Best basic bank accounts 2024

Credit unions mainly offer savings and loans to their members, but some also offer basic banking services without the need for a credit check.

The Engage account is the most high-profile example. It's offered by various credit unions across the UK and is available to anyone, whatever your credit score or financial history.

You pay a monthly management fee of £2, and must load money onto the prepaid Visa debit card in advance. (Bank transfers are free and you can request up to £50 cashback at participating UK retailers when making a purchase, but Paypoint top-ups cost 50p plus 2.5%.)

There's no overdraft facility, so you can't run up debt, although you do pay 75p for cash-machine withdrawals. And if you use your card abroad, you'll pay an extra £1 (£2 for foreign cash-machine withdrawals) plus 2% of the transaction value.

You get your own UK sort code and account number, so you can set up direct debits, and participating retailers pay up to 15% in cashback rewards when you buy their goods with your Engage card.

As with other prepaid cards, the Engage card is issued by Contis Financial Services Limited under an e-money licence, so deposits are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). However, they are held in a segregated account so that if the firm becomes insolvent, your money is protected against claims made by creditors.

Basic bank accounts from the high street providers aren't the only option if you're concerned about passing a credit check or don't want a standard current account.

Digital challenger banks and e-money firms – which offer accounts operated entirely via a smartphone app – don't carry out 'hard' credit searches, so they can be a lifeline if you've faced financial difficulties in the past.

Instead, they perform a 'soft' credit check to confirm your identity, which involves requesting information from credit reference agencies. This is visible to you if you check your credit report but other lenders won't be able to see this and it won't affect your credit score. 

When you apply for basic bank account, the bank should only conduct a 'soft' search on your credit history, which serves as a background check to confirm your identity.

Although this is visible to you when you check your credit report, it will not be visible to other lenders, which means it won't impact any future credit applications you make.

When you apply for credit – such as a loan, credit card, phone contract or bank account overdraft – the lender must conduct a 'hard' search, which leaves a visible 'footprint' on your credit history and can influence your credit score.

• Find out more: our complete guide to credit reports

No - while you should no longer be charged for failed payments, you will still pay fees if you want to use your debit card abroad in most cases (Virgin Money is an exception).

You will also pay between £17 and £30 if you want to make a payment via Chaps (the system used for same-day payments with no transaction limit, for example when buying property).

Yes, all the providers in our comparison table have previously told Which? they will accept applicants with an undischarged bankruptcy (meaning they're still going through the process of a bankruptcy order).

You can apply for a basic bank account even if you had previous credit problems such as county court judgements (CCJs), or you have insolvency measure in place such as a debt management plan (DMP), individual voluntary arrangement (IVA), or debt relief order (DRO).

• Find out more: how to deal with debt

Yes, your bank or building society could close your account if:

• there haven't been any transactions for more than 24 months
• you regularly fail to meet the terms and conditions of the account
• you're no longer legally resident in the UK
• you have access to another basic bank account.

Your provider should tell you why it's closing your account - you can lodge a complaint if you don't agree - and you must be given at least two months' written notice.

You'll be asked to provide photo ID, ie a passport or driving licence.

If you don't have either of these, the bank might accept an alternative such as an original copy of a letter from HMRC or the Department for Work and Pensions.

Proof of current address can be a bank or credit card statement (less than three months old), a recent UK utility bill or a tenancy agreement from a local council or housing association (dated within the last 12 months).

Check the website of your chosen bank for a full list of acceptable documents.

Yes, all of the basic bank accounts in our table above can be managed via a smartphone app.

Yes, you can use the switching service for all the basic bank accounts in our table except Virgin Money's Essential account.

It should take just seven working days to switch from your old account. The move is backed by the Current Account Switch Guarantee, which means your new bank will take care of moving over incoming and outgoing payments and correct any problems.

Find out more: how to switch your bank account

Since September 2016, you are entitled to open a basic bank account if you are ineligible to open a standard bank account.

However, Money Advice Service says you might be refused if:

• you can't provide proof of ID or address
• you are eligible for a different account with that bank or building society
• you refuse a credit check (although you don't have to pass one)
• you are threatening, abusive or violent towards staff
• you're suspected of fraud or money laundering.

If you think you've been unfairly rejected, you can appeal first to the provider, and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

It's worth noting that providers don't advertise basic bank accounts very well because they're less profitable than their other accounts, so you might need to enquire directly.

You need to be at least 16 years old to open most high street basic bank accounts, although the minimum age at others is 18.

Check our table to see if your chosen account can be opened by post, over the phone, online or in person.