|
BANKING
If you are planning on
staying in the UK for longer than a few months you will need to
get a bank account. This will be more secure than carrying large
amounts of cash and travellers’ cheques around with you.
Opening a bank
account in the UK can take up to two or three weeks and it can
be quite difficult if you don’t plan ahead. If you already have
a bank account in your home country, ask them whether they have
any special relationships with banks in the UK. They may be able
to set up an account for you before you even arrive in the UK.
There are also organisations in some countries that help you set
up a bank account in the UK before your departure.
Before you
leave, you could also think about adding someone you trust (such
as your parents) as a signatory to your bank account – this
means that they can do things to your account while you are
away, and immediately transfer money in case of an emergency.
Ask you bank for more information on this.
Spending money
You will
probably be spending a lot of money on things such as tuition
fees, accommodation, and text books. Ask your university or
college how much you are expected to spend and whether you can
arrange to pay most of it from your home country first. This way
you will not have to carry much money around with you.
When you open your
bank account, whether from abroad or in the UK, you will need
your passport and course letter of acceptance and possibly proof
of where you live (if abroad this can be changed later when you
know your address in the UK). It is a good idea to bring copies
of old bank statements from your home country too, as proof of
identity.
Banks in the UK are
usually open from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. Some are
open on Saturdays, though smaller branches may open just in the
morning. If you have a cash card for your account, you can
withdraw money from your account at any time from a cash
machine, or use it to pay for goods and services directly using
‘Switch’. Since February 2006, it is compulsory to use your PIN
number when making card transactions, so you will also be given
PIN numbers for your credit and ‘Switch’ card. |
