Halifax Proof of Address: What is acceptable

If you’re setting up a bank account, whichever bank you’ve chosen, you’ll often be asked for proof of address. With Halifax, it’s particularly likely if you’re not a UK national. Doing this can be a pain, especially if you’ve just moved - but here’s a guide to what you need to know.

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Now, back to what you came here to read.

What is proof of address?

Proof of address is a set of one or more documents that proves where you live. Broadly speaking, it’s an official document from a trustworthy source, addressed to you at your home, that you couldn’t have got if you didn’t actually live there.

You often need to provide proof of address when signing up for certain products or services. A bank account is the classic example.

When and why does Halifax ask for proof of address?

You generally need to show a bank documentation about who you are, as a security measure: they need to be sure you are who you say you are. In general, there are two established types of proof that banks ask for:

• Proof of identification (ID)
• Proof of address.

If you’re opening a bank account with Halifax, you may just need to prove your ID, without worrying about proof of address. That’s the case if you can show them one of:

• A current UK photo driving license
• A current UK passport
• A Northern Ireland Voters Card.

However, if you can’t provide one of those documents - as will be the case for most non-UK citizens, for instance - then you need to provide both proof of identification and proof of address.1

Can I open a bank account without proof of address?

With Halifax, you can, so long as you have ID that meets the requirements above. If you don’t have that UK passport, UK driving license or Northern Ireland Voters Card, you’ll almost certainly need proof of address¹. The available documents are listed below.

If you would need to provide proof of address to Halifax, you might like to know that there’s an alternative option with Wise. Opening a borderless multi-currency account requires you to show ID, but then you have a choice: you can either give proof of address, or provide a selfie that shows you holding your ID. If you’re still in the process of moving and don’t yet have much documentation, that could prove useful.

Do you actually want a borderless account, though? Well, it could come in useful for other reasons too, especially if you’re moving abroad. For no monthly fee, a borderless account lets you hold your money in multiple international currencies, and it also gives you virtual account details in five currencies: pounds, euros, and US, New Zealand and Australian dollars. So you can both pay and get paid in any of those currencies, just like you could with a local bank account there. Even better, unlike the banks, Wise always offers the mid-market exchange rate on its international transfers.

Back to Halifax for now, though: here’s that list of proof of address documents.

How to get proof of address

If you do need to provide proof of address to Halifax, they should accept the following documents.1

• A UK non-photo driving license
• An EU or EEA photo driving license
• A letter showing your entitlement to benefits
• A tax notification from HMRC
• A tax bill from your local authority for the current year
• A bill for your household utilities from within the last 6 months
• A statement from a bank, building society or UK credit union (a printed online statement is fine)
• A mortgage statement from the UK, EU or EEA
• A provisional UK driving license (that isn’t expired)
• A UK credit card statement
• A tenancy agreement from a reputable source like a solicitor, housing association, local council or letting agency.

Remember that you’ll need to prove your ID, too, with a separate document. Your passport or ID card would work well for ID proof, though there are other options too, such as an immigration status document from the UK Home Office. Also remember that the proof of address document does have to have your current address on it - otherwise, it doesn’t prove you live there.

Conclusion: Proof of address for Halifax

It’s a long list above, but it still might not be easy to sort out if you’re newly moved in at your address - or, worse, if you’re not there yet at all.

In that case, the Wise borderless account may well be worth considering. After all, it might come in useful for more than just holding your money: it’s a very good value way to move money between countries, and ensures that you get the best exchange rate. It might do the job perfectly while you sit tight and await all those longed-for utility bills. Also, if you travel frequently between countries with different currencies, you can get a debit card with your borderless account. You can easily convert money between currencies, always as the mid-market exchange rate, and only for a low fee which you’ll see upfront.

Sources used for this article:
1.https://www.halifax.co.uk/securityandprivacy/privacy/proving-your-identity/
*Source checked on December 19, 2018