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Bank accounts

Opening a bank account is probably the most important thing you can do to help you manage your money. .

If you have difficulty in getting a current account, for example, if you have a poor credit history or do not have suitable identification then a basic bank account might be more suitable.

Basic bank accounts offer many of the same facilities as a current account but do not have overdrafts. They are easier to get especially if you have a poor credit history. Banks will often accept your tenancy agreement as a form of identification for a basic bank account.

UK banks offering basic bank accounts

• Abbey
• Alliance and Leicester
• Bank of Scotland
• Barclays
• Clydesdale
• Co-operative Bank
• First Trust Bank
• Halifax
• HSBC
• Lloyds TSB
• Nationwide Building Society
• NatWest
• Royal Bank of Scotland
• Yorkshire Bank

You can find out more about the basic bank accounts offered by these banks by visiting the Financial Services Authority (FSA) website.

Most of the banks which offer basic accounts have branches in Nottingham.