HBL Bank UK: accounts, cards, banking and protection

HBL Bank UK offers current accounts, savings and fixed deposit accounts, and business accounts, with a debit card rather than a credit card. It is a UK bank with branches, and eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme¹.

The way you bank with it is different from most high street names. There is no mobile app, and internet banking works on a normal PC or laptop but not on an Apple iMac, iPad or any other iOS device³. Accounts are opened by appointment at a branch, not online⁴.

What HBL Bank offers: current, savings, fixed deposit and business accounts

HBL Bank UK's personal banking centres on an individual current account, which is the account a debit card can be issued against⁵. Alongside it the bank offers savings and fixed deposit accounts, and business accounts with their own internet banking arrangements⁴. The bank's own account pages set out the specific terms for each, including any minimum balance or notice period that applies.

For context on how these account types work generally, see the guides to current accounts and savings accounts. A current account is the everyday account used for receiving income, paying bills and setting up Direct Debits and standing orders. A savings or fixed deposit account is for money set aside, and fixed deposit accounts typically require you to leave the money untouched for a set term in exchange for interest.

The bank does not offer credit cards. It states plainly that it does not provide one⁸. Its card offering is a debit card, which spends money already in your account rather than borrowing. If you need to borrow on a card, the credit cards guide explains how that works and what it costs.

Business customers have a separate registration route for internet banking, using a Business and Sub User form downloaded from the bank's website, signed and sent to the relevant branch by email or post⁷.

HBL Bank debit cards: tiers, balance requirements and daily limits

The HBL UK Debit Card comes in three tiers, and which one you get depends on the balance you hold. The bank sets out the tiers, the balance each requires and the daily limits that apply to each⁵.

The bank also states that there is a minimum balance requirement of £2,500 for ordering a HBL UK Debit Card, and that a debit card can only be issued on an HBL Individual Current Account⁵. So the card is not available on savings or business accounts, and the tier you fall into is set by the balance in the current account it is attached to.

Daily limits are a fraud control as much as a convenience feature. They cap how much can leave the account through the card in a day, which limits the damage if the card is lost, stolen or used by someone else. If a purchase you need to make sits above your tier's limit, the limit is the constraint, not your balance.

Fees and charges, including transfers to other banks

HBL Bank UK charges for transfers from an HBL UK account to accounts at other banks. It states that charges apply to these outbound transfers⁷. The bank's own fee schedule sets out the amounts, and those figures change from time to time, so the current position is on its website rather than fixed here.

The pattern is common across banking. Moving money between accounts at the same bank is usually free because it stays inside the firm's own systems. Moving money out to another bank involves the payment systems that sit between institutions, and some banks pass a charge for that on. International transfers typically cost more again, because they run through correspondent banking arrangements and currency conversion.

If you are weighing up a switch, the current accounts guide covers how switching works and what to check. The Current Account Switch Service moves your balance, Direct Debits and standing orders across, and banks guarantee that payments in and out of the new account are switched over in time so you do not miss regular bills⁹. That guarantee applies to the switch itself, not to any fee your old or new bank charges for individual transfers.

Who can open an HBL Bank account, including visit visa holders

You can usually open a UK bank account if you have leave to remain or a valid visa¹⁰. Banks are not allowed to open an account for someone who needs leave under the Immigration Rules but does not have it, and such a person also cannot be a joint account holder, signatory or beneficiary. Banks carry out status checks to confirm this¹¹.

HBL Bank UK asks for three things to open an account: proof of identity, proof of address and proof of income⁴. Having those documents ready before your appointment is what makes the process run smoothly.

If you have been turned down for an account elsewhere, a basic bank account may be an option. Basic bank accounts are offered to customers who are legally resident in the United Kingdom and either do not have a bank account or are not eligible for a standard current account¹². They come with internet banking, a contactless debit card and the option to set up Direct Debits¹³. If you believe you have been turned down unfairly, you may be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service¹².

Opening an account: by appointment, not online

HBL Bank UK does not offer online account opening. The bank directs customers to call 0044 (0) 344 809 4258 to book an appointment and visit the branch with the required documents⁴. This is a branch-based process, and it is worth planning for if you work during branch hours.

The appointment model is not unique. Bank of Baroda UK, for example, requires customers to visit a branch with a prior appointment and states that accounts cannot be opened electronically or by post¹⁴. Some other banks take a mixed approach: Barclays lets you start a basic account application through its app but requires an appointment at a branch or Barclays Local to discuss alternative ID and proof of address¹⁵.

The practical effect is the same either way. You need to attend in person with documents that prove who you are, where you live and what you earn. If any of those are hard to produce, ask the bank what alternatives it accepts before the appointment rather than after.

Banking with HBL: branches, phone and internet banking, but no app

HBL Bank UK has no mobile banking app. The bank states this directly³. Banking is done through branches, by phone and through internet banking on a computer.

Internet banking has a device restriction that matters. The bank states that internet banking works on a normal PC or laptop but not on an Apple iMac, iPad or any other iOS device³. If your only computer is a Mac or an iPad, you cannot use HBL's internet banking on it. That is unusual: most banks offer smartphone and tablet apps that let you check your balance and send payments, available through the Google Play Store for Android devices and the App Store for Apple devices¹⁶.

Internet banking registration is also not instant. You download an Internet Banking form from the bank's website, fill in the required fields, sign it and send it to your branch by email or post. Once the bank has completed its checks it creates your profile and sends your user ID and password by email. Alternatively you can visit your nearest branch³. The login address is https://www.ibank.hbl.com³.

Passwords must be at least 14 characters and include an upper case letter, a lower case letter, a number and a special character³. The bank does not publish a self-service reset, so a forgotten password means going back through the branch or form route.

Payment checks and how HBL Bank protects you from scams

HBL Bank UK runs payment checks. If a payment needs verifying and you cannot take the call, the bank holds the payment until you call back on 0044 (0) 344 809 4258 and verify it⁷. That is a genuine security step, and it is also a moment when a scammer might try to impersonate the bank.

The bank sets out what it will never ask for. It will never ask for your PIN, your password or passwords, activation codes such as a one-time passcode, or your card information¹⁷. It will never ask for remote access to your device or send you a link to make a payment¹⁷. And it will never ask you to move money, for example to keep it safe from fraud¹⁷.

If you get a suspicious call, the bank's advice is to end it and call back from a different telephone line, or call a friend first to check your line is clear, and to use the number on the back of your debit card¹⁷. The wider anti-fraud guidance is the same: check the online banking security options your bank provides¹⁸, check your statements regularly and report any unrecognised transactions to your bank immediately¹⁹. If you have revealed personal information or see unrecognised activity, contact your bank using the phone number on the back of your card or on a recent statement²⁰.

Complaints and support if you are vulnerable

HBL Bank UK takes complaints through a form on its complaints page, which a member of its team reviews and responds to²¹. The bank states that it can assist with UK-based enquiries and complaints only, and that any queries or complaints relating to accounts or services held with HBL Pakistan must go to HBL Pakistan's own customer support channels²¹.

If you are not satisfied with the bank's response, you have the right to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The bank sets this out in its complaints-handling procedures²¹. The ombudsman service is free to consumers and is the standard escalation route across UK financial services. For scale, HSBC UK Bank Plc had 3,426 total new cases in the first half of 2024, which gives a sense of how routinely the service is used²².

If you are vulnerable, or managing money for someone who is, there is help. Scope publishes advice on managing your own money²³, and Age UK covers online banking for older users¹⁶. Where someone needs another person to handle their banking, most banks give telephone and online access plus branch instructions, but only a small number give access to the mobile app²⁴. That distinction matters less at HBL Bank UK, which has no app at all, but it matters if you are comparing providers.

When an account holder dies: sole and joint accounts

HBL Bank UK accepts notification of a death through an online form, a Notification of Death Form, email, telephone, post or in branch²⁵.

The treatment of the account depends on whether it was held alone or jointly. A sole account is restricted to prevent unauthorised activity, and Direct Debits, debit cards and standing orders are cancelled. Interest on savings usually continues until the account is closed²⁵. A joint account remains open and automatically transfers to the surviving account holder²⁵. That matches the general rule: if an account holder passes away, the joint account continues in the remaining names²⁶.

For comparison, NS&I's Direct Saver stops accepting deposits when the account holder, or the last surviving holder of a joint account, dies, and the balance becomes part of the estate while the account continues to earn interest²⁷. On a joint NS&I account, the surviving holder gets ownership of the account²⁸. The principle is consistent: joint accounts pass to the survivor, sole accounts form part of the estate.

FSCS protection for HBL Bank deposits

Money held with HBL Bank UK is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The scheme covers money in current, saving and fixed-term deposit accounts⁶. Banks protect your money through the FSCS²⁹, and the Bank of England explains the scheme's role in the wider safety net³⁰.

The FSCS sets out how the limit works in practice: for someone protecting £300,000, it gives the example of £60,000 in one bank being fully protected³¹. The limit applies per banking licence, not per account, so if you hold several accounts with the same firm they count together towards one limit. Joint accounts get the limit per eligible account holder, which is why the FSCS describes it as £120,000 for each eligible account holder of a joint account³².

The FSCS check tool lets you confirm whether a firm and a product are covered before you deposit⁶. Other UK banks publish the same protection in their own terms: Handelsbanken states that eligible deposits are protected up to a total of £120,000, or £120,000 for each eligible account holder of a joint account³², and Bank of Baroda UK states that deposits are guaranteed under FSCS¹⁴.