Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I now have a £500 agreed overdraft with Barclays. Will I still be able to do as you suggest and move to the Halifax or will Barclays insist on recovering the £500 immediately?

I am so depressed. Up to a few months ago I did not owe any money to anyone.Now, because I accidentally got a few pounds overdrawn on my current account, I got a £22 bank charge which put me even more overdrawn. Now, a couple of months down the line, not having anymore income than my salary (I live alone) I am ridiculously overdrawn due to these ongoing charges. I dread the postman coming with another letter (£22 a time). I live very frugally, don't smoke or drink, no holidays, no spending sprees, living on tinned soup to keep costs down; still the letters come, still I don't know what to do! Banks have caused an economic crisis running into billions, I am just tryint o keep my head above water but am slowly drowning. I feel the bank is forcing me into an impossible corner from which I cannot get out. Can anyone advise me?