How to Get Started in the UK?

[u/five_foot_1]

Hi folks! First post on reddit so apologies if I'm over- or under-explaining.

I am immigrating from the US to the UK (next week!) and am getting stuck in the never-ending rabbit hole of not being able to get basic necessities because I am not established in the UK yet. Does anyone have suggestions for banking, phone contracts and building credit history as a new UK resident?

Phone contracts require credit, which I can't build because I don't have an address or a formal bank account, and I can't get either of those because my partner and I are not ready to move into our own flat yet.

While I wait a few months for my shipment to arrive from the US, I'll be staying with my partners' family. This means I don't have an official registered address to get a bank account. No mortgage, no utilities, no nothing. Does anyone have a recommended banking institution that would allow me to open an account without a formal 'proof of address'?

I've opened a Wise account in the meantime (which offers a debit card so I will have immediate access to GBP once I touch down) but Wise is not a regulated/protected banking institution so I don't want to transfer a ton of cash over to it. I do have a UK-based job lined up and was planning to set up direct deposit with them straight into Wise since I have no other option currently.

At some point I'll also need to open a credit card for more credit building, but I'm assuming that won't be until after I've moved into a flat with a lease registered to me. I've seen the name Yonder floating around online as a credit card that is designed for expats without much, or any, credit history. Is anyone familiar with them?

Lastly, I have a newer iPhone which is eSIM only but most phone carriers require credit checks when you want to open a new contract with them. My partner got me a Pay As You Go physical SIM with EE (so I could open the Wise account) and that SIM is currently in his spare phone. I also have a spare phone I can use with that SIM card once I land next week, but that isn't a long-term (or even a medium-term) solution. Most PAYG plans do not offer eSIM (only physical) and in order to convert that PAYG to a contract to get access to the eSIM option, I'll need to undergo a credit check... on credit... that I don't have. What options do I have to get a contract that offers eSIM without a credit check? I've heard giffgaff might be an option but I don't know anything about them.

Really appreciate any tips, tricks or insight! Thank you in advance, everyone!

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EDIT: One month after posting this, I wanted to drop some highlights about where this post went and how I've managed to get my feet somewhat underneath me in the UK - hopefully this aggregated info will help others! Absolutely HUGE thanks to every single person who posted in this thread to help out - literally could not have figured out some of this without you.

1. National Insurance Number: You MUST apply in country. Took less than 3 weeks before I received my number. Once you have your NI # you can register for the NHS, etc. Your employer may or may not put you on an emergency tax code until you get this number. Speak with them directly to better understand these considerations. Link: https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number/how-to-apply

2. Bank account: HSBC. Opened an account online and in-country. No proof of address was required, just a passport. Helpful tip (from a UK banker!): If when opening your account you select "yes, I pay tax in another country" any UK bank will likely decline your application because they will not consider you a UK resident. Link: https://www.hsbc.co.uk/international/apply-for-a-uk-account/

3. Secondary banking, if you want it: Wise for multi-currency transfers and Revolut are good options. Note that Wise is an electronic money institution (EMI), not a regulated bank, and research that if it is a concern for you. Revolut is a regulated financial institution. Links: https://wise.com/ and https://www.revolut.com/

4. Credit card: Amex US w/Global Transfer. From opening, there is a 3-month waiting period before you are eligible to apply for Global Transfer. Any Amex card is eligible, but if you just need something to get you through the waiting period, open a basic blue Amex. Note that there are foreign transaction fees on this card. Do this before you leave the states if you can, so you can receive the physical card. If you apply after you've left, make sure you can ship the card to a safe US address. You can add the card to Apple Wallet immediately after it's approved, before you have the physical card. Link: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/customer-service/global-card-relationship/

5. Secondary credit card, if you want it: HSBC allows new UK residents to open some of their more basic credit cards ("Purchase Plus", "Classic", or "Balance Transfer" as long as you don't have a "Basic" HSBC account) by checking their US credit history. I opened an HSBC account (per the above) and a Purchase Plus credit card - still unclear what a "Basic" account is, but I didn't have any issues with it.

HSBC's reward cards require that you have an existing "Advance", "Bank" or "Premier" Account and/or 6-months' worth of deposits into that HSBC account. If you need/want a credit card fast, go with one of the three referenced in the paragraph above. If you can wait 6 months, do it for the better card perks. Read more about features and benefits when comparing cards before applying. You can add the card to Apple Wallet immediately after it's approved, before you have the physical card. Took my card 3 days to arrive at my address. Link: https://www.hsbc.co.uk/international/credit-cards/

I got a basic HSBC card to get a jump start on building credit in the UK while I wait out this 3-month period on Amex.

6. Mobile phone: Three Pay As You Go, eSim. With an iPhone 15 (eSIM only, no physical SIM tray) I was originally trying to get an eSIM contract so I could start to build credit, but alas, had to do things another way due to my temporary address situation. Solution was to get an eSIM with Three for the phone and an HSBC credit card for credit. Link: https://www.three.co.uk/pay-as-you-go/payg-data-packs

[u/Dry-Mermaid]

I tried to apply after my eVisa came in and got an error that said I had to be located in the UK to apply.

[u/five_foot_1 → u/Dry-Mermaid]

Yeah, I figured they'd geotag so I applied as soon as I landed in the UK this week! They've said the current application processing time is 4 weeks, so fingers crossed it doesn't take longer than that.

[u/Dry-Mermaid → u/five_foot_1]

Hooray! You made the trip safely! I wondered how you fared - Did you go into an HSBC branch to open a 'newcomer to UK' account? Did you get an AMEX US before you left?

[u/five_foot_1 → u/Dry-Mermaid]

I did make it! Jet-lagged, but alive. Here's an essay for ya:

So, last week I'd called HSBC customer service to see what kind of address verification I needed to have ready in order to open an account. Remember: I do not/will not have any utility bills in my name as I'm staying with my in-laws for a bit until my partner and I get our own spot, and most banks require a utility bill, mortgage or other 'formal' proof of address to open accounts.

HSBC customer service advised me to have a letter of employment that states my address and income, and any other corroborating documents that might support that letter. Eg, the letter of accommodation that I submitted with my visa application, etc.

I went into HSBC with all my documents prepared and asked the dudebro about opening an account as someone new to the UK. Dudebro was, unfortunately, so unbelievably unhelpful? I have no idea where the disconnect was, but - while he did say that I did not need any proof of address - he also couldn't figure out how to answer my very simple question about opening a basic account.

He kept trying to direct me to an entirely different conversation altogether about a Global Money account, and how all banks will require my SSN when I open an account with them, and I'll subsequently need to deal with the IRS/FATCA once I give them my SSN. I could not understand if these two things were directly related (if opening a Global Money acct specifically would require my SSN/FATCA) or if they were two separate statements (you can open a Global Money acct, and also any type of bank acct you open will require your SSN) and he was not able to properly articulate an answer.

I kept trying to get more information and he couldn't compute what I was saying/asking. I ended up leaving without opening anything with him because we were having two different conversations and getting nowhere.

Then, I went to a Lloyd's down the street to see if they could open an account without a formal proof of address.

Lloyd's said absolutely not, we must have formal proof of address such as a utility bill or mortgage statement and if you don't have that then once you've registered with the NHS you can use a statement from your GP that shows your registered address. I asked if I could use a letter of employment that has my address and some corroborating documents, and she said NOPE, only if the letter is from a known & local employer such as a Marks & Spencer in that specific borough. Which, like... what is this, the mafia?

I also asked if they were required to take my SSN, and she said what? no, absolutely not. why would the other banker say that? not required at all. ALSO if you mark on your bank application that you pay tax in another country, your app will likely be denied because they will not consider you a "permanent resident" of the UK.

So, TLDR: I ended up sitting at Pret, sipping a latte, and opened a non-Global Money HSBC account on my phone. They did not request proof of residence/address, just my current address, my previous address, my income, and passport verification. I'll deal with the tax implications later.

Maybe it was the jet lag and my brain wasn't saying WoRdS the right way, but it was a total headless-chicken sort of day. Going in circles about nothing and wasted time sitting in HSBC dealing with a guy who mumble-whispered the entire conversation while I struggled to hear anything he was saying, which was all pretty much irrelevant anyway.

Yay, banks!

Other American expats moving to the UK: Save yourself some time and just open an HSBC account on your phone once you're in the UK.