Question
Hello, can anyone tell me what bank accounts in the UK can be kept when moving to Spain please?
Answers
These are the answers of Spainguru’s Facebook group members:
“NatWest, RBS, Lloyds, Nationwide, HSBC – most of them apart from Barclays.”
“I have NatWest and have been told if I move over permanently then I can’t keep my account.”
“I have both NatWest and RBS and have been allowed to keep both. They send new cards to my Spanish address and the accounts addresses and phone numbers have been changed to my Spanish ones.”
“I have a NatWest account and had no problems changing to my Spanish address.”
“Same for us with Nationwide.”
“HSBC.”
“RBS.”
“HSBC definitely.”
“Nationwide if you already have an account with them.”
“Nationwide.”
“I have Lloyds and they know I live in Spain.”
“Nationwide and HSBC.”
“Santander!”
“We have been told if you already have an account with Santander, you are OK to keep it.”
“If you type ‘UK bank’ or ‘UK account’ (or similar) in the group search, there are loads of previous posts on this.”
“Santander.”
Conclusion
According to members of the Spainguru’s Facebook group, it is generally possible to keep your UK bank accounts when moving to Spain, with notable exceptions. Many members have successfully maintained accounts with NatWest, RBS, Lloyds, Nationwide, HSBC, and Santander.
Experiences may vary depending on how the enquiry is made, with some members reporting that calling the bank directly yielded better results than visiting a branch. Additionally, it seems important to notify your bank of your move and update your address to ensure continuity of service.
