I want to flag a discriminatory experience I’ve had with the Co-op’s will-writing service.
I asked it to update a will it had drawn up for me in 2020, with my partner and our daughter as the beneficiaries. I received no follow-up for two months.
When I chased the matter, I was told the request had been cancelled because I was born in Russia. I moved to the UK as a child and revoked my citizenship in 1999. I now have dual British and German nationality.
The adviser checked that I have no ties to Russia, or any Russian assets, and rebooked the appointment. On the rebooked day, no one contacted me and, when I called, I was told the appointment had been “erroneously” cancelled due to my country of birth, and was rebooked for the next day. The call happened, but was terminated within minutes.
The Co-op told me it had received “specialist legal advice” instructing it not to provide advice to anyone born in Russia, regardless of their current citizenship or ties. Is it lawful to refuse service on the basis of someone’s place of birth?
AK, London
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, strict financial restrictions have been imposed on anyone connected to the Russian government and its war aims. The penalties for doing financial or legal business with those sanctioned under Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations include imprisonment of up to seven years, so many banks and legal firms are playing it safe.
The UK government guidance is clear: if a person is not designated under a sanctions regime, or connected to someone who is, they will not be prohibited from financial and legal services.
You are not on the government list of designated persons but were still asked to provide proof that you had revoked your citizenship. You say you were reluctant to do this out of principle because citizenship alone does not trigger the sanctions, and the Co-op has failed to explain the requirement.
Your updated will would bequeath your assets to your partner and daughter, neither of whom are Russian.
But the Co-op is taking a “no-risk” approach after receiving legal advice. It says: “If breached, the Russia regulations hold serious consequences for a business and those it employs. We therefore must carry out the correct due diligence to ensure we comply with these rules.”
It says it would serve you if you provided the certificate proving you have renounced your Russian citizenship.
I asked HM Treasury if it was legal to discriminate against customers simply because they were Russian-born. It replied that its regulations set more store by where in the world a customer lives than where they were born, but says it was up to companies to decide how to comply with the rules and who to do business with.
It is unpalatable that you should pay a price because of your birth location, but it seems you will have to provide the document the Co-op wants.
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