This archive report concerns an announcement made on 5 November 2025. Reviewed on 15 October 2026, it records the original policy announcement rather than guaranteeing that a particular account or referral route is available today.
What was announced
HM Treasury announced a pilot involving Shelter and Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays, Nationwide and Santander. Its purpose was to help people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness access banking without a fixed address. The initiative built on Shelter’s existing work with HSBC, which the announcement said had already helped more than 7,000 people.
The scheme formed part of the government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy. The announcement describes a supported route into banking; it does not establish that every branch can open an account immediately for every applicant.
Questions to ask before applying
Someone seeking help should ask Shelter or the participating bank which service is currently operating, whether a referral is needed and what evidence will be accepted. Ask how correspondence will be handled and how access will continue if accommodation changes. Write down the name of the service and the next action agreed.
Keep sensitive documents within the provider’s official application process. A public property listing, social media comment or shared group chat is not an appropriate place to send identity documents. If an instruction is unclear, ask the organisation to explain it before providing information.
Why this matters to housing teams
For housing professionals, the useful response is a clear signposting process. Keep a dated contact list, identify who can help residents follow up and avoid promising an outcome controlled by a bank. Access to an account should not be described as a guaranteed route to a tenancy, credit or employment.
When discussing the initiative with residents, separate the historic announcement from current eligibility. The practical next step is to confirm the live service and its requirements directly, rather than relying solely on an archived news article.