Opening a Bank Account
All banks ask for personal ID.
If you have ID with a photograph e.g. passport or driving licence this will be a big help.
Other ID that is asked for can include birth certificates and utility bills in the name of the person asking for the account, a letter confirming your entitlement to benefits or a letter from your workplace or educational institution.
Often young people do not have any suitable forms of ID. In these cases the banks will sometimes accept the support of a family member who has an existing account with them.
The websites of each bank will give further information on types of ID that they will accept.
There is more information available at the Direct Gov website: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/Money/ManagingYourMoney/DG_10027626
Whilst post office accounts are sometimes easier to open it must be remembered that Connexions cannot pay AAP allowance into these accounts, and you cannot receive EMA into these accounts.
If you are having problems with opening a bank account, contact us and we will try to help, for example by contacting banks, accompanying you to a bank interview, or by helping you to sort out ID.
