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The short answer
Most UK banks that serve community groups will ask for the association's constitution or rules, minutes of the meeting that agreed to open the account, and identity checks on each signatory. Council and community guidance recommends at least two signatories, and the Resource Centre suggests naming three with any two required to approve payments. Look for a "clubs and societies" or community account rather than a standard business account.
Why the group needs its own account
Hometown unions, old students' associations, cultural societies and church fellowships often start by collecting dues into the treasurer's personal account. That works for a few months and then causes problems: members cannot see the money, the treasurer's own finances are mixed in, and if the treasurer moves back to Nigeria or falls out with the committee, the funds are stuck. An account in the association's name, with more than one person needed to approve payments, protects both the members and the officers.
What an unincorporated association is
A group of people who agree to work together under rules, without registering a company or charity, is an unincorporated association. It has no separate legal personality, so the bank deals with named officers and signatories. If the group later passes the income level for charity registration or wants limited liability, it can become a charity or a CIC; see registering a UK charity and setting up a CIC.
Documents banks usually ask for
- The constitution or rules, showing the group is voluntary and not-for-profit, its name, aims, officers and how money decisions are made. Chorley Council's community group guide and the Resource Centre both list it.
- Minutes of the meeting where members agreed to open the account and named the signatories.
- The application form, fully completed; banks may still write asking for more.
- Identity and address proof for each signatory, such as a passport or driving licence and a recent utility bill or tax letter. The Resource Centre notes signatories may need to attend a branch unless they already bank there, and newer UK residents may be asked for several months of personal bank statements.
Choosing signatories
Chorley Council says you need at least two signatories. The Resource Centre suggests naming at least three, any two of whom can sign or approve, so one absence does not stop payments. Banks run credit checks on signatories, so choose officers with sound credit. Neither source says signatories must be unrelated, but many funders expect it and it is good practice for a group handling members' money. Ask the bank whether signatories must live in the UK; officers based in Nigeria may not be accepted.
Online banking and dual approval
Cheques signed by two people give built-in control. Online banking and cards do not, unless the bank offers dual authorisation, where one person sets up a payment and another approves it. The Resource Centre advises groups to require two people to approve all online and card payments and to check the account regularly. Ask about dual approval before you choose a bank.
Choosing an account
Community accounts are usually listed under the business section of bank websites, often as "clubs and societies" or "treasurer" accounts. The Resource Centre's May 2023 sheet warns that standard business accounts usually charge fees, that some banks offer community accounts only to registered charities, and that free banking can still carry charges for overdrafts, stopped cheques or extra statements. Product ranges change, so check each bank's current page rather than relying on older lists.
If the bank says no
Refusals usually come down to the group's documents (an unsigned or vague constitution), a signatory who fails ID or credit checks, or the bank offering community accounts only to registered charities. Ask which applied, fix it and try again or try another bank. The Resource Centre also lists alternatives for small groups, such as services that hold funds on a group's behalf for a fee, but compare the cost with a free community account first.
Steps
- Adopt a written constitution at a general meeting.
- Elect officers and agree signatories and the approval rule (for example, any two of three).
- Minute the decision to open the account, naming the bank and signatories.
- Compare community accounts: fees, online dual approval, cash and cheque paying-in, branch access.
- Apply, and have each signatory complete ID checks.
- Once open, move members' dues out of personal accounts and report the balance at the next meeting.
Worked example
Example only. A Nigerian town union in Leeds collects £20 a month from 40 members, £800 a month. Until now the treasurer held it personally. At its AGM the union adopts a constitution, names the chair, secretary and treasurer as signatories with any two to approve, and minutes the decision. It opens a community account with online dual approval. When it sends £3,000 to repair a classroom at home, the treasurer sets up the payment and the chair approves it, and the receipt from the contractor is tabled at the next meeting.
Where Pryme fits
Before applying, check which entity types can open a Pryme Business Account, since an unincorporated group may not be eligible. If your association is eligible or later incorporates, a Pryme Business Account holds GBP and NGN, and bulk payouts can help with paying several suppliers at home; outside Nigeria, Pryme's services run through regulated partners.
Questions people ask
Can our association open a bank account without being a charity?
Yes. Many UK banks offer accounts to unincorporated community groups, usually asking for a constitution and minutes. Some offer community accounts only to registered charities.
How many signatories do we need?
At least two is the usual minimum; naming three with any two to approve avoids delays.
Can a committee member in Nigeria be a signatory?
Ask the bank. Signatories go through ID and credit checks and may need to attend a branch.
What if our treasurer holds the money in a personal account?
Move it to an account in the group's name as soon as one is open, and record the transfer in the minutes.
Sources
- Chorley Council: Starting a community group, opening a bank account · accessed Oct 2026
- Resource Centre: Bank accounts for community groups (May 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
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