Overseas banking in the UK. Help!

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I have been living in Australia for almost 8 years, originally from the UK, and I have still got my Barclays standard current account which I have from when I used to live in UK. (I do of course have an Australian account which I use day to day but I still like to keep a UK account for occasional money gifts from my in-laws for my 3 DC, and also to use when I go back to visit)

It really isn't optimal for someone in my position. I have to use a PINSentry device to do anything at all, and mine recently broke which has meant I am unable to access my UK acct. I can't even order a new device because I don't have a UK address. There are no back up options. I can not even download the Barclays app because I have a foreign number. In order to do anything with my account I have to call Barclays. This involves getting up in the night time and spending a hefty sum on international calls whilst I sit on hold for ages, and the usual conclusion is me being told to go into my local Barclays branch. They simply are not set up to deal with overseas customers.

Can anyone recommend a decent UK bank for someone in my position? I just want to be able to easily access my account from overseas. I don't want to have to use a stupid little device which is almost impossible to get hold of, and be told that I must go to a UK cash machine/branch to do something. I would really love to be able to use a banking app on my Australian phone. Does this even exist? Am I asking for the moon on a stick?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

You need an offshore or expat account. HSBC offer one.

Thus may sound a bit silly, could you write to your branch?

I lived abroad for 8 years and had no issues using my NatWest app/account on a “foreign” phone.

I’d had the account from 18 and just told them that I was moving abroad but wished to keep the account open and would occasionally have transactions in that country, never had any issues in 8 years.

I also have a Monzo account that I used when living in South Africa, again all app based. As they don’t have branches, this may be easier to set up. I’m pretty sure I set mine up while living abroad.

Try Standard Bank in the Isle of Man
international.standardbank.com/

You will find it difficult without a UK address. As you are finding out, you really shouldn't have your Barclays account any more as you are not UK resident.

FIL uses HSBC in the states and my sister maintains nationwide in Aus with no problems. Can you get someone in the uk to who banks with Barclays to order a card reader and post it to you?

Can your inlaws go get you a new security device, and post it to you?
I think you will struggle to set up a new account.

Might he worth looking at a multicurrency account- as mentioned above HSCB/SABB is one possible.

Or one of the digital banks?? I think wise (previously transferwise) might do one.

You could try setting up a personal account with TransferWise. You can choose to have wallets in both British and Australian currency. All online.

We’re in the UAE and I have similar issues with an old NatWest account that I still use occasionally for several reasons. Not being able to travel due to COVID has made it even worse as all the replacement cards, card readers etc get sent to my mum’s UK address and we haven’t been back now for two years.

My only suggestions, although neither probably that helpful right now:

• can you bank with the same bank in Aus and the UK? We bank with HSBC Middle East and also HSBC UK which means we can do the majority of transactions through one log in

• offshore banking. Again we’ve set this up with HSBC Expat, now I just need to figure out how it all bloody works

My FIL lives abroad (not to far from AUS) and has a local account and a Barclays account. He uses our address for the statements etc to come do, and confirmed with Barclays that myself or my partner could speak for him on his behalf.
New cards get sent to us we activate them and set a pin then hand over on visits (he comes over 4 times a year).
Could you not use a family members address and do the same.

For the app he downloaded a VPN and was able to download and use the app when using the VPN

They simply are not set up to deal with overseas customers

This is indeed true. Modern online banking makes many things much easier but not having a local address will put up lots of barriers for the traditional high street banks.

I used to use Barclays International (under protest), the service got a retail customer was not that great. Meanwhile the market has moved on. Have a look at https://www.revolut.comm and https://wise.com and https://monzo.comm

This will be hard to find, especially post Brexit. You’re going to be much better off to get an expat account, almost all U.K. accounts are going to require proof of address. You’ve got away with it on an older account because you’ve already provided that, but once it flagged up (because something broke or someone else used the address etc) it was always going to be tough.

In the short term, barclays might let someone collect a PIN Sentry for you and post it over, but I’d look at expat accounts so that you’re set up for when they cotton on anyway, they’re highly likely to close your account when they do.

They're not set up for people who live overseas because they are for UK residents. You need an expat/offshore account.

I've been into a Barclays branch every time I have come back to visit the UK for "housekeeping" purposes (usually needing a new bank card or similar) and have told them that I live full time in Australia and they have never said that this is a problem. I am certainly not deceiving them about where I live.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll look into an account with HSBC, and close the Barclays acct.

Can you not just buy a pin sentry device off EBay or something, looks like they're between £10 and £14 on there

I also have a Barclays standard account and haven't needed to use my pin machine thing in years now. Only when I'm adding a new recipient to pay to and I don't always need it for that. I'd happily send you mine if I knew where it was.

Do you realise that you can use any pinsentry card reader - it doesn't necessarily have to be a Barclays one (e.g. could be Santander, Lloyds etc)

@flippityflippityflop I did not know that! That's very interesting

I'm abroad and am with HSBC. Not an expat account, just the one I've always had. Never any bother with customer service, I can speak to them on the phone from here with no quibbles. My credit card is also with them, and I have an overdraft facility.

In the meantime, you can call via WhatsApp for free to any number. I often speak to my cousin in Australia from the UK.

I highly recommend wise.(used to be called transfer wise ) You pay hardly anything in conversation rates and it's brilliant I've used it for a few years

Is Wise an actual online bank or a system for transferring from one bank to another? I keep thinking I should put something in place on the off-chance HSBC shut me down eventually.

I've switched to Revolut.