Business account checklist

Standard business accounts (including charities)

We’ll ask you to provide all the information listed in the UK Finance guide to opening a business account

The application form will also ask you to provide some additional details as set out in this guide, including:

• Details of your main customers and suppliers, both domestic and international;
• whether your business operates a PayPoint terminal;
• the channels you use to sell your products or services to your customer (online, door to door, physical store and so on);
• your annual balance sheet total;
• details of any foreign transactions you expect on your accounts, including countries, number of transactions, reasons for transactions and amounts.
• the expected amounts of cash and coins, both lodged and withdrawn from your accounts including frequency of transactions.
  • When you’re lodging cash, you need to provide details of the origin of the cash, where it’s being withdrawn, and what the cash will be used for.
• the tax residency of any owners, beneficial owners or partners, including their TIN (Tax Identification Number); and
• the levels of permission you wish to grant to any authorised account users (full details will be provided in application forms).

When you’re opening an account for a charity you will also need to provide us with:

• details of how your organisation will source and raise funds;
• details on the beneficiaries of the funds; and
• your charity’s Registered Charity Number.

Unincorporated club, society or trust

We’ll ask you for:

• A copy of your organisation’s constitution, rules or governing documentation;
• basic information relating to the club, society or organisation including its name, start date, date of formation, country of formation, legal status, addresses, contact details and previous banking details;
• detailed information including your organisation’s activities, number of employees, details of any special licences held, activities undertaken outside the United Kingdom, expected turnover, balance sheet total, country of tax residency (including TIN) and sources of income and/or investment, and beneficiaries of funds.
• Where applicable, details of your main customers and suppliers, both domestic and international. Details of what your account or accounts will be used for, the frequency and amount of cash you expect to deposit and withdraw, the number of foreign transactions you will make and receive including countries involved, amounts, frequency and reasons for transactions;
• details of office holders, officers, signatories, and where applicable settlors, trustees, beneficiaries, including their title, legal name, residential address, nationality, citizenship, country of residency, countries of tax residency and date and place of birth.

Examples of proof of identity (originals please, as we won’t be able to accept photocopies) include:

• Valid Passport
• Valid Full UK/ROI Driving Licence
• EEA Member State Identity Card
• Current Electoral Identity Card for Northern Ireland
• Blue Parking Card for people with disabilities
• Translink Senior Smart Pass
• DRD Half Fare Smart Pass

Examples of proof of address (originals please, as we won’t be able to accept photocopies) include:

• Utility bill issued within the last three months (for example for water, gas, electricity, telephone). Please note that we’re not able to accept mobile telephone bills or store card statements.
• Recent Land and Property Services bill or notice, valid for the current year
• Valid Full UK Driving Licence (if you haven’t already used it as proof of identity)
• EEA Member State Identity Card (if not already used as proof of identity)
• Recent evidence of entitlement to benefit, dated within the last six months (e.g. Social Security Agency, Child Tax Credit, Housing Executive benefits)
• Recent evidence of entitlement to State Pension, dated within the last six months
• Bank, building society or credit union statement issued within the last three months