Now the first thing that comes to mind is to go to a bank on the high street in person. Unfortunately, as a new migrant, this is not always so easy. In fact, opening my first bank account caused me and countless others huge headaches because of all the required paperwork. 

The problem with high street banks

Banks require you to submit proof of your address via very specific documents such as a utility bill, council tax bill, or other bank statements – all of which are impossible to get in your first month in the UK!

There are some banks that accept job contracts and tenancy agreements, but you’ll find that this is not universal. Not all banks accept these documents, and even different branches of the same bank can vary. I booked an appointment with a bank, spent half a day for that appointment, and presented all my documents, only to be rejected. 

The nightmare you want to avoid

So what happens in these cases is that you go to another bank, then another, then yet another, and it easily turns into a whole day affair. What’s worse is that some banks rebook you an appointment in the future, only to reject you again!

I have met many others who have been through the same experience. Using these documents has worked well for some, and you can always try this first, but be prepared for a bumpy ride. 

The consequences of not having a bank account

The main issue with not having your bank account set up in time is that you won’t be able to receive payment for your first month of work! 

This is because hospitals have cut-off dates for payment to go through to your bank account. So if don’t set up your account in time, you’ll have to wait until the next month to get paid. Don’t worry, you will get your pay, but you’ll get the first two months in one go. That doesn’t help when you have a whole month of bills to pay for by the end of the first month!

What’s not a great solution

Many IMGs work around this problem by bringing lots of cash from home, but bringing a lot of money into the country can  causes problems at the airport. Also, many companies do not readily accept cash payment. Instead of paying for your bills through a few clicks on your computer, you may have to take precious time from your days off on long phone calls with customer service, or on trips to the local post office. 

Is there a better way? Definitely.