This is an appeal for any of you who can offer me some assistance.
We employ several Indian Nationals, all but one of whom have had no problems opening a bank account for the payment of their wages. However, our most recently arrived employee can't persuade any bank to open him an account - even just a savings account into which his wages could be paid and he could then withdraw with a simple cash card - No debit card, no overdraft, no loan, no cheque book etc etc. We have taken him to just about every bank in the local town, and only Nat West (initially) agreed to open an account, but the application failed when he was unable to provide a UK address for the past 3 years (obviously - he has only been in the UK since we employed him). Now Abbey, who said a savings account would be no problem as it didn't require a credit rating, have also let him down. They have asked for his passport (which he brought in to them) despite the fact that he has already provided them with his work permit, Home Office papers, a letter from our company confirming his address, salary and employment status and a copy of his passport and visas. They say they are waiting on a go-ahead from a higher authority because his passport is Indian (well, duh!) and they have to be careful about money laundering etc. I worked in a bank on a Management Programme for 2 years, and I am failing to understand the logic in all of this. He has provided them with everything they could have ever wanted, all of which is very easy to validate. He has now been in the UK for almost a full year, and still has no account. I have been having to pay his salary cheques into my own account and then giving him the cash when they clear. Can anyone shed some light on why we must endure this nonsense, or tell me where he could go without all the hassle? All suggestions welcome.