK. Lloyds also do a 'passport' account, which is the same thing as HSBC's basic bank account.

NewsMeQuick

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Don't know about that. But first question asked is when did you move to UK.

Just found out for NI

Living or working in NI is the requirement

http://borderpeople.info/a-z/national-insurance-number-northern-ireland.html

Hi, have you tried this and they wouldn't let you?

Has anyone tried this in the past 6 months or so?

It does save a lot of hassle - and emergency tax - so it would be useful.

whomitconcerns

I'm in London so did it with Ulster bank last October. Am with natwest now, all good

NewsMeQuick

whomitconcerns wrote: »

I'm in London so did it with Ulster bank last October. Am with natwest now, all good

Hi, so you were able to do that while living in the Rep. presumably with a job offer? So, they haven't stopped that route? Thanks!

whomitconcerns

Bank account yes. National insurance number no

soirish

Yggr of Asgard wrote: »

If you just need an account but not card you could look at paywithfire which open a UK account online via the app, however it comes with no cards but it is free.

Does paywithfire provide a genuine UK account under your name?

Yggr of Asgard

soirish wrote: »

Does paywithfire provide a genuine UK account under your name?

It's an account with UK sort code 23-22-21 in your name, however it's not a full bank account, you can receive/make payments but it does not offer direct debits or debit cards. I also think you can't get BACS/CHAPS on it but Faster Payments works.

You can also have the € version (again no direct debit/card) and transfer between them for 1.25% fee.

For what the OP wanted (a quick bank account so that he has time to sort something out in the long run) ideal.

line console zero

Or they could just get a passport account like I suggested with HSBC or Lloyds. can be done in 1 day and will accept Irish bank statement as proof of address.

soirish

Yggr of Asgard wrote: »

It's an account with UK sort code 23-22-21 in your name, however it's not a full bank account, you can receive/make payments but it does not offer direct debits or debit cards. I also think you can't get BACS/CHAPS on it but Faster Payments works.

You can also have the € version (again no direct debit/card) and transfer between them for 1.25% fee.

For what the OP wanted (a quick bank account so that he has time to sort something out in the long run) ideal.

Paywithfire GBP accounts can accept lodgements via BACS or Faster Payments. You can make payment via Faster Payment only. GBP accounts are held in Barclays.