Local Bank details

The council will soon pay Housing Benefit directly into bank accounts, rather than by cheque as is currently the case. Unless your Housing Benefit is currently paid to your landlord, you should have received a letter from us requesting details of the account you would like your benefit to be paid into.

If you do not have a bank account or are experiencing problems opening an account, you may be able to open a basic bank account. Most banks offer basic accounts, and details of the accounts offered by the local banks are available in the tables below. A leaflet containing information on basic bank accounts is also available. You can obtain a leaflet either by visiting the Civic Offices, or contacting the Benefits Team on 01252 774444. Help and advice on opening and managing a bank account is also available from your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

This table gives general guidance only of basic accounts available.

Proof of Identification required to open a bank account

The following table gives  guidance to the Identification documents required to open a bank account