Sir: My son is 16 and has decided that he needs a bank account, so he toured the local banks to find what was available. Each had an account specifically aimed at 16-year-olds.
However, each requires proof of identity as follows - either a driving licence, a passport or an employer's ID card. A 16-year-old cannot possess a driving licence, few are likely to have their own passport and only a few employers provide ID cards, assuming the applicant is not still at school.
Barclays Bank actually mailed him an unsolicited application form for a 16-19 account. He filled this in and mailed it back. They returned it with a letter instructing him to take it to his local branch, together with proof of identity.
The only apparent option is for him to obtain an unrequired passport. That is pounds 18 to open a bank account!
JOHN HALL
Telford, Shropshire
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