UK banks to check 70m bank accounts in search for illegal immigrants

So I read the email and opened few links from the email which Barclays sent to all its customers about terms and condition changes and found this Opening a Barclays Basic Current Account – non-UK EU residents

This document states;

Accepted forms of Identity Documents

  1. A certified copy of your passport which must be
    current, valid and with a Machine Readable Zone (“MRZ”)*. We need to see your photograph, personal details and signature. This information may be on one page or across several. Please use the certification template which can be found in the appendix to this guide as the background and don’t forget to get every photocopied page certified. If your passport is in a different name, you will need to send us some further information this may include a certified copy of your marriage certificate, civil partnership registration, decree absolute with birth certificate, gender recognition certificate or Deed Poll document (as appropriate) evidencing your change of name.
    Temporary or Emergency passports are not acceptable

I am wondering if banks are required to do this by law or it’s just Barclays decision to do in this way… And what will be :mondo: approach. I would love to hear @tom’s opinion because I understand his girlfriend works for a refugee charity International Rescue and must be aware how difficult is this for Refugees to get identity documents I know Monzo has expressed that they would like to help homeless and refugees (or other unbanked) with bank a account but if our Govt. is bringing new laws in will Monzo still be able to help people with a basic account;