What it means for you

For our UK-resident customers, there is no change to your everyday banking services.

For our EEA-resident customers, our aim is to continue to provide you with the same service as we do today, where we are permitted to do so. Should anything need to change, we will let you know, ensuring you have as much notice as possible. 

More information is available at:

https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/consumer-guide-retail-banking-european-union-after-brexit

As our business is largely UK-focused, the impact on Ulster Bank is not as significant as it is for many other banks.

We’ve already made changes to the way we’re organised to ensure we can continue to serve customers from 1 January 2021.

Our Ulster Bank Ireland DAC business will continue to provide services for our customers that live, invest and do business in the Republic of Ireland.

We continue to work closely with the UK Government to help us understand what the future UK-EU relationship means for the Financial Services sector.

Yes. Your money will continue to be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. More information is available at https://www.fscs.org.uk/check-your-money-is-protected/

We are a UK focused bank, so for the majority of customers, our services and products will remain the same. 

Yes. There should be no change to how you make and receive payments to EU countries. And, of course, you can continue to access your bank account in your normal way to conduct your everyday banking needs.

Yes. It will still be easy to use your bank card in ATMs across Europe, in much the same way as you can use it today when you go on holiday to non-EU countries, such as America or Australia. And, of course, you can continue to access your bank account through the mobile app to conduct your everyday banking needs.

No, all changes have been implemented successfully since March 2019 and we don’t anticipate any issues with your Euro payments.

However, the Funds Transfer Regulation (FTR) requires that all SEPA Direct Debits to or from a non-EU/EEA country include the payer’s address. To avoid collections being rejected, SEPA Direct Debit Originators must ensure that all payers’ address details are populated on their collection files with effect from 1 January 2021.

If a SEPA Direct Debit is not collected after the transition period ends, payers should contact the originator to ascertain the reason and if necessary, arrange an alternative method of payment.

Ulster Bank is divided into two separate legal entities, Ulster Bank Limited (registered in Northern Ireland and forms part of the UK) and Ulster Bank Ireland DAC (UBIDAC registered in the Republic of Ireland and forms part of the EU). 

Ulster Bank Limited is regulated by the UK authorities – the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. UBIDAC is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Up until 31 December 2020, we offered a basic banking account (our Foundation account) to customers living in the Republic of Ireland and working in Northern Ireland as part of our agreement to comply with the EU Payment Account Directive (‘EU PAD’). 

On 31 December 2020 at 11pm the Brexit Transition Period came to an end, and as a consequence, we do not hold the necessary permissions to offer banking products or services to new customers residing in the Republic of Ireland as that is part of the EU. If we were to provide an account to a non-UK resident from 1 January 2021, we could be in breach of local legal and/or regulatory requirements.

No, as it currently stands, we will continue to serve our existing customers who hold an account with us. If this changes, we will provide you with notice.

No, whilst we will continue to serve our existing customers who hold an account with us and live in the EU (and the Republic of Ireland), we cannot provide you with any new accounts.

Yes, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland who is residing in Northern Ireland is still able to open a bank account with us subject to providing the relevant documentation at account opening.

The process to apply for an EU account can take up to six weeks to complete. Unfortunately, even if an application was started before 31 December 2020, if it wasn’t complete at that point, we’re unable to continue processing the application from 1 January 2021 as we could be in breach of local legal and/or regulatory requirements where the customer lives.  

Unfortunately, if we were unable to complete the opening of your EU account on 31 December 2020 we cannot progress that application any further and we cannot offer an alternative.

You can speak to us about your application by calling +44 (0)151 494 1260. Alternatively, if you wish to make a complaint, you can call us on +44 (0)345 742 4365 or submit a complaints form online via our website.

When the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, the UK entered a ‘transition period’ and was largely treated as continuing to have EU membership.

However, with the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, the way UK financial institutions can do business in EU countries has changed. Unfortunately, under Dutch Law we're no longer able to provide banking services for many of our customers who live in the Netherlands.

No. We must comply with local legislation in the Netherlands.

You should ensure you have put alternative banking arrangements in place by the end of 60-day notice period.

You must ensure you have put alternative banking arrangements in place by the end of the 60-day notice period.

You should:

• contact anyone who currently makes credits into your account such as a salary, pension, or standing order to advise them of your new banking details.
• make sure you transfer any balance to your new account and cancel any direct debits, standing orders or regular payments you may have set up on your account.  

If you have a credit balance, please transfer this money to an account with another provider.

You can use your Anytime Banking or mobile app to easily transfer money up to £10,000 a day to another account.

If your balance is greater than £10,000 you can transfer your money over multiple days.

If you are not registered for Anytime Banking you can set this up by following our step by step guide - Criteria apply.

Please be aware that whilst we will not charge you for making a standard international transfer (taking 2 to 4 business days), your recipient bank may charge for the transaction.

You should make sure that you cancel direct debits, standing orders or regular payments you may have on your account. Visit our Support Centre to find out how you can do this using Anytime Banking.

You should contact anyone who currently makes credits into your account such as a salary, pension or standing order to advise them of your new banking details.

Whilst we will not charge you for making a standard international transfer (taking 2 to 4 business days), your recipient bank may charge for the transaction.

You should call us to update your contact details.

No, unless you are resident in the UK. Giving another address when you don’t live there can have unforeseen consequences for you. Addresses are often linked to other important services, so it’s important that the information you provide to us is accurate.

It can also help protect you against fraud. Please refer to Take Five - To Stop Fraud for further advice. 

The UK Government’s guidance ​shows you how your State Pension can be paid into a bank in the country you’re living in.​

You should check with your pension provider to see whether they can pay the money from your pension straight into an overseas bank account. Visit UK Government Pensionwise for more help.

Further support can be found at:

Gov.uk ​to see how your State Pension can be paid into a bank in the country you’re living in.​

Pensionwise to see whether your pension provider can pay the money straight into an overseas bank account.

UK Finance to view their Consumer Guide on Retail Banking in the European Union after Brexit.

If we don’t hear from you, we will close your account on the date stated in your letter and hold any funds safely on your behalf, which you can receive by contacting us. 

As stated in our Terms and Conditions, we’re required to give you 60 days’ notice of our intention to close your account. 

We’re working hard to understand the impacts the UK’s departure from the EU and actions we need to take to be compliant with local regulations across the EU. We’ll endeavour to continue to support our EU resident customers where we are permitted to do so.

There is no change to your existing arrangement(s). However, if you use your current account to make your monthly payments, you’ll need to find an alternative way to make these payments.

If you have an alternative UK bank account you can set up a Standing Order or Direct Debit to make your monthly payments. If this is not an option you can also make monthly payments to your loan via international transfer.  Please make the international transfer to your loan account number and sort code. You will also need the IBAN number and BIC number which you will find on your account statement or via Anytime Internet Banking or your mobile app as below:

Mobile app

Log in to your app

Tap on the account you want to see

Select the three dots on the top right of your screen

Tap 'View/Share account details' to see your IBAN and BIC code

Anytime Internet Banking

Log in to Anytime Internet Banking

Select the account you wish to view from the 'Account summary' screen

Select the option 'View account details'

You will see the IBAN & BIC code listed on screen

When you make the transfer please remember:

In the transfer reference you will need to include your Loan account number and sort code and your full name

Funds will need to be sent in GBP.  If you send the payment in EUR the exchange rate could change mid-transaction and not cover the full monthly payment

Transfers from overseas can take much longer than transfers between banks of the same country, so make sure to account for this.  If the funds arrive late they may have an adverse effect on your credit file. 

You may be charged a fee by your bank for international transfers.

Please be aware that we’ll not be able to offer any additional lending and some additional restrictions may apply.

You will not be able to use your credit card to make new purchases after the 60 day notice period ends. If you don’t clear your balance in full after the 60 days you must continue to make at least the minimum payment each month until the balance is cleared. To avoid incurring interest on any outstanding balance, we encourage you to pay down your remaining balance as soon as possible.

If you need help repaying your balance please get in touch.

If you hold a current account with us, the easiest way to pay off your remaining balance is via Anytime Internet Banking or the mobile app. The full list of ways to pay is detailed on the back of your statement.

If you don’t bank with us but do hold a UK current account, contact your local bank and quote the sort code on your Giro credit slip (found on your credit card statement) and  your 16-digit credit card number found on the front of your card.

You should continue to make payments to clear the outstanding balance on your credit card, even after the credit card is closed. If you currently make payments to your credit card from a current account held with us, you will need to update the way you pay your credit card, as your current account will also be closed and you will no longer be able to make payments from this account. 

If you are unable to continue making your minimum repayment to your credit card and require additional support, please visit our dedicated support page for further information on how we can help.

If you have no outstanding balance on your account you do not need to do anything. We will close your credit card account at the end of the 60-day notice period noted in our letter to you. 

If you have a credit balance on your account we will return any credit balance before closing the account. If you have a current account with us we will return the funds to your current account via faster payment where possible. If not, we will look to send a cheque for the outstanding amount owed.

You will need to close your ISA with us.  We will not charge any fees associated with withdrawing funds early.

You will not incur any penalties for withdrawing funds from Fixed Rate/Bond accounts early or transferring to another provider.

No, your mortgage can continue however some restrictions may apply. You will need to make alternative arrangements to make your monthly payment to your mortgage.

You should contact your financial services provider in the Netherlands to discuss options for sending regular payments to your mortgage account.

Please be aware, payments should be sent to us in GBP rather than Euros.  International transfers can take longer to reach us so be sure to allow sufficient time for your payment to be made.

Please call us on 0345 300 6079 for information on where to send your payments. For Relay UK please contact us on 18001 0345 300 6079*

*Using Relay UK from overseas: Dial +44 151 494 2022. Relay UK will ask for the phone number you want and a Relay Assistant will be connected into your call.

If you need to make an urgent payment to your mortgage account, you can call us on 0345 300 6079 to make a card payment. If you are using Relay UK please call us on 18001 0345 300 6079 *

*Using Relay UK from overseas: Dial +44 151 494 2022. Relay UK will ask for the phone number you want and a Relay Assistant will be connected into your call.

If you have a current account mortgage or offset mortgage with us there is no change to your existing arrangements. Any current account or savings account linked to your offset mortgage will remain open. Once your offset mortgage has been paid in full, any linked accounts will also be closed. If you have a current account mortgage that has been paid in full we will close the account from the date noted in the letter we sent you.

Yes. This account will be closed from the date noted in the letter we sent you. 

Yes. This account will be closed. If you are the UK resident account holder, please contact us before the date noted in the letter we sent you to discuss changing the account to be solely in name of the person who lives in the UK.