A basic bank account is a free, no-frills current account designed to get everyone banking.
These accounts are made for anyone who might struggle to get a standard current account. That might be due to a poor credit history, no credit history, or a recent debt solution.
There’s no overdraft, no monthly fees, and no hidden charges if a payment doesn’t go through.
For many people, a basic bank account offers a clean slate. It’s a safe place to manage money, pay bills, and build confidence with banking again.
What we can do with a basic bank account
We can do most everyday banking:
- Get money paid in – wages, benefits or a pension.
- Pay bills automatically with Direct Debits or standing orders.
- Take out cash from machines and use a debit card in shops or online.
- Check our balance and move money using online banking, an app, by phone, or at the Post Office.
What we can’t do
A few things are different from standard current accounts:
- No overdraft – we can only spend the money we have.
- No cheque book – most people use cards or online payments instead.
- No rewards or interest – these accounts keep things simple and free.
- Won’t build credit – because there’s no borrowing, it won’t improve our credit score.
Who can open a basic bank account?
Basic bank accounts can be used by everyone. We’ll usually need to be a UK resident aged 16 or over (though some banks require 18). We can open one even if we’ve had serious credit problems in the past.
What is required:
- Proof of identity (photo ID or other official documentation).
- Proof of address (such as a recent bill or tenancy agreement).
- The bank may run an identity check—this is not the same as a full credit check, and it should not hurt our credit score.
We can open one in person by visiting a branch, by phone, online or even by post.
What proof of identity do I need?
To open a basic bank account, we’ll need to show some form of proof of I.D. Usually this is a passport or driving licence. If we don’t have a passport or driving licence, there are other forms of official I.D that can sometimes be used instead.
Not sure what counts as proof of ID? Our guide lists other official documents you can use.
Choosing the right basic bank account
We can use comparison sites to compare basic bank accounts. We’ve got lots of useful info on using comparison sites, in our guide to them here.
Which? has ranked the best basic current accounts based on customer satisfaction. We can compare them here.
Most basic bank accounts are very similar in what they offer: easy to set up, no overdraft facility and free to use. There are, however, a few things to take into account when choosing which bank to go with.
Find out how close the nearest branch of a bank is, and consider going with a bank that has a branch nearby. If there are no banks nearby, find out whether we can use the local post office to pay in/withdraw cash. Most banks now let us use the post office, but it is worth checking to make sure.
If we already have an account and are overdrawn, it’s sometimes better to open a basic account with another bank. This ensures the bank can’t transfer money from the basic account to the overdrawn account, to pay off the money owed.
Some accounts offer a £10 ‘buffer zone’, which lets us temporarily go £10 overdrawn, even if our funds are less than that.
Managing a basic bank account
- Set up Direct Debits/standing orders for regular bills, ideally just after payday or benefit day.
- Regularly check balance — via the app, online or at the branch/Post Office. This helps avoid failed payments or surprise issues.
- Remember: although the bank won’t charge for going overdrawn (since no overdraft is offered), our service providers (electricity/gas/phone) may charge if a payment fails.
- If circumstances improve, our bank might ask us to upgrade to a full-service current account. This would normally come with more features but possibly more risk or costs
