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Banking
Banking in Britain can be traced back over four centuries, when they were started by Goldsmiths in the mid-seventeenth century. Goldsmiths were craftsmen who made household items from gold and silver. The first banks started appearing when these goldsmiths started to look after valuables, lend money, and arrange for payments to be made on behalf of their customers, and in 1694 the Bank of England was established as Britain’s first great bank.
Banks and building societies now have hundreds of branches all over the country, and are a common feature in nearly every town and city, all offering a wide range of financial products and services.
There is no legal age at which you can open a bank account, but there are restrictions on the kinds of services that are available for young people. If you are aged under the age of 18, you are not legally responsible for your debts, so it is unlikely that you will be granted services like an overdraft or credit card.
This section of the site will introduce you to the products and services that banks and building societies provide, from the most basic accounts, through to credit cards, loans and mortgages.
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Disclaimer, Target Audience, Jurisdiction Last updated & checked: 30/03/2006