Can I use a Spanish phone number to operate my UK bank account?

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question

Banking question please, I will be using my daughters home as a mailing address so hoping to continue to keep and use uk bank account. My question is, when I move to Spain and switch uk mobile number to a Spanish phone number, will I still be able to access my online uk bank account with my mobile as it will be then be registered as a Spanish phone?

Answers

These are the answers of some Facebook group members:

“I have been a customer with Barclays Bank U.K. for decades. I own a property in the U.K. I spoke with them at great lengths re keeping my account active and they are adamant that if you are resident of Spain (even though you own a property in the U.K.) you are unable to maintain the bank account with them. There is no way they will allow it. If, however – and you will not be alone, you decide to use a relative’s address to maintain your U.K. bank account, then this is technically fraud. No doubt there will be consequences. You can consider that the U.K. banking system liaise with the U.K. tax authorities, this in itself could cause problems for you as you will not be tax resident in the U.K. if you are resident in Spain. You will become tax resident in Spain. You cannot be a resident in two places at the same time. If you have applied for the NLV, then you have a certain time to obtain your TIE card, you are then classed as resident. There is no ‘back door’ way around having a U.K. bank account if that bank will not allow non U.K. residents accounts. In doing so you could jeopardise your application – that is if you are detected as having made a fraudulent statement to obtain a service, knowingly doing that. At some point down the line there could well be implications. I would suggest opening a U.K. Bank account who allows customers to bank with them who are not resident in the U.K. I have just applied to HSBC and my application is going through. I have also opened a WISE account and that is operating perfectly for transferring money from WISE to my Spanish bank account and for direct debits I have in the U.K.”

“Actually a friend of mine in that situation went to the branch in London and spoke to them. Although their website says you can’t use someone’s address, she told them the truth and gave the address of the friend she was staying with. They said: “you are aware that all correspondence etc. will go to that address?” She said “yes, fine”. They previously had her address in Madrid. They won’t be closing her account. There’s no “fraud” involved in any of this. She’s not trying to hide her rental income, which she’s had since 2000!”

“I am moving to Spain in January. I have a UK Santander account.I spoke to them, no problem changing to Spanish address and Spanish mobile number. Just have to send change of details to them with Id plus proof of address.”

“We live in Spain and have a HSBC account. They have our Spanish address and phone number. We haven’t had a problem”

“Just get a dual sim phone and keep your Uk phone number and spanish number on the same phone”

“Shouldn’t be a issue, Just update new details with bank. Depends on the bank. Barclays definitely will. HSBC, RBS/NatWest and Lloyds definitely won’t.”

“It will be dependent with whom you Bank. The NatWest Group, for example, will give you no problem. However, with some it is mandatory you have an 07 UK number. The address not an issue.”

“There are some banks where it is no problem to have an overseas account in certain countries far better to change whilst you legally can to one of those.
I have both Lloyds and Nationwide , no problem with my Spanish address for either,”

Bruno Bianchi CEO & Spain Immigration Expert

Bruno Bianchi is the founder and CEO of Spainguru, Spain's largest expat immigration community with 150,000+ members. Since 2014 he has helped thousands of people relocate to Spain through expert guides, webinars and vetted professional services covering visas, residency, taxes and life in Spain.

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