Second name on uk bank accounts?

As an american in england on a spousal visa am i allowed to be added as a second card holder onto my husbands bank account? Is this easier than getting my own personal bank account and what do i need - national insurance number (if so, can i use my temporary one for this)?

Plus, can i get credit cards from the bank too? Thanks

DH and i have a joint account together

we also have savings accounts linked off that we are both on

i will be opening my own savings account when i find the time!!!

as far as credit cards, i don't have my own yet-but DH put me on his.

Before my husband and I were even married we opened up a joint account. He already had an account with the same bank and they just asked for some ordinary information from me. I know other people have had a very difficult time opening accounts, though. Maybe joint accounts or second-name are the way to go? I have no knowledge of any laws which would prohibit you from doing so.

they wouldn't let me open my own account before being on my husband's joint account for a while. 

i hate banking.  and i work in it

My bank let me add my husband to my cheque account when he was still on a fiance visa. He just had to show proof of identity and address.  They wouldn't let him have a Switch card for 3 months though, only a cash card.  He applied for and got a credit card from Capital One after 6 months but it only had a very small limit.

I was expecting to have problems from other people's postings on here, but I got added to my husband's accounts (current & savings) without any problems.  We also opened a second joint current account.

At my husband's bank they wouldn't let me be on the account until we showed them that I was on a monthly bill, even though we had showed them my passport with my visa.  They said there was NO way of getting around this, that having a bill as proof of residence was standard, especially after tightened security.

We brought in a council tax bill, and I was told that to be on my husbands account, he would have to surrender his debit card (for me not having a credit rating here I'm sure)  My husband was not willing to do that, and asked what other options would be available.  The woman said that I could get my own account, and be issued with a card for people with no/poor credit rating, and that if my account was good in 3-6 months, I would be issued a regular debit card with the chip, like what my husband had.  He said that we had wanted a joint account, and could she do ANYTHING else.   She agreed to appeal our request, on behalf that my husband has had his account for a very long time (This is Barclays btw).  The request was denied, it was appealed for a 3rd time, and then finally they agreed to give me a card just like my husbands.  It was a long proceedure for us though.

The odd thing was apparantly if my husband agreed to surrender his card, I would be eligible for a Visa card through the bank.  We were confused cause why would they be willing to give me a credit card (even if it was a low limit) but not the chip/pin card??   

Persistance worked for us in the end, and to be honest, I don't think we were working with the smartest person in the bank (she said she had NEVER heard of a wife keeping her maiden name and having her husbands surname too - wtf! )

I have an account with Natwest and when I was over UK last time, I told them that I was returning and bringing my husband with me - also asked if he would be able to be added to my account.  I was told that it would not be a problem once they had seen his visa.

phew, one more problem ticked off.

Pauline

I got added to my fiance's bank account without any problem.  I was told that it would take about a year to develop my own credit here.

Peedal & Sweetpeach:

Which bank are you with that allowed you to sign on your spouse or yourself to an existing account ? I'm about to shop around for UK banks and was initially thinking of Citibank     

I got added to my fiance's bank account without any problem.  I was told that it would take about a year to develop my own credit here.

Well, after not  getting the debit card and cheque book we were supposed to get in the mail, I went to the bank and found out that the main office had sent a letter almost a month ago, which we did not receive, saying that  they needed to see my fiance's passport (they already have a copy of mine) and a utility bill with my name on it.  Which nobody told us was needed when we applied for the joint account for the first time, and were told, "It's all done; you'll get a debit card and new cheque book in two weeks." So we went back to the bank today with my fiance's passport and the electric bill, which is in my name.  Ah, bureaucracy.

P.S. It is Abbey National.

P.P.S. Don't ask me why they need to see my fiance's passport when it is already his bank account.