Choose a company that offers a bank account set-up package. The most popular companies are 1st Contact, Visa First and Fastrack UK, though you can find others that offer a similar service.
Contact the company at their local office. All three of the companies in Step 1 have offices in Australia.
Ask for a UK bank account set-up package. Different companies have different names for these. 1st Contact, for example, calls it the Kickstart package.
Choose the bank where you want your account. 1st Contact has deals with HSBC, Barclays and Lloyds TSB. Visa First works with Lloyds TSB, Natwest and Barclays. Fastrack UK only offers one bank - Lloyds TSB.
Provide the company with the info they need, such as your name, address, date of birth, etc. You will have to show a valid Australian passport. Fastrack requires a recent utility bill as proof of address.
Ask about any additional benefits included in the package. The Kickstart package, for example, includes an international calling card, a mobile Subscriber Identify Module, or SIM card, and help applying for a UK National Insurance number.
