Opening an ISA account without using a cheque

Feb 17, 2006 8 Replies

My mum's bank account doesn't have a cheque book provided, so she's having lots of difficulty in opening an ISA as most of the ones that have been researched say you must open the account with a cheque drawn on an account in her name. Anybody offer any suggestions on what she can do. Speaking to the banks themselves has so far proved useless because the automiton just says, "no cheque no ISA".



My mum's bank (Abbey) won't give her a cheque book because she's retired and they say she doesn't pay in enough money every month, although they do have a substantial amount of her savings.



As far as I am concerned, this is social exclusion and my mum is being restricted from getting good interest rates on her savings because they won't give her access to the things she needs to access those goods and services.


Tell the Abbey where to go and and get your mum to take her money elsewhere.

I agree with Backthorn - tell your mum to take her money elsewhere.

If you think that is too much hassle maybe you could get a cashier's cheque drawn on one of your mother's savings accounts? I don't know if the ISA provider would accent that so perhaps you should check with them first. Alternatively, could you open an ISA with Abbey then transfer it to the provider of your choice?

You do not need a cheque book to write out a cheque. You can write a cheque on a piece of paper. As long as it has all the information on it it is a legal document that must be accepted by the Bank.

You can even write a cheque on a cow - but only if you have a cheque account surely. And the payee is not required to accept the instrument and have the hassle of clearing it.

In message , Stickems. writes

Dont expect it to be handled for free though.

I recently opened a Halifax ISA with a pound coin, then transferred more funds online a few days later.

In message , Ronald Raygun writes

That's not the reason. Evidence of an existing UK bank account is deemed good enough ID and also is evidence of 'source of funds'. Whether that other institution has performed VOI is irrelevant.

Blackthorn wrote

Agreed. Nationwide gave my lady friend, a pensioner who only puts sufficient money into the account to be able to write cheques for her bills. They gave her a cheque book and card for withdrawals, but it is not a debit card.

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