NSI will not transfer money to my account with Credit Agricole. They said that they would send a cheque addressed to my sister or a friend. This is most inconvienient. Can anyone advice me how to do it another way, please?
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what NSI are you talking about ?? I’ve “googled” and there are lots of possibilities…
National savings and investments i am guessing
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ah… NS&I ??
That’s correct Prunelle.
I have a savings account and bonds with NS&I.
They will only receive money from and pay money into a UK current bank account. Wise is not a bank. I checked with them before I opened an NS&I account and they made it clear that Wise could not be used as a « feeder » account.
The solution they suggest is probably the only one possible.
Unless of course you want to open a new UK current account with HSBC. Not the offshore bank, but HSBC UK. They do allow nonresidents to open a basic bank account.
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An American friend told me that he uses Wise, that it was an international banking system. I will have to check with him again.
Wise is definitely not a bank. It’s a fintech.
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Oh, thank you for the advice on HSBC UK. I will do that.
Fintech?
Financial technology (company, in this case).
They will also accept a current account with a UK building society such as Nationwide.
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What about Revolut?
https://www.revolut.com/news/revolut_receives_uk_banking_licence/
That should work in theory.
I would definitely call NS&I first and ask them, though. Think I spoke to them last time via a webchat.
If you are not a UK resident you cannot hold premium bonds or have an accoubt with NS&I or at least that was the case for me. When my father died a while ago we discovered he was holding premium bonds in mine and my siblings name. I contacted them to update my details and had to surrender them as a non resident.
Yes it seems that HSBC UK are the only high street bank that a non resident can open an account with. However be warned, it is a long process on line and can take many months. If you happen to be visiting the UK its much quicker to do it in branch.
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Glad it was you giving the bad news 
You can open - or continue to hold - an NS&I account even if you are resident in France. Provided you have a UK current account to act as a feeder account.
It is the only solution I know of for Brits living in France who want to open an interest-bearing account in the UK. The interest rates aren’t bad. 4% gross for the Direct Saver account for example.
Pretty sure you can also buy or hold premium bonds if you live in France. Check their website.
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The only thing I would say is do not under any circumstances open a joint account with NS&I. For the set-up process, everything relating to the second account holder has to be done by snail mail. We did it last year and it took forever.
Far better to open separate accounts as that way much of the process can be done online and over the telephone.
I’m quite surprised NSI would refuse Wise as Wise does give kosher UK sort code and account number and I certainly wouldn’t be asking them do you accept Wise I’d just have given the account and sortcode numbers
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I get the impression they’re wise to Wise.
And even if you did manage to hoodwink them at the setup stage, it could be a right pain if they discovered later and promptly closed your account.
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Am a big fan of Wise myself.