Bank Accounts

Already applied for a Bank Account online?

What happens next?

• Within three working days of submitting your online application you should receive an email. This will either confirm your account is open, ask you to provide some further identification or account information or advise that we have been unable to open an account for you.
• If we asked for some further identification or account information we will have detailed what we need to see and asked you to return that to our freepost address
• The confirmation email will include important account information such as your user guide and a cheque book request form.
• We will post your eBanking credentials and new card to the address you provided within 7 – 10 working days of your welcome email. If you already bank online with Abbey details on how to link your new bank account to your existing details will be provided in your confirmation email.

> I haven't received an e mail
> I haven't received my eBanking credentials
> Why am I being asked for further identification?
> I don’t have the freepost address to return my identification / information to
> I don’t have the email detailing identification / information requirements
> Why can’t you open an account for me?
> I don’t have the user guide

Already applied for a Bank Account over the phone?

What happens next?
•  If we were able to identify you over the phone, and you passed credit scoring, your bank account will have been opened during the call
•  If we asked you for further identification or account information we will have sent you a letter detailing what we need to see and asked you to return that to our freepost address
•  Once your bank account is open we will send you a welcome letter which includes important account information such as your user guide. It will also include the sort code and account number of your new account so that you can start using your new account straight away

> I haven’t received a letter
> Why am I being asked for further identification?
> I don’t have the freepost address to return my identification / information to
> I don’t have the document detailing identification requirements
> I don’t have the user guide

Still can't find the answer you're looking for? Check the complete set of FAQs

I haven't received an e mail

It can take up to five working days from the date you applied to receive an email from Abbey. Remember ‘working days’ do not include Bank Holidays and weekends.
Sometimes emails from Abbey are filtered into trash or junk folders by mistake, so you should check these folders.  It’s also worth adding customerservices@abbey.com to your email address book as this can help make sure our emails are not filtered out.
If it’s been more than five working days and you still haven't received an email then contact us and we’ll track your application for you.

I haven't received my eBanking credentials

Allowing for weekends and Bank Holidays, it could be up to 10 working days after receipt of your welcome email that you receive your eBanking credentials.  At busy periods for post, particularly Christmas, we recommend you allow an extra couple of days. If, 14 days after receiving your welcome email, you still haven't received anything, contact us and we’ll look into this for you.

Why am I being asked for further identification?

To protect our customers against fraud we are legally required to verify the identity of each new applicant, even if you’re already an Abbey customer.  We can often do this electronically.  If we can’t verify you electronically, it could be because you’ve moved recently or aren’t on the electoral roll, for example. In these cases we need to ask you to provide us with copies of documents (such as a passport) that we can accept to prove your identity.

I don’t have the freepost address to return my identification / information to

All identification can be sent back to us freepost to:
Freepost RRTL-RXRL-JUEA,
Abbey Account Openings
9 Nelson Street,
Bradford,
BD1 5AN

Please do not send valuable originals such as passports and driving licences through the post and ensure that the document(s) are photocopied on both sides and returned to us with your reference number, name and date of birth written on the back so that we can match it back to your application.

I don’t have the email detailing identification / information requirements

It can take up to five working days from the date you applied to receive an email from Abbey. Remember ‘working days’ do not include Bank Holidays and weekends.
Sometimes emails from Abbey are filtered into trash or junk folders by mistake, so you should check these folders.  It’s also worth adding customerservices@abbey.com to your email address book as this can help make sure our emails are not filtered out.
If it’s been more than five working days and you still haven't received an email then contact us and we’ll track your application for you.

Why can’t you open an account for me?

Our decision not to provide you with the Abbey Bank Account originally applied for was made by using a system called Credit Scoring. Credit scoring takes into account information you have provided to us, any we may already hold about you and any obtained from a credit reference agency.

If you’d like a copy of the information held about you the credit reference agency, you can contact them at:

Consumer Help Service
Experian
PO Box 8000
Nottingham NG1 5GX

Or, visit their website: www.experian.co.uk 

Please detail all names that you’ve been known by, along with your date of birth and details of your current and previous addresses for the past 6 years, together with a cheque for £2.00 made payable to Experian Ltd. You can also get this information by calling 0884 4 481 8000 (the fee for this telephone service, which requires a credit or debit card, is £2.50)

I haven’t received a letter

It can take up to five working days from the date you applied over the phone to receive a letter from Abbey. Remember ‘working days’ do not include Bank Holidays and weekends.
If it’s been more than five working days and you still haven't received a letter then give us a call on 0845 6033507 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am and 6pm Saturday and we’ll track your application for you. From a BT line calls to numbers beginning with 0845 will be free at certain times, depending on your BT call plan and time of call. Mobile and other providers’ charges may vary

I don’t have the document detailing identification requirements

The document that we have sent you via e mail or with a letter can be opened here. (To open this document you will need to have Adobe Reader. If you don't already have Adobe Reader you can download it for free ). Download Customer Identification Leaflet

I don’t have the user guide

The Bank Account user guide should have been attached to your welcome e mail or letter. If you didn’t receive your e mail or the attachment you can download the Bank Account User Guide here (To open this document you will need to have Adobe Reader. If you don't already have Adobe Reader you can download it for free).