Is it weird (or impossible) to have more than one current account in the UK?

I have a joint current account with my husband. I deposit my salary into that account, and the account is used to pay our household bills by direct debit.

I also have a savings account in my name alone, and would like to open a current account in my own name as well. However, when I have been looking at current accounts for various banks, the accounts generally seem to require depositing your salary or a minimum of £1000 into the bank each month - and/or the websites talk about "switching" from your previous current account.

I don't want to get rid of the joint account I have now, or move my salary direct deposit or direct debits. I just want to put maybe a few hundred quid in a current account each month for my own use - so I can pay for something in a shop with a debit card and not have it come out of the joint account.

I know that banks have basic current accounts for children and students, which I assume don't require you to deposit much money, but I'm not eligibile for those.

My husband has a business bank account which he can use to write checks or take cash out of a machine, but I guess that's different. I would just want a normal personal current account.

So is it possible for me to get a second current account, or should I just not bother and put the money I would have used for it into my savings account and pay for things in cash when I need to (or with a postal money order).

Sweetpeach, I have two current accounts with no minimum's to keep so its doeable.


Try Nationwide. We went into the branch and opened an account without any minimum's or salary deposit required.

As far as I'm aware, you can hold as many current accounts as you want.

As a teenager, I had one with Lloyds and then a student account with Natwest - with no minimums. The only reason I closed the Lloyds one was because I didn't have a cheque book with it and it was a hassle tranferring money between the 2 accounts (my student loan was initially paid into Lloyds, but I had to pay my student accomodation by cheque from Natwest).

In fact, what my friends did in Freshers week at university was open a student current account with every single bank offering one, collect the incentives they offered and then close the accounts a few weeks later!

To be honest, I've never heard of a basic current account requiring monthly deposits and all current accounts should have the facility for a cheque book and an ATM cash card/debit card, whether they are personal or business accounts. Even student accounts automatically come with them - I've had a cheque book, debit card and credit card since I was 18 and hopefully that won't change when my graduate account eventually expires and becomes a normal current account.

The accounts that do require depsoits or subscription fees are usually special ones which cover extras like property and travel insurance, more flexible overdrafts and discounts in certain shops. My parents have always told me to steer clear of any bank accounts that require a monthly payment of any sort to keep them open.

For example, from Barclay's Bank Account - their basic current account

Check you can apply online:
  You're 18 or over (see our student options).
  You're a UK resident.
  You're not bankrupt nor do you have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) registered against you.
  You must have a regular income or salary to pay in.    If you're a Cash Card account customer, you can only apply for a Barclays Bank Account in your local branch.


Perhaps the situation is different if you move from a student to a regular account because you have already proven that you are a loyal, responsible customer.

For example, from Barclay's Bank Account - their basic current account

Check you can apply online:
  You're 18 or over (see our student options).
  You're a UK resident.
  You're not bankrupt nor do you have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) registered against you.
  You must have a regular income or salary to pay in.    If you're a Cash Card account customer, you can only apply for a Barclays Bank Account in your local branch.


Perhaps the situation is different if you move from a student to a regular account because you have already proven that you are a loyal, responsible customer.

I just had a look at the websites for a few banks and Barclay's is the only one that seems to have a stipulation of paying in a salary. Unless I haven't found it yet, I can see no mention on the Natwest or Lloyds sites about having to pay in a regular salary (it also states on Barclays that this is required to apply online, so perhaps it doesn't apply if you apply in person at the branch).

Lloyds Classic Account:

Before you start
You'll need to be able to confirm all of the statements below. If you can't, please contact any Lloyds TSB branch to talk through your account options.

I do not have a current account with Lloyds TSB.
I am aged 18 or over.
I am a UK resident.
I am an EU national OR I have permission to stay in the UK for at least 12 months.

By continuing you'll be confirming that the statements above are true. Please be aware that, like most banks, we will refer your details to a credit reference agency as part of the application process.


If for some reason you don't qualify for this account, we'll look at your details and we might be able to offer an alternative account to meet your needs.

If you'd like information in braille or in large-type format, please contact your local branch.

Once you've sent us your application, we may get in touch and ask you to bring further ID into your local branch.

I also just went through the Lloyds online application and there is an option to say whether you are employed or not and you are also ask to list how many other accounts you hold - this also appears to be the case with Natwest. It asks about your income but does not appear to require you to pay this income into the account.

My mum holds a current account with Lloyds, but her salary is paid into a different account with a different bank. Basically, I think the only payments she makes into her Lloyds account are occasional cheques for a few pounds each - and they are not necessarily on a regular basis.
 

Thanks everyone.

Co-operative Bank requires you to receive a regular payment (i.e. wage, salary) which you must have paid into your account (from their Terms and Conditions).

Alliance & Leicester requires £500 monthly funding.

Halifax - you can either pay in £1000 every month (one type of account) OR pay a £10 a month fee (another type of account)

(Although I haven't been able to find the T&C for the last 2 so it's possible that the information on their websites is misleading.)

I will look around.

www.moneysavingexpert.com has a comparison of current accounts... may be work looking at their article.

I have two current accounts. I think the only stipulation is that I have to deposit something in to them both every month in order to maintain the over drafts. I transfer a bit from one to the other to satisfy that requirement but I really only use one of them at the moment.