If you left it until you landed on British soil to open a bank account then expect a hard time opening a new account. Get a bank reference from home, and you'll also need your passport and a utilities bill in your name with a UK address. Cash Tips Load your visa card from home with money or enough cash to help tide you over until the account is activated. It takes between three to seven working days to clear cheques. Britain's largest banks include Barclays, National Westminster, HSBC, Lloyds and Bank of Scotland.
Some building societies offer full banking services.
Remember that computer systems in UK banks are generally less sophisticated than at home. Balances shown on-screen at cash machines can be days out of date. All Rights Reserved.