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I'm trying to find a bank that caters for technophobes
1) doesn't require me to have a smartphone (this is the biggest and absolute requirement)
2) I can pay DD etc. for council tax, bills (unless there is a different way I'm missing like pre-paid cards)
3) doesn't require internet access or email at all (nice to have) but doesn't send anything by email I have to respond to
4) walking cycling distance branch in most UK towns
My main aim is to get rid of my smartphone ASAP then progressively get rid of all tech from my life.
Ironically I'm searching online to find a bank ... which doesn't seem the best idea but I need to make this first step.
More ironically I'm asking an internet forum... but I really don't have any better ideas and surely someone has elderly relatives who don't have internet or smart phones.
Nationwide is possible without using a smartphone app. I do use internet banking with them but I’m fairly sure you could manage without. Branch coverage isn’t most towns but probably most larger towns.
The most basic Nationwide account can be used without internet access I think. You don’t get a cheque book if that is important to you
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/flexbasic/
Like MrPaul, I have an account, the next one up in their range the Flexaccount, and whilst I do use their app I didn’t for quite a while and I never get emails that demand action from them so it may work for you and you do get a cheque book-which I haven’t ever used. ask at a local branch?
You'll struggle and be excluding yourself from the best products/services.
If Banks were left to their own devises, they would shut all of their branches tomorrow.
The only reason Branches generally exist are to fulfil their regulatory obligations.
(Spent a number of years working for one of the big 4, on a Branch closure programme)
If just walk into your local bank/post office and see what the basic account is.
They all have to offer something, but expect to be put on the worst product.
walking cycling distance branch in most UK towns
that'll stop you - most branches from all banks near here have shut down, and will continue to do so. Post office is the only thing likely to have a significant footprint in a few years time.
afaik no high street bank requires a smartphone - you can access most services over the internet or phone. Maybe take a look at someone like saga and see if they have advice for other technophobes?
Nationwide sounds good..I know we have one currently.
At some point when my son goes to Uni/work I plan to move out of towns completely but that's another 5yrs so I'm trying to incrementally get rid of my dependence on tech
Chew
You’ll struggle and be excluding yourself from the best products/services.
I don't really want any products or services...
I'd be happier with no bank at all but then I'd not be able to pay utilities/council tax.
So far as I can see all I need to be able to do is pay these at the minimum cost?
I don’t really want any products or services…
A bank account is a product/service. A bank account with a better interest rate or lower fees is a better product/service.
Why the total detachment from tech? Living in the countryside can be hard work, and expensive. A little tech might save you an awful lot of physical effort and hassle in that situation.
If Banks were left to their own devises, they would shut all of their branches tomorrow.
Banks, maybe, but then Nationwide isn't a bank.
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about-us/branch-promise/
You are more likely to find a rural Post Office than a branch of any specific bank so I'd consider that your best option.
Co op and use post offices?
Banks, maybe, but then Nationwide isn’t a bank.
Despite my many attempts over 5 years, they refused to let me have a debit card for a flexaccount I had with them, cash card only. Could be just up OPs street.
4) walking cycling distance branch in most UK towns
What does that mean? - how many towns are you typically needing do face to face banking in? Within walking/cycling distance from where?
I think as a long term plan expecting any physical branches in any given town to still be there within a few years is a bit hopeful. Every physical bank in the towns surrounding me has gone in the last 10 years. The post office is a better bet but many of them are closing and being replaced by a little counter in a convenience store with quite reduced services, staffed by someone who has to also cover the checkout and only seems to half know what they're doing - but basic banking is something they'll probably still do if the Post Office is still managing to provide that model in years to come.
Co op and use post offices?
Post offices are fine for withdrawal and deposits - but If you ever need to do any actually face to face backing co-op branches are very few and far between. I've got a co-op (smile) account and theres only one physical branch in Scotland.
I would go with Nationwide too. More branches left, less ‘banky’ to deal with. Although I think their post office counter services might be limited, no deposits?
Co op and use post offices?
What makes you recommend the co-op?
Just find a bank which does telephone banking and live near a phone box
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/about-us/branch-promise
Looks like Nationwide is your best bet at the moment but after 2024 who knows
...then progressively get rid of all tech from my life
Why?
Found the coop very easy to deal with on the phone. Uk call centres etc. Plus where ethical at one point
My old non app Natwest account excluded me from all deals, soon as I started with app I got the 5% interest teaser account, savings products.
It really puts pensioners who don't use smartfones at a disadvantage.
It really puts pensioners who don’t use smartfones at a disadvantage.
it may, but people who insist on doing banking in person or even on the phone put the banks at a disadvantage. There's a higher cost of business running high streets & call centres vs a journey that is self-service, and its not bad that the cost is reflected in the products available to you (in the same way that takeaway food is cheaper than eating in with some caffs)
Surely the best way to decide is to walk/cycle to your nearest bank?
Most of them will without online banking, my OH refuses to do online banking for whatever reasons, HSBC just send her statements in the post and she goes through them once a month. I'm sure most of the other more established banks will be the same.
Nationwide. IIRC you are close to Swinley? There are Nationwide branches in Bracknell and Wokingham, unfortunately they closed the Crowthorne branch a couple of years ago. Personally though I think you are swimming against the tide, it's just a matter of time before technology is unavoidable. We are almost there already IMO.
Ok fair point, best products go to app clients. I hate going into bank branches, takes ages.
I think for the OP its going to be a bit of an uphill battle.
I've just been on a 3 hour **** about over transferring utilities to a new address. The problem being British Gas and their website and customer service being an absolute shitshow. They're in the progress of migrating customers and address to an 'new energy platform' and half the accounts have migrated but half haven't and its all chaos - one property is in the old system, one property in the new and the two systems don't seem to know the other exist - but in the middle of it all when talking to an actual human they said "this new platform will be digital only - we'll be gone - customers will only be able to interact via web and app"
So I think part of the the OP's post tech existence he'll need to stock up on candles and firewood 🙂
4) walking cycling distance branch in most UK towns
Most Hight Street Banks are busy getting rid of their branch, RBS (for instance) closed down it's Manchester city centre branch pretty recently. Some of them allow you to use other banks for deposits and stuff, but generally speaking this trend is not going to reverse. Even if you find a bank that provides a branch now close to you, there;s zero guarantee it will still be open in a years time (or less)
stwhannah
Why the total detachment from tech?
shark attack
Why?
Short answer is it makes me unhappy ....
stwhannah
Living in the countryside can be hard work, and expensive. A little tech might save you an awful lot of physical effort and hassle in that situation.
Appreciated, my mum is an Octogenarian and managing ... though I appreciate what you're saying.
I'm not thinking no electricity type "no tech" as this is more or less retirement
tonyd
Nationwide. IIRC you are close to Swinley?
Yep but we have one closer (at least at the moment)
tomhoward
A bank account is a product/service.
I appreciate from their perspective they feel it is... from mine it's a tax.
thisisnotaspoon
Surely the best way to decide is to walk/cycle to your nearest bank?
Possibly but my experience is they keep pushing/changing the goal posts... hence a bit how I find myself here.
poolman
My old non app Natwest account excluded me from all deals, soon as I started with app I got the 5% interest teaser account, savings products.
It really puts pensioners who don’t use smartfones at a disadvantage.
So weirdly... I get a nagging email from NatWest... I have this "My Rewards" money (4 figures) and I have to take some action.
The REASON I have that accrued is because I never got the log-in to work... (going back years)...
Change password/rejected/3 tries and your account is blocked threats.... So I click the "contact" .. spend 30 mins "talking" to a lovely bot.. I just want to stop it sending me emails... Cora, the lovely bot says I need to close my accounts ... "OK fine, lets do that". Transferred to either a better bot or real person (hard to tell)... and reiterate I want to stop receiving these emails... directed to use the app.... said "I don't have access to a smartphone so please can I do it another way"... go round in circles and keep being told "You need to use the App"
Is there another way .... ?? etc. which was "you need to close those accounts"...
so I'm back where I started... looking for a bank doesn't keep trying to get me to use a smartphone.
How do you think government services are going to be delivered in the future (say 10-15 years out)? Are you expecting taxpayers (or bank shareholders) to fork out unnecessary infrastructure costs (like keeping offices open to the public) so you can indulge in your “no tech” fantasy?
Same way they were delivered before.... I presently have no intention of living another 10-15 years anyway.
Maybe you could be happier if you engaged with the tech rather than tried to fight it, sounds like trying to avoid it is going to make you even more mad as you find it increasingly difficult to do anything. For most people it makes life a lot easier so the trend will continue. You have every right to reject it but there will be consequences.
from mine it’s a tax.
You are wrong.
go round in circles and keep being told “You need to use the App”
OK, one time solution: Do the thing that the bank want you to do; this one time. Get your money, move to another bank that won't force you down that route?
Get your kid to do it all for you?
As regards your NatWest issue, I'd suggest just taking the time to go into an actual branch. I appreciate that this might be out of your way and inconvenient but likely worth it as a one-off.
Longer term, I still think it's going to be increasingly difficult to avoid some sort of tech banking solution, especially if you decide to move to somewhere more rural as branch networks are getting increasingly sparse. It's certainly an issue where I live - or it would be if I needed to visit a branch regularly.
soundninjauk
Get your kid to do it all for you?
We aren't far off that at the moment... he's got the parents apps for cadets and school and does his own payments etc.
Scotroutes
As regards your NatWest issue, I’d suggest just taking the time to go into an actual branch. I appreciate that this might be out of your way and inconvenient but likely worth it as a one-off.
NickC
OK, one time solution: Do the thing that the bank want you to do; this one time. Get your money, move to another bank that won’t force you down that route?
Yeah, that's largely I think where I'm going.
The thing is I have to open an account to transfer the money as they won't let me withdraw it.
Rather than "randomly" choose another bank ends up doing the same I'm trying to determine the one with the lowest tech requirements so I don't end up in a rinse and repeat.
stumpyjon
Maybe you could be happier if you engaged with the tech rather than tried to fight it, sounds like trying to avoid it is going to make you even more mad as you find it increasingly difficult to do anything. For most people it makes life a lot easier so the trend will continue. You have every right to reject it but there will be consequences.
I appreciate what you're saying... (honestly) and backstory involves a lifetime working in tech and a fair deal of why I quit.
The thing is it's the "engaging" with it makes me feel ill and unhappy.
(from my perspective this is what I tried to do the other night... I thought right lets sort this out and an hour later I'd just gone in circles, achieved nothing and felt like shit.
from mine it’s a tax.
You are wrong.
That's my perception ... its how it FEELS to me.
I don't really want a bank account at all.. I just need one to pay council tax and utility bills... and that is a mandatory requirement. I don't want to "do stuff with it" so to speak...
The thing is I have to open an account to transfer the money as they won’t let me withdraw it.
Yeah, i thought that may be the case, Post office would've seemed ideal, but I think their current accts are closed. Have you looked at Credit Unions? Some of them offer current accts if you can join.
stevextc
The thing is it’s the “engaging” with it makes me feel ill and unhappy.
Could this be a symptom of deeper issues? FWIW I do actually get the annoyance of engagement, I used to look forward to buyjng new tech, now I see it as a chore, especially phones. One reason I stick to reconditioned Samsung's, I can just put them together and most of it happens automatically. I'm not an early adopter but have realised that's me holding me back. I took a long time to move to contactless, it's brilliant, even longer to move to using my phone (why did I not do that before, having the transaction on screen has saved me twice when I needed to prove a purchase and the till didn't give me a receipt). As for cloud computing, no thanks, until I realised it's cheap, it's a good backup I can access things anywhere, same with using Google and logging in, saves passwords etc. Yes they get my data but ultimately now I've stopped resisting life is genuinely better.
The bank thing, it is a service that costs, it's not a tax. There are many things in life I don't want but have to have, insurance being a good example, boiler servicing, car servicing, I don't want any of them and I could opt out (except car insurance) but the consequences aren't worth it.
Not trying to be flippant but just have a think about the real reason you want to withdraw, you're obviously not tech ileterate or incapable, your posts on here show that. I see parralellels with my Dad, hes now withdrawn from life effectively, started in his late 40s with some mental health issues, his coping mechanism when he was a bit better was to not engage with anything that made him anxious. He was lucky he had a teaching pension and got a job as a postie, good income, minimal responsibility. It's been a sad waste of the second half of his life. Probably not you but......
Oh final point, Natwest are a total shower of ****, trying to transfer my daughter's Natwest child trust fund when she turned 18 to her Natwest student account was a nightmare. They rejected stuff, struggled to talk to people, they wanted proof of identity 18 years olds don't have. Got there eventually but God it was hard. Lesson being don't use Natwest for anything, it's not just you.
I'm not very engaged with tech.. I don't have an especially high tech house at all, I don't have very many smart devices at all, but I do use what I need .. I use smart charging for my car, because it's cheaper, and I have an electric car as it's cheaper and more reliable. So I'm not actively scared. There are some other bits and pieces I use, but despite having worked for a couple software companies in my time, I'm not very engaged at all.
However I do use internet banking. I live out of town and going to a branch is a real p.i.t.a. I can do it faster, more easily via the internet. It's way easier, and as my bills are mostly debits, I don't really login much.
Rather than doing the absolute maximum to make your life difficult I'd also suggest figuring out how to make those limited interactions as stressless as possible.
Interestingly, out for a walk today and theres working going on in a building along the high street here- the Post Office opening a new 'Banking Hub' -had a quick look up to see what that means - they're a new initiative, operated by the Post Office but providing banking services on behalf of most of the high street banks.
Theres surprisingly little info about them online - least of all on the Post Office's site - but with 5000 bank branches having closed in the last few years it looks like thats how high street banking will maybe happen in the future.
I don’t really want a bank account at all.. I just need one to pay council tax and utility bills… and that is a mandatory requirement.
Are you sure? - you can do both those things over the counter with cash in a post office.
I bank with Nationwide, and would recommend them, they don’t hassle you with emails.
Only downside is that you can’t use them via the post office unlike all the other banks. Eg to pay cheques in.
Good luck.
Stumpyjon
Could this be a symptom of deeper issues?
Oh definitely but I have an NDA and it would be very difficult to go down the road of describing that without my former employer being apparent.
Best description I can give was tech was weaponised to really screw up people .. Not in a deliberate way .. or at least I don't think that was really the aim but a consequence of dehumanising and automatic KPI's etc.
I didn't work for Twitter so perhaps the best broad example might be the "you have 24 hours to respond to accept the new T&C's or you just quit" type thing. Not the best to start off with but then think about people who were on vacation that week... the expectation they checked their work email and read the T&C etc. etc. (I'm trying to generalise really broadly but that sort of thing without going down that rabbit hole)
Not trying to be flippant but just have a think about the real reason you want to withdraw, you’re obviously not tech ileterate or incapable, your posts on here show that. I see parralellels with my Dad, hes now withdrawn from life effectively, started in his late 40s with some mental health issues, his coping mechanism when he was a bit better was to not engage with anything that made him anxious.
There is definitely an aspect of that and you're not being flippant at all ... but there are also parallels with my Dad who just stopped being interested by new tech (many years before his Alzheimer's and other issues).
I can still remember not understanding why he wasn't interested in the latest tech.... and him just saying it just didn't interest him anymore.
The difference now is this tech is forced on us and requires engagement and I just don't want to engage.
Phone/OS updates etc. that then break some old app/program .. it's not I don't understand WHY some of the security updates are required... I just don't want to engage in kinda the same way I never liked or wanted to engage with football. I can understand some people do... and theoretically I could learn some names of players and managers in order to sound like I'm interested I'm just not interested and don't feel me spending time learning teams and stuff is very interesting so it would be a lot of hard work just to pretend I'm interested in something I'm not.
He was lucky he had a teaching pension and got a job as a postie, good income, minimal responsibility. It’s been a sad waste of the second half of his life. Probably not you but……
I can see what your saying but doing what makes you happier as opposed to something makes you sadder and anxious isn't necessarily a waste of "the second half of his life" - I know you don't mean that in a nasty way... I'd just say being less sad and even being able to say you're happy is a good thing in general.
maccruiskeen
Interestingly, out for a walk today and theres working going on in a building along the high street here- the Post Office opening a new ‘Banking Hub’ -had a quick look up to see what that means – they’re a new initiative, operated by the Post Office but providing banking services on behalf of most of the high street banks.
Theres surprisingly little info about them online – least of all on the Post Office’s site – but with 5000 bank branches having closed in the last few years it looks like thats how high street banking will maybe happen in the future.
That is actually interesting ... if only because I might not be such an oddity I'm perhaps not the only person in the UK
Are you sure? – you can do both those things over the counter with cash in a post office.
Even more interesting ... I did look on our council website for "how to pay" and that wasn't mentioned anywhere. I think it is on the utilities somewhere but my thoughts were if I have to pay the CT this way I might as well pay the utilities this way.
Maybe I should have started at the other end with "post office services" ??
Stevextc, thanks for taking my post constructively, I was a bit worried it would come across as patronising or insulting.
Regards my Dad, it wasn't the change of pace, it was the complete lack of any effort including with my kids, he is their grand father and I don't think the youngest would even recognise him now.
Anyway good luck, still think you need to find a middle way for maximum happiness, you can decide not to engage with football, it really doesn't have to be part of your life (its not very relevant to mine) but the electronic world is much more difficult to avoid.
Sorry to hear about the work related problems, something else I've also got some very unpleasent experience of, 2 totally toxic jobs resulting in a bit of a breakdown, luckily the role I'm in now is a lot better and the people I work for have actually helped me recover a bit. The irony being I now manage tens of thousands of pieces of connected tech across the country, something I have no experience or qualifications for (and no support from the IT professionals). So far nothing has gone up in flames (except the IT office which was gutted last year due to a faulty phone battery 😆) and they think im doing a good job.
Stumpyjon
Stevextc, thanks for taking my post constructively, I was a bit worried it would come across as patronising or insulting.
Not at all it came across as compassionate.
Anyway good luck, still think you need to find a middle way for maximum happiness, you can decide not to engage with football, it really doesn’t have to be part of your life (its not very relevant to mine) but the electronic world is much more difficult to avoid.
Largely that's what I'm trying to do... it sounds more drastic perhaps than my intention (and obviously on a internet forum where so many people are into tech) but I'm trying to restructure life so to speak to minimise tech as overall it makes me unhappy and more so the older I get.
[in some ways its ironic, I have a visual studio instance open right now with a whole bunch of code, connecting to a bunch of cloud but it's purely optional not something I "have to do" to be allowed into society... ]
Funny thing is in a previous job myself and a mate/colleague got a new manager and he'd constantly use football analogies... we were "expected to get" (as being male and English - except my mate was Welsh but hey ho).
something else I’ve also got some very unpleasent experience of, 2 totally toxic jobs resulting in a bit of a breakdown
Hope my advice was useful 😉 sounds like things improved massively anyway so I'm happy for you.
Perhaps it would be helpful to separate out "tech" from "function"?
Like, you're complaining about requiring a bank account to pay bills, right after expressing an interest to get away from it all. But surely the former empowers you to be able to do the latter? If you want to live on a farm with a sheep and a cow and breed horses, the more you can automate and thus forget about then the more viable that becomes.
It's not all that long ago I used to traipse into town every month to pay council tax, utilities etc and it was a pain in the cods. I regularly forgot, and the council in particular were dicks about it if you were a few days late in paying. Direct Debits gave me hours of my life back. Money comes in, money comes out, it may well involve "tech" but it requires zero engagement on my part.
Raging against the machine is perhaps laudable, but don't lose sight of what's actually important. Not wanting a smartphone I can totally understand; not wanting a bank account is flat out weird. What's the alternative, you become one of those mad old goats that gets taken for ten grand in a burglary because you had your life savings stashed in baked beans cans and shoeboxes?
I use Barclays and Lloyds. Both have closed some branches but as I rarely actually need them I don't care. My tech level is a debit card. The post office works to take out cash or put it in.
Otherwise I use no modern inventions.
Why bother with it? I get a paper statement every month so I know what I have. It costs me nothing to use. The day they charge me for using the account I'll leave.
Cougar
Like, you’re complaining about requiring a bank account to pay bills, right after expressing an interest to get away from it all. But surely the former empowers you to be able to do the latter? If you want to live on a farm with a sheep and a cow and breed horses, the more you can automate and thus forget about then the more viable that becomes.
I'm saying "ideally I'd not like a bank account" not I'm never going to have one but I'm exploring other options that let me pay bills and minimise my reliance on them.
Not wanting a smartphone I can totally understand; not wanting a bank account is flat out weird.
I had a Halifax account for ages after I started working (right up until it got turned into a clearing bank)... I'd be happy with an old style PO/building soc type account... or some "modern" day equivalent and some PAYG debit card to pay bills or shop online etc. (which is what I'm actually looking for)
Without getting into a discussion about "what is a service" and pulling out ITIL definitions what I'm really after is something used to call itself a PO or building society account or the closest modern equivalent and not trying to sell itself to me as "a service" or a whole load of services I get without wanting.
What I'm trying to avoid is the "You need to download our App to ..." as others have said above NatWest is shit in a lot of ways so I'm happy to move elsewhere ... but equally I don't want to play "bank solitaire" either and be swapping every year as new smartphone "requirements" get brought in.
you become one of those mad old goats
probably inevitable.... (or quite possibly too late)
Not wanting a smartphone I can totally understand
Perhaps it would be helpful to separate out “tech” from “function”?
Ultimately its not even about owning one.... it's more about the world not falling apart if I want to turn it off for a month or so or feeling anxiety about turning it back on.
It's not the tech of the phone I'm raging against... it's the way its used and expectations I should have one and it should be turned on and such.
A "smartphone" itself has loads of stuff I like and would like to use but it's the "cost" of having to switch it on and feel hounded by emails/messages etc that seem to all be written in a manner of a call to action.
I guess I was out with a mate a couple of weeks ago and he asked if I could video him on a feature .. I was "sure no probs" ... then I had a sinking/sick feeling about switching on my phone I'd deliberately turned off so I was "so long as I can use your phone - I don't want to turn mine on"
this. I am the biggest technophile going, absolutely not just for the sake of it or to show off, but because it improves my quality of life either by making it easier or more enjoyable or by giving me more free time to do other stuff. I know a lot of people on here don’t “get” that and never will, and there’s nothing wrong with that, I’m not really interested in arguing with people or trying to change their minds.Perhaps it would be helpful to separate out “tech” from “function”?
Likewise, I just will never understand where the OP is coming from - just to take the specific case of online banking, having the NatWest app on my phone has been a huge convenience & timesaver (cannot overstate just how much it helps running my business) but even just going out for a meal with mates or buying tickets etc or whatever being able to shoot someone an instant, secure payment via PayM is really handy!
We’re all different I guess 🤷♂️
(I would just say to OP though if you do actually have 4 figures worth of rewards in there, do make some effort to retrieve it, that’s real money that you’ve earned and they owe you so don’t let them get one over on you! Even if you don’t want/need it, you can take it out as cash or with a few extra % added as vouchers, turn it all into Morisons vouchers & give it to a food bank for example)