Couples can now open a joint account without getting off the sofa, using Google technology

The digital bank matches account holders using Google Nearby technology - Getty Images Fee

Couples who wish to take the next step and start sharing their finances will now be able to open a joint account in minutes without getting up from the sofa.

Customers who already have current accounts with Starling Bank will be able to open a joint account by matching their mobile phones using Google’s Nearby technology.

Anne Boden, chief executive of the digital bank, said this should “remove the pain” of joint accounts, which are “notoriously difficult to set up and cancel”. Typically, opening a joint account requires both people to go to a bank branch at the same time with proof of identity. 

The app will show which person has made each transaction using the joint account

The app will show which person has made each transaction using the joint account, which can be frozen immediately if the couple separate.

The new account option could encourage more people to join the bank, as both people need to have a personal account to open a joint one. 

The joint account is expected to be available from tomorrow. 

Sam Everington, lead engineer at Starling, said: “We say it takes five minutes to set up – but four of those minutes are reading the terms and conditions.”