One of the most burning tasks when you arrive in the UK is to get PROOF OF ADDRESS. In the UK, it is not obvious to have personal ID with permanent address on it, such as in other european countries.
Therefore, most of banks, governmental offices, employers as well as for example libraries accepts one of the following documents:
During the second week after my first (and sole) appointment in Barclays branch, the process was drawing to a close very noticeably. Just one particulary very simple problem occured - I did not receive any pin code for my internet banking. Therefore, I had to make a phonecall to helpline, surprisingly NOT free of charge (I called from my mobile…) - I was told, during initial and short procedure for prooving my identity, that the new one would be sent during two days. Actually, I have received it during two days!
Overall, I have got the card - debit VISA with the chip for more secure electronic payments, I have received one letter with card pin, another one with an account number, which also contained another bank account for savings (which, for sure, will make me money for my holidays, ha ha..), and finally pin for internet banking. And yes, in the meantime I have received an e-mail message with user number for internet banking.
That’s it!
Newxt article about banking in the UK will be about daily use 
I was very pleased yesterday, when I came to one of bigger banks in the UK to my appointed meeting. Actually, I have been in the UK for just for 2 weeks, since I arrived from the Czech Republic (member of EU and EEA), with my personal aim to stay a few years.
Neither having any full-time job nor any rented flat (I am living in one family, for which I work as an au-pair at the moment), I entered Barclays branch with panting..
The target of the meeting was just one - opening my UK standard bank account.
I must say, I was almost shocked how long the meeting was - roughly 45 minutes, but on the other hand, this was partially caused by my “not that fluent” English and my older passport as well, that had to be checked, if there is no chance of fraud, and so on
Basically, for this basic account, you generally need just 2 documents:
After checking those ocuments, the guy entering all these details had to ask me for many different things, which I have answered with relatively ease. For example - your mother’s maiden surname, your address over the past three years or so, your income that you have and you’ll have in the nearest time, of course your current address, mobile number, … Then, you’ll probably be offered with four different types of bank accounts - personally, I’d recoment you first one, which is just basic account with a debit card and an internet banking as well as with phone banking ==> all of this is FOR FREE. After some time, you’ll be welcomed to change your account to one of “Additions” - mainly because of an insurance, that those packages includes for 6.50 to 14.50 Ł.
In fine, I must say there were notably lower amount of people than, for example, in Natwest or Lloyds banks, overall feeling is that this might be very personal bank, which gives you personal bank assistant from the beginning, asking you for no money in advance for having a basic bank account (I’ll describe it one time, this will be article about “no proof of address needed” accounts). I hope this feeling will not be changed soon