For what its worth, exactly the same calculation methodology for determining foreign gains/losses is also used in the UK, US, Australia etc, and I’d imagine probably any equivalent sophisticated tax regime.
I can confirm you can open further investments with NS&I (although might be only if you already have an account with them). No ISAs though.
Barclays will close your account if you move your residential adress to France.
1 Like
Has anybody who is living in France, recently opened a UK Bank account after being closed by Barclays or others? If so with which bank and were there any hassles?
HSBC apparently, according to reports
I tried to open one at HSBC, but it’s very difficult to get documents authenticated in France, whereas in the UK any vicar will do 
. I think the best course of action is to open an HSBC account while in the UK (or during a short stay in the UK) as all documents can be authenticated in branch.
HSBC refused my application in the end and I gave up, that’s despite the fact I managed to get my proof adress and identity signed off in an HSBC branch in Paris. Will try and open one next time I’m in the UK.
You can get documents authenticated by some lawyers in France approved by the uk gvt:
Note that for some other paperwork for the UK I used this lawyer:
https://wolffkono.com
He was very helpful. However there are costs per document and some need translating which is another cost…
Impossible I found on my recent trip back to England. I was trying to swap an old tenner (not plastic) and they would only do it if I opened an account. When they realised where I live I was shown the door.
No need for that, I noticed it on the way in. 
UK banks are utterly vile these days - they have totally lost sight of how customer service works, and everything, absolutely everything, is about their bottom line not providing what customers need.
Which is why I “bank” with Nationwide Building Society, and with Wise for dealing with Euros and dollars.
(I realise that the “difficulty” they have with giving accounts to non UK residents is due to our “hard Brexit” - but setting up a subsidiary in Ireland can’t be that hard - Jacob Rees-Mordor managed it…)
But you must have opened that account while you still had a UK address, they say no just like all the others to French residents.
At least French banks have been consistent…
I am still UK resident, David, sorry for any confusion!
My plan at the moment is to use my Wise account as my primary account when I do move to France, since I can hold balances in Euros, pounds and dollars (as well as other currencies if needed). I’ve got my pension bloke checking if I will be able to have my UK pension paid into the Wise account in due course.
I shall probably need a French bank account as well just to get those pesky cheques!
Plan B is to keep the Nationwide account and use my brother’s UK address for correspondence.
A very good plan, guard it with your life, if you let it go you won’t get it back again. But make sure they don’t assume that your ‘correspondence’ address is an address of convenience of your own. That will set them off demanding proof, like leccy bills etc…
I am very careful not to put a foot wrong with Yorkshire Bank (now Virgin Money) as all our 5 UK pensions are paid into it. They could be paid here but this way I get to choose to transfer when the rate is right. Needless to say I am transferring nothing at the moment. 
1 Like
I’ve banked with Nationwide from my permanent French address for several years without any problems.
2 Likes
Same. They’ve been happy to send debit cards, letters, even a replacement card reader to my French address.
I had one issue related to a credit card I used to have… Can’t for the life of me remember the exact details but I recall it needed me to go into a branch to resolve during one of my rare visits back to the UK.
1 Like
Good to hear! Thank you chaps!
1 Like
You could also open an account with Santander before you leave UK as a reserve. They let me keep it with a French address.
Yes whatever you do do not close the Nationwide account, Once resident here you will not be allowed to open a new one if you do.
1 Like
I have accounts with both Santander and Natwest and both allowed me to keep the accounts now I’m resident in France. The only account I had to give up was barclaycard, but that made no difference really as I no longer used it as only in sterling. As an alternative I have a Halifax credit card that is in sterling, but I can use it for euro charges and I get the prevailing exch rate with no additional charges - very versatile and useful.
1 Like
Yes I have one of those too (the Clarity card), which is useful, but I think that what they give up in fees they make up with a less favourable exchange rate, at lease compared to Wise.
1 Like
Whenever I check the rate versus the rate on my xe app it’s either the same or pretty damn close, so the exch rate always seems to be pretty good to me. As I receive an income in sterling it helps to purchase items in euros when the exch rate is favourable, otherwise I use euros if the rate is particularly poor at the time I’m buying whatever. Very convenient.
1 Like
and -
On the card front, the Mastercard / visa exchange ‘premium’ seems to track about 0.4 - 0.5% - so a card only charging ‘interbank’ (as MSE terms it) seems OK.
I got a chase account and for everyday euro (or UK) spending have really used that, because it gives 1% cash back - so is actually above the true exchange rates on the day.
I know I fuss about the exchange rate - though its really about when do I buy euros to pay the rent - or add to the car savings fund - or house fund etc.
The day to day, yeah I have all the cards mentioned and they’re good, don’t sweat the small stuff as they say, - the Chase card does blow them away though, get it if you can!
appreciate it’s a UK card so rec is really for those of us
1 Like