Acceptable savings identification
Acceptable savings identification
Helping you open your account
Opening a savings account is simple and easy, just visit any of our branches. There's no need to make an appointment, we will even complete the application form for you. If you're unable to get to a branch, you can open an account through the post. Send your completed application form along with a cheque made payable to yourself to our Head Office.
We must comply with Money Laundering Regulations and to protect our customers from fraud, we must confirm the identity and address of every applicant. We are able to access credit reference agency databases which, in most cases, will allow us to open your account without any paper-based identification. This will show as a search of the database only and not a credit score, so will not affect your credit rating.
If we do need further proof of identification, we will let you know. These requirements will depend on how and where you are opening your account:
- Opening in person at one of our branches: one item from each of the two lists below.
- Opening by post: one item from each of the two lists below.
We can only accept photocopies of documents if they are certified by a professional and you must provide their contact details. Any documents that are certified must be dated and signed ‘original seen’ and photographic evidence should be certified as providing a good likeliness.
Appropriate persons include: accountant, bank or building society official, local authority councillor, dentist, doctor, minister of a recognised religion, police officer, Post Office official, solicitor or teacher/lecturer. Professionals who can certify documents should not be family members. Certification of documents must be within the last three months.
To open an ISA we will need your National Insurance Number.
We will not carry out credit reference agency searches against customers aged under 18.
Items used as proof of identity cannot be used as proof of address.
Evidence of identity:
- A current signed passport;
- A current photocard driving licence (full or provisional);
- A valid old style UK driving licence;
- Recent evidence of entitlement to a state or local authority funded benefit (including housing benefit and council tax benefit), tax credit, pension, educational or other grant (no older than 12 months);
- A firearms certificate or shotgun licence;
- Biometric residence permits and cards;
- Valid photographic registration card for self-employed individuals in the construction industry;
- Valid current British Armed Forces ID card;
- Valid disabled parking document;
- HMRC tax notification (valid for the current tax year), P45/P60 are not acceptable.
- Alternative evidence of identity for under 18's:
- A birth certificate;
- An adoption certificate;
- A NHS medical card;
- Written confirmation from HMRC containing your National Insurance Number (for those aged 16 and over);
- Child Benefit documentation;
- Child Tax Credit documentation;
- Valid Student ID card from a recognised UK university with photo and date of birth.
Alternative evidence of identity for under 18's:
- A birth certificate;
- An adoption certificate;
- A NHS medical card;
- Written confirmation from HMRC containing your National Insurance Number (for those aged 16 and over);
- Child Benefit documentation;
- Child Tax Credit documentation;
- Valid Student ID card from a recognised UK university with photo and date of birth.
Alternative evidence of address for under 18's:
- An adoption certificate;
- A NHS medical card;
- Child Benefit documentation;
- Child Tax Credit documentation;
- Written confirmation from HMRC containing National Insurance Number (for those aged 16 and over);
- Conditional and unconditional proof of acceptance onto qualifying course - letter or slip issued by UCAS (valid for current entry year);
- Valid for current year - letter from student loan/finance company.
Evidence of address:
- A current photocard driving licence (full or provisional);
- A firearms certificate or shotgun licence;
- A valid old style UK driving licence;
- Recent evidence of entitlement to a state or local authority funded benefit (including housing benefit and council tax benefit), tax credit, pension, educational or other grant (no older than 12 months);
- Instrument of a court appointment (such as liquidator, or grant of probate);
- Current council tax demand letter or statement (no more than twelve months old);
- Current bank or building society statement or passbook issued by a regulated financial sector firm in the UK, EU or comparable jurisdiction (they must be no more than 3 months old);
- Utility bill (recording the company that issued the bill and date of issue. We will not accept any printed from the internet and they must be no more than three months old);
- Inland revenue PAYE coding notice (P2) - current year or Inland Revenue Statement of Account - current tax year;
- Council or private tenancy agreement;
- Solicitors completion letter or statement (must be less than 3 months old);
- UK mortgage statement (must be less than 12 months old);
- TV Licence Renewal Notification (must be less than 12 months old);
- UK Phone bill (not mobile; must be less than 3 months old);
- UK Satellite or cable bill if it includes landline phone connection (must be less than 3 months old);
- UK Credit Union statement (must be less than 3 months old);
- Letter from Manager of Nursing/Residential Home confirming permanent residence in Nursing/Residential Home within the last 3 months - must be on letter headed paper;
- Letter from commanding officer or military unit issued in the last 3 months and confirming residency in service quarters;
- Online UK bank/building society current or savings account statements issued in the last 3 months. This will need to be in PDF format print (not a screen shot or photographic image);
- Online Utility bill issued in the last 3 months. This will need to be in a PDF download format print (not a screen shot or photographic image).
Acceptable savings identification
Savings FAQs
If you lose your passbook you must notify us immediately. We will need you to complete a missing passbook form. There is a charge for a duplicate passbook, please refer to our Tariff of Charges for the current charge amount. If you have reported your passbook stolen and have a valid crime reference number we will waive this charge. Identification will be required before a duplicate passbook can be provided. For more information call us on 0121 557 2551, visit one of our branches, or complete our online form.
We do not automatically issue Interest Certificates annually. If you do require an interest certificate you can request one at any of our branches, by calling 0121 557 2551, or by completing our online form.
If you wish for someone else to manage your account on your behalf, we will require a Power of Attorney or Court of Protection to be registered. Please call us on 0121 557 2551, or visit one of our branches for further information.
If you do not currently have a Power of Attorney or Court of Protection and require assistance managing you account then please contact us to discuss further.
The most you can withdraw each day without giving us notice is:
- £500 by cash; and
- £20,000 by cheque.
Higher amounts can be made available. You must give at least two days' notice, with a maximum limit of £2,500 cash per day
You can give notice by calling 0121 557 2551, in person in one of our branches or by completing our online form. You'll need to let us know how much you would like to withdraw, when you'll be collecting it and what branch you'll be withdrawing from.
The sort code and account number for your savings account can be found inside the cover of your passbook and stated below:
- Sort Code: 20-27-33
- Account Number: 70885096
You will also need to quote the below details when sending a payment to your savings account;
- Reference: Your personal account number which is located on the inside cover of your passbook.
- Payee name: your full name
How to find your sort code in an IBAN number
You can find your 6-digit sort code contained within your IBAN number. To find out what your IBAN number is, simply contact us on 0121 557 2551.
We allow withdrawals against a cheque six banking days after it has been deposited. If a cheque is paid in on a Saturday, the period of six banking days will start on the following Monday. Non banking days include Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. You should note cheques are valid for six months unless otherwise stated.
If you move house you'll need to complete an amendment form to notify us of your change of address. We'll also need you to provide documentary proof of your new address. You can post your amendment form to our Tipton Head Office or deliver it in person to any of our branches. If you post the form, your proof of your new address must be certified. Details of who can certify documents can be found on our acceptable identification page.
We accept coins provided they are sorted and bagged before being taken to a branch. Coin bags are available from any of our branch offices. The maximum that we will accept is five full bags of the appropriate value of coin. This means any five bags from the following:
- £20 of £2 or £1 coins, not mixed;
- £10 of 50p or 20p coins, not mixed;
- £5 of 10p or 5p coins, not mixed; and
- £1 of 2p or 1p coins, not mixed.
You can open a savings account at any of our branches, no appointment is needed. Alternatively, you can post us a fully completed application form and a cheque made payable to yourself to our Tipton Head Office. Opening balances made by electronic payment must be sent within 14 days of opening your account, or the account will automatically be closed. We have access to credit reference agency databases which in the majority of cases will allow us to prove your identity and address without the need for paper-based identification. However, if we do require further proof we will let you know. Please click here to see our list of acceptable identification. If you would like to open an ISA with us we will require your National Insurance number.
This will depend on your account. Please, refer to your product terms and conditions to check if an ISA transfer in is allowed. If you are unable to refer to your product terms and conditions, you can call us on 0121 557 2551, visit one of our branches, or complete our online contact form.
We do not allow partial transfers of the current tax year subscriptions, however previous tax year subscriptions can be transferred in full or part. If you wish to transfer an existing ISA, please complete our ISA Transfer In Form and post it to us at 70 Owen Street, Tipton, DY4 8HG.
We do not offer accounts with cash cards or cheque books and do not have any cash machines.
We do not issue account statements as all of our accounts are operated by either passbook or mobile app. You can request a statement showing your balance and the transactions made on your account. If you need your passbook updating we will be happy to do this in branch, or you can post your passbook to our head office at 70 Owen Street, Tipton, DY4 8HG. To request a statement please call us on 0121 557 2551, visit one of our branches, or complete our online contact form.
We do not currently have the facility for you to access your savings account online. However, you can view and open savings account on our Tipton App. You can download our App from the App Store or Google Play Store.
We do not open savings accounts for non-UK residents.
We do not offer current accounts and therefore, no electronic payments can be set up from your savings account.
With the exception of ISAs, you can add another person to your existing account. To do this please call us on 0121 557 2551, visit one of our branches, or complete our online contact form.
From 6 April 2016 the Government introduced the Personal Savings Allowance, meaning all savings interest is now paid without tax deducted. Basic rate tax payers can earn £1,000 in savings interest tax free. For more information please visit the HMRC website.
A child must be at least 16 years old to open a savings account in their own name. To open an ISA, the minimum age is 18 years old.
You do not need your passbook to pay money into your account. We will be happy to update your passbook next time you visit our offices, or you can post your passbook to any of our branches, or Head Office to be updated.
We have four branches located in Tipton, Coseley, Bilston and Sedgley. Please see our branches page for more information.
To see our individual opening hours please click here.
We have access to credit reference agencies, which in most cases will allow us to verify your identification without the need for paper-based identification. However, in some circumstances we will need you to provide additional proof of identity, and will let you know if this is the case. Please see our list of acceptable identification for further detail. If you would like to open an ISA with us we will also need your National Insurance Number.
You can close your account by visiting one of our branches, or through the post to our Tipton Head Office. To close your account through the post you will need to send a signed letter requesting account closure and your passbook. You should check your account terms and conditions as some of our accounts require notice to be given for closure.
To register a death, you will need to bring in the original or certified copy of the Death Certificate, or you can post it to our Head Office at 70 Owen Street, Tipton, DY4 8HG. What happens with accounts following this will depend on the total balances held with us. Further information can be found in our bereavement guide.
For more information on how to register a power of attorney please see our online guide.
Each financial year the Government will provide a set amount that you can deposit into ISAs for that tax year. For the 2024/2025 tax year, the ISA deposit limit is £20,000.
You'll need to complete an amendment form and bring in proof of your change of name (either your Marriage Certificate or Certificate of Deed Poll). Please remember to sign the amendment form with both your old and your new signature. You can do this at any one of our branches or through the post, please bear in mind if you do notify us through the post the proof of your change of name must be certified, this is detailed in our list of acceptable identification.
You do not need an appointment to open a new savings account, simply visit your local branch. You can also open some of our accounts through the post by sending your completed application form and a cheque for your opening deposit.
Opening balances made by electronic payment must be sent within 14 days of opening your account, or the account will automatically be closed. We must confirm the identity and address of every applicant. We are able to access credit reference agency databases which, in most cases, will allow us to open your account without paper-based identification. This will show as a search of the database only and not a credit score, so will not affect your credit rating. If we do need further proof of identification, we will let you know. These requirements will depend on how and where you are opening your account, to find out more please see our acceptable savings ID webpage.
If you wish to speak to an Adviser to discuss our mortgages or are looking for independent financial advice then you will need to make an appointment. You can call us on 0121 557 2551, visit one of our branches, or arrange a call back using our contact us form.
We do not offer foreign currency.
We can offer life insurance through our partnership with Wren Sterling. Further details of what we can offer can be found on our financial advice pages. To book an appointment with an Independent Financial Adviser, please call us on 0121 557 2551, visit a branch, or complete our contact us form.
We can offer financial advice through our partnership with Wren Sterling. Further details of what we can offer can be found on our financial advice pages. To book an appointment with an Independent Financial Adviser, please call us on 0121 557 2551, visit a branch, or complete our contact us form.
With the exception of Fixed Rate Savings, the interest rates on our accounts are variable and can change at any time. If we reduce your interest rate and you have a balance of £100 or more, we will contact you by post before the changes are effective.
You can pay money into your account by sending a cheque made payable to yourself through the post to our Tipton Head Office, visiting any of our branches, or by internal transfer from another account you hold with us. You can also set up a standing order from your bank or building society to transfer money or send a one off electronic transfer. To do this, you will need to quote:
- Our sort code: 20-27-33;
- Our bank account number: 70885096;
- Reference number: your own Tipton Account Savings number; and
- Payee name: your full name
Your savings with us are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK’s deposit guarantee scheme. For more information please read our FSCS leaflet or visit the FSCS Website.
You can close your Help to Buy: ISA the same way you would close any other account, by coming into any of our branches or by postal request to our Tipton Head Office. When you close your Help to Buy: ISA you will receive a closing statement. Your Solicitor will need this to claim your Government bonus.
If you decide within 14 days of opening that the account you’ve chosen is not suitable for you, you will be able to close the account without charge. We can arrange to give your money back to you or transfer it to another account that is more suitable to your needs. Please be aware that the 14 day cooling off period does not apply to Fixed Rate Savings accounts.
BACS, CHAPS and Faster Payments are all electronic payments, however there are some important differences between them to help you understand when and how they should be used.
BACS
BACS stands for Banker’s Automated Clearing Services, and is a system which is used to send payments directly from one account to another. Typically, most people receive their salary from their employer via BACS payment of some type.
The main use of these are for payments made by direct debit. BACS payments typically take 3 working days to clear, and can be up to the value of £20 million for retail clients.
CHAPS
CHAPS stands for Clearing House Automated Payment System and have been in use since 1984. Typically, CHAPS payments are used for retail and wholesale, high value payments – usually worth over £10,000.
As these types of payments are more costly to process, they are typically used for larger sums and more important payments (for example payment of a deposit on a house). With CHAPS payments, funds are likely to clear within the same day.
Faster Payments
Faster Payments are available for standard transfers within the UK, acting as one of the quicker ways to move money around. The maximum transaction limit set by the Faster Payments operator is £250,000 – for larger payments, we would recommend utilising CHAPS.
Faster Payments typically happen instantly but may take longer if the receiving financial institution is not a clearing bank.
Here at the Tipton, we do accept faster payments. You can check other providers using the Faster Payments website, at www.fasterpayments.org.uk/sort-code-checker.
Which Should I Use?
The type of payment used depends on the nature of what you are doing. For transferring small sums to friends and family, this is usually done through faster payments. However, for more regular payments (for example your monthly mortgage direct debit) this is most likely to be completed via a BACS payment.
Finally, CHAPS payments are more commonly used by businesses or as a one off when purchasing something costly.
A roll number is your savings account number, which is used to identify a member’s account with the building society. If you are making a payment to a Building Society account, you should add the roll number (account number) as the reference of the payment you are sending, you must not type anything else in the reference field. The system will then automatically allocate the funds to the correct account based on the roll number stated in the reference box.
Your roll number will be given to you when opening your account, it can then be found at the top of your passbook under 'account number' or if you have an app account you will be able to find it on the homepage of the app. Alternatively, you can contact the Society in branch or on the phone, where a member of staff will be able to help.
Our savings customers say
- 7/7
"When I was looking to open a savings account I wanted somewhere local that could keep my money safe and secure, so I could have peace of mind that my savings were being carefully looked after.
"I chose Tipton & Coseley because it is conveniently located for me and was recommended by a friend. When I went in one of the advisers sat down with me and listened to what I wanted for my savings and they then recommended a savings account that was suitable for me. I left feeling happy and at ease that my savings were securely deposited.
"I have been with the Tipton for over 20 years now and always will be, they give me everything I need from a building society and are always happy to help. I've never had any issues, and during my time with them the friendly approach and excellent service has never faltered.
"Their branches are a great place to visit, there is always a friendly member of staff on hand to help and listen to my needs. Whenever I'm there I'm dealt with quickly, on a one to one basis making each visit convenient and ideal.
"I have always recommended Tipton & Coseley to my family and friends and will continue to do so."
Mrs Cooke, Savings Customer - 7/7
"When I first joined Tipton & Coseley I was looking for somewhere safe and secure to save my money. I approached the Tipton as they are local and I’d heard they were a safe, family orientated building society.
"When I first visited them I sat down with one of their employees who listened to my needs. They gave me advice on what account would be best for me and I was given real peace of mind that my savings would be carefully looked after. I know there is always advice available should I need it and the staff at the Tipton are always there to let me know what is best for me.
"I have stayed with the Tipton ever since and I wouldn’t go anywhere else. Everyone who works there is always happy to help. The service you receive is excellent, and as a regular customer you get to know the branch staff so, unlike many other banks and building societies, going into a branch is like going to see family. The staff are really friendly and welcoming and always ask how I am and I feel like I can have a chat with them.
"I have recommended Tipton & Coseley to my family and friends many times and know that many have taken me up on the recommendation."
Mrs Thomson, Savings Customer - 7/7
I was a new customer of The Tipton and was somewhat apprehensive of the service I might receive from an organisation I did not know. I need not have worried.
The bond was opened on the same day they received the application and I received confirmation the next day. There was a nice personal letter from the Society, including a phone number to contact in case of a problem.
However, everything was in order and I am delighted with the service I received. I have dealt with many banks and building societies over the years and yours sets the standard of service.
Ms P, Savings Customer