How to open a bank account online

Opening a bank account online: what do you need?

Banks must always verify who you are and where you live before they can offer you an account so you'll typically need to provide:

• proof of identity (some banks can verify your identity with an online credit check, others ask you to upload a photo of your passport, driving licence or identity card and a handful of banks will let you upload a 'selfie');
• one or two documents as proof of address (a recent utility bill, rental contract, benefits or state pension letter issued within the past 12 months). If you're new to the UK, banks may accept a letter from a university or employer as proof of address. 

Before you start, make sure you're applying for the right account. 

You can see how customers and our experts rate different banks in our guide to the the best bank accounts.

Checklist: opening a bank account online

You don't need to visit a branch to start your application – you can do most of the legwork online, although in some cases you may still be asked to pop into branch with some ID once you get the green light.

If you want to open a joint account, some banks will only let you add additional account holders in branch. Others will perform an ID check for both of you online.

Here's a handy checklist of the information you might be asked to provide:

1. Name – as it appears on official documents, for example, passport, and any previous names if it's been changed in the past six years.
2. Age – banks set a minimum age of 16 or 18 for standard bank accounts. Children's accounts can usually be opened in-branch.
3. Home – your address history for at least three years and whether you rent or own your home with or without a mortgage.
4. Job – who you work for (including the full company address), how long you've worked there, and your job title or role.
5. Money in –your income, including your salary before and after tax, your pension and any state benefits.
6. Money out – mortgage or rent, loan and credit card repayments, number of financial dependents, for example children or elderly parents.

You'll also be prompted to read the privacy policy and consent to your information being held by the bank or building society and shared with credit reference agencies.

Check that it's registered with the Information Commissioner's Office as a data controller.

How long does it take to open a bank account online?

If you're opening an account from scratch, you can open an account online in around ten minutes. 

If you are switching from one provider to another, using the industry-wide current account switch service (CASS), switching should take no longer than seven working days.

It's backed by a guarantee that if anything goes wrong, any charges you incur will be refunded. This also guarantees that any payments accidentally paid into your old account will be redirected for three years.

If you don't want to close your old account, you can choose a partial switch instead of a full switch. This is still an automated process and should still be completed within seven working days, but you aren't covered by the service guarantee and transactions won't be redirected.

• Find out more: how to switch your bank account

Do bank account applications affect your credit score?

An overdraft is a form of credit so current accounts with overdrafts will appear on your credit report and successive applications in a short space of time could negatively affect your score.

Even if you don't have a formal overdraft facility, there are usually ways you can go overdrawn so banks are likely to carry out searches when you apply.

Credit reports don't include information about your balance but they do show lenders how many accounts you have open and details of any agreed loans, credit cards and overdrafts.

Having an overdraft facility isn't necessarily a problem – in fact, some lenders will see available but unused overdrafts as a positive so responsible use could improve your score.

• Find out more: Best bank accounts for overdrafts 

Can the bank refuse to open a bank account for me?

Banks and building societies can't be forced to open an account for anyone, although they aren't allowed to discriminate against you because of your race, sex, disability, religion or sexuality.

But, if you're turned down, you should apply for a fee-free basic bank account instead.

The nine largest banks and building societies in the UK have agreed to offer basic bank accounts with no monthly fees to those who:

• no bank account;
• have a bank account elsewhere, but want to change provider;
• have a bank account, but are in financial difficulty and want their bank to open a new, functional account for them.

Which? Money Magazine

Find the best deals, avoid scams and grow your savings and investments with our expert advice. £4.99 a month, cancel anytime

Sign up now

Can I open a bank account without a UK address?

While a number of large banks offer expat accounts (more on this below), banks generally don't open UK accounts unless you have a fixed UK address, due to strict anti-money laundering regulations and 'know your customer' checks.

Banks may apply exceptions in extreme situations, for example if you are living in temporary accommodation due to domestic violence.

If you live in a country that's part of the EU or European Economic Area (EEA), a handful of electronic money providers will let you open a current account online without a UK address.

Monese offers a multi-currency account without asking for a UK address or credit history (you will need an email address, phone number and photo ID). 

It charges £5.95 a month for its Classic account, although a free version also exists. You can deposit cash using Post Office branches or PayPoint locations, and use the account to receive a salary, or set-up direct debits.

Importantly, you don't have access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if Monese goes bust, though funds are ring-fenced in a separate account which means your money can't be lent out by Monese.

A prepaid travel card could also be useful, as these allow you to lock in favourable exchange rates and switch between currencies without paying through the nose.

• Find out more: Prepaid money travel cards reviewed

Can I open a bank account if I live overseas?

Several banks offer international or expat bank accounts designed for non-residents. Some charge a monthly fee and you might be asked to deposit a large sum of money.

For example, to become a customer of HSBC Expat you need to: save or invest at least £50,000 (or currency equivalent) within three months of opening your account; have a salary of at least £100,000 (or currency equivalent); or ready hold an HSBC Premier customer in another country or region.

Services are typically provided by the offshore divisions of these banks so check first how your money is protected.

In the case of HSBC Expat, for example, international accounts are covered by the Jersey Bank Depositor Compensation Scheme, which only covers £50,000 (the UK scheme covers £85,000).

Closing a bank account

If you decide to close your account without switching, you generally need a nil balance (Lloyds says £5 or less). If your account is in credit or overdrawn you'll need to either move that money to another account or add enough funds to clear the overdraft.

You may be able to close accounts via online or mobile banking, though this is sometimes only possible if you still hold other accounts with the bank. Otherwise, you can close your account over the phone, in person, or in writing. None of the big banks let you close an account via email but you can provide closure requests by post (ask your bank for a form or search for one on its website). 

In some exceptional cases, for example, if you want to close a 'both-to-sign' joint account (where both parties must authorise transactions), you may be required to visit a branch.

You have a right to your transaction history for up to five years after you have closed your account, thanks to rules put in place by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). 

In some cases, closing an account can affect your eligibility in the future, for example, Starling says you won’t be able to open a new account for 12 months.

Bank accounts and probate: closing an account on death

Once the death has been registered, the registry office will issue a death certificate – this is required by financial companies and government departments to settle the affairs of the deceased.

Usually, the person named as executor in the will notify any banks or building societies that the deceased holds savings and current accounts with. Where there isn't a will, a family member can apply to be administrator of the estate.

Paperwork needed to close an account will include the death certificate, identity document and in some cases, an indemnity form (signing an indemnity form means you agree to compensate the bank or building society for any losses in the event of future claims made against the estate)

• Find out more: what to do when someone dies

Probate thresholds

Banks will usually let you release funds from the deceased's account to cover probate fees, inheritance tax and funeral bills. Payments are generally made directly to HMRC or the funeral director.

You can often close an account without going through probate if the total balance is below a certain threshold (ranging from £5,000 to £50,000 see table below).

If the total funds exceed this threshold, the bank will ask to see an official document called a 'grant of probate', or 'letter of administration' in Scotland, to prove that you have the right to manage their affairs.