Bank account for au pair?

[Cornwall73]

I would like our new au pair to open an account in order for her not to be charged if she withdraws money from her account abroad and also for us to pay her pocket money into.

Has anyone done it? I have read horror stories about providing id documents

Both of our au pairs have opened a bank account.
They had to make an appointment and took ID and their invitation letter from me, which shows our address etc.

I have done it, but NatWest required proof of employment on business letter head. It was all quite good involved.

Thanks. I'm planning on visiting Barclays with her later in this week. I'd take her contract, ID and passport. She doesn't have anything else as she is not employed and is not a student.

I have always classed my au pairs as employees ( I know people disagree about this), but it does make bank accounts etc more straight forward.

We've had a problem previously as they don''t have proof of employment.

My current au pair managed to get here sorted before she came over from SA, but my first two never got anywhere.

My French au pair managed eventually to get a bank account with a very dodgy looking bank called metro bank, I don't know if they have branches everywhere but they have one between windsor and slough.

I'd be very careful printing out anything with the work employment for your au pair as you may then be liable for SSP, maternity pay, min wage, pension scheme etc....

Not liable for pension,ssp and SMP as earn to little.

Our au pairs have opened basic accounts with hsbc, with two forms of ID, a letter from me and my council tax bill

Very straightforward

a very dodgy looking bank called metro bank

lonecat - but they are entitled to min wage and maternity pay if they are employed and maternity benefits if not SMP.

querty - said bank does look dodgy its in the middle of the roundabout between windsor and slough and the staff are awful - but its all regulated by the banking authority in the UK (I checked),... its just not the bank you'd chose otherwise.

Well I chose it. The one in my city is very pleasant. How the f could a bank be dodgy looking?!

Straightforward here too. HSBC. Copy of council tax bill and a letter from us.

She got a "basic bank account" which gave her a debit card and mobile/online banking but no cheques, overdraft or credit card.

Would a prepaid debit card work? I know osper cards are aimed at children but there must be others.

Well after trawling several local high street banks today in an area well known for au pairs, nannies etc we drew a complete blank. All of them said that she needs to confirm her residency via a utility bill and that they would not accept a contract even backed by a letter from us and utility bill with our name on it. Two banks suggested that, since she is staying for a year, to add her to the water account and get them to issue a bill. Sigh!

That's bizarre Cornwall, but so often it depends on how well trained the person you speak to is!!

Call HSBC and ask over the phone. We sorted out ours without me having to step foot in a bank (au pair had to go in with paperwork).

Lloyds bank is great. My Aupairs both have opened accounts with them without any problems

Visited Lloyds today and all sorted. The only bank that would give us the time of day! Unfortunately it's the one bank which is the far away from us but hopefully she won't need to go in that often. Thank you :)