UK banks speeding up account closures?

[RetireJapan]

Found this article very concerning: how long before NatWest closes my account? I've had it for 35 years

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... st-jamaica

[captainspoke]

So they're playing catch-up with the US on this?!?!!

[Roger Van Zant]

Found this article very concerning: how long before NatWest closes my account? I've had it for 35 years

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... st-jamaica

I also have a NatWest account in the UK.
I use my sister's postal address in London.

The only activity this account sees is a single monthly deposit of about 40 quid, then two direct debits each month: one for my NI Class 2 contributions, and the other paying off a credit card.

If my account is closed, how do I go about paying HMRC for my NI contributions? That is worrying me.

[Moneymatters]

Found this article very concerning: how long before NatWest closes my account? I've had it for 35 years

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... st-jamaica

I also have a NatWest account in the UK.
I use my sister's postal address in London.

The only activity this account sees is a single monthly deposit of about 40 quid, then two direct debits each month: one for my NI Class 2 contributions, and the other paying off a credit card.

If my account is closed, how do I go about paying HMRC for my NI contributions? That is worrying me.

with a UK address and regular in/out activity you'd be very unlikely to get flagged.
How do you access the account? Is it with a Japan mobile number for example.

I'm in the same situation with Barclays and use the physical card reader. Should they close my account I plan to use my Wise account which has DD capability. If that failed that I'd wire them each year.
That said, I'm still hoping to keep the account until I no longer need to keep paying them.

[beanhead]

I also have a NatWest account in the UK.
I use my sister's postal address in London.

The only activity this account sees is a single monthly deposit of about 40 quid, then two direct debits each month: one for my NI Class 2 contributions, and the other paying off a credit card.

If my account is closed, how do I go about paying HMRC for my NI contributions? That is worrying me.

I also use NatWest and have done for many years. Japan address is registered with them.
Wise can give you a virtual UK bank account including a sort code and account number. So you can put money in Wise in yen, convert to GBP and then make the transfer from there if making spot payments.
Their site says they can do direct debits as well but I haven't set this up myself.

[Deep Blue]

If my account is closed, how do I go about paying HMRC for my NI contributions? That is worrying me.

Why not pay from your Japanese bank account? You’ll pay a fee for an international transfer but it’s better than not paying NI at all.

[Roger Van Zant]

Found this article very concerning: how long before NatWest closes my account? I've had it for 35 years

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... st-jamaica

I also have a NatWest account in the UK.
I use my sister's postal address in London.

The only activity this account sees is a single monthly deposit of about 40 quid, then two direct debits each month: one for my NI Class 2 contributions, and the other paying off a credit card.

If my account is closed, how do I go about paying HMRC for my NI contributions? That is worrying me.

with a UK address and regular in/out activity you'd be very unlikely to get flagged.
How do you access the account? Is it with a Japan mobile number for example.

I'm in the same situation with Barclays and use the physical card reader. Should they close my account I plan to use my Wise account which has DD capability. If that failed that I'd wire them each year.
That said, I'm still hoping to keep the account until I no longer need to keep paying them.

I have the NatWest app on my iPhone, and can do everything I need from there.
I have a card reader, but my debit card expired a couple of years ago.
I plan to order a new debit card just before I visit the UK this autumn.

[Roger Van Zant]

If my account is closed, how do I go about paying HMRC for my NI contributions? That is worrying me.

Why not pay from your Japanese bank account? You’ll pay a fee for an international transfer but it’s better than not paying NI at all.

Sounds like a pain. My Japanese bank still operates in the 1950s.
I'll cross that bridge if and when I come to it.
I also have a Wise account, and it seems like direct debits can be set up from there, something I did not realise until now.
Hopefully the fact that I am using a UK address will keep me from being flagged.