Opening a bank account in the UK as an expat: ID, proof of address and basic bank accounts

To open a UK bank account you normally need to live in the UK, valid photo ID and sometimes proof of your UK address. App banks such as Monzo, Starling and Revolut let you apply on your phone with a passport or national ID card, and the nine largest UK banks must offer a fee-free basic account to people legally resident in the UK who have no other suitable account.

What app banks ask for

Each provider sets its own rules. The table summarises what their help pages said when we checked.

Monzo

Monzo says you need to be at least 16 and live in the UK full time, with the right to reside. You apply in the app with in-date photo ID and a selfie video, and Monzo says the application takes about 10 minutes. It does not accept CitizenCards, because they are proof of age, not proof of identity. Monzo might ask you to prove your address; accepted documents include a utility bill, a UK bank statement or an official letter from HMRC, the NHS or the DWP dated within the last three months, a current-year Council Tax statement or an active UK tenancy agreement. Your card usually arrives within a couple of days.

See our Monzo listing for plans and fees.

Starling Bank

Starling accepts a valid passport, an EU/EEA ID card, a non-UK passport with an accompanying share code, or a UK photocard driving licence (full or provisional). It may also ask for an eVisa share code and for a document proving your address. Two details catch newcomers out:

• the names on your documents must match your ID in full, as Starling cannot accept shortened names;
• Starling does not accept documents from electronic money institutions such as Curve, Revolut or Wise as proof of address, and a bank statement must come from an FCA-regulated firm and be dated within the last three months.

See our Starling Bank listing.

Revolut

Revolut's help centre says you must be over 18 and a legal resident of a supported country for the full product range; 16- and 17-year-olds who are legally resident in the UK can also open an account, without some products such as trading, crypto and credit. You need a mobile number, an email address, personal details including your current address and citizenship, a government-issued ID document and a selfie. Revolut allows only one personal account, even across different countries, so if you already have a Revolut account from another country, you cannot open a second one in the UK. In the UK, Revolut's banking entity is Revolut Bank UK Ltd, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (FRN 981170). See our Revolut listing.

The proof-of-address problem

Many newcomers have no utility bill or Council Tax statement in their own name during their first weeks. A few practical points from the providers' pages:

1. Start with a provider that only may ask for proof of address, and keep your tenancy agreement to hand, as Monzo lists an active UK tenancy agreement as acceptable.
2. Once you have one UK bank account, its statements can serve as proof of address elsewhere, but check the rules: Starling wants a statement from an FCA-regulated firm and excludes e-money providers.
3. Make sure your name is written the same way on every document.

Your right to a basic bank account

Under the Payment Accounts Regulations 2015, a consumer who is legally resident in the UK is eligible for a "payment account with basic features" at a designated bank if they do not already hold a suitable UK account, or are not eligible for the bank's other accounts. The regulations say legally resident includes people with no fixed address, asylum seekers and people without a residence permit whose expulsion is impossible for legal or practical reasons.

HM Treasury lists nine banks that must offer these accounts: Barclays UK, the Co-operative Bank, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group (including Halifax and Bank of Scotland), Nationwide, NatWest Group (including Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank), Santander UK, TSB and Virgin Money.

According to MoneyHelper's April 2026 guide, a fee-free basic account:

• lets you receive money, withdraw cash and pay by debit card;
• lets you pay bills by Direct Debit and standing order, with no fee if one fails;
• has no overdraft and no charge for running the account (fees can apply for use abroad);
• is usually available from 16, though some banks set the minimum age at 18.

A bank can still refuse, for example if you could get a standard current account, if you cannot prove your identity or address, or if it suspects fraud. Access is not always smooth: in July 2026 the FCA said a third of the experiences in its mystery shopping of basic accounts were rated poor or very poor, and banks committed to making it straightforward for customers without standard ID or a fixed address to open one.

Is your money protected?

Deposits at UK-authorised banks, building societies and credit unions are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per eligible person per bank. The limit rose from £85,000 on 1 December 2025. If a bank has several brands, the £120,000 applies across all of them. Certain temporary high balances, such as the proceeds of a house sale, are protected up to £1.4 million for up to six months.

Our guide Is my money safe in a neo bank? explains how this differs from e-money accounts, which are safeguarded rather than covered by the FSCS.

Next steps

Compare UK accounts on our comparison table for the UK, read UK neo banks compared, and once your account is up and running, our guide to switching your UK current account explains how the Current Account Switch Service works. Requirements change, so check the provider's website before you apply.

Sources

• Monzo: How to open a Monzo Personal Account
• Starling Bank: What documents do I need to apply for a Starling account?
• Revolut Help: Getting started with Revolut
• Revolut: What do you need to open a bank account in the UK?
• legislation.gov.uk: The Payment Accounts Regulations 2015, regulation 23
• GOV.UK (HM Treasury): Basic bank accounts
• MoneyHelper: Fee-free basic bank accounts (April 2026)
• FCA: Banks told to improve access to basic accounts
• Bank of England: What is the Financial Services Compensation Scheme?
• FSCS

Prices and features checked on 2026-11-07.

This guide is general information, not financial advice. Fees, features and availability change, so check the provider's own website before you apply. Read how we compare providers and our affiliate disclosure.