Zbygnew Wilczek has lived in parks around Brisbane's western suburbs for years, among dozens of plastic bags, cardboard boxes and umbrellas.

Better known as Ziggy the bag man, the grey-haired character is well-known around the city and usually likes to keep to himself.

But recently his friends got in touch with ABC Radio Brisbane's Rebecca Levingston — Ziggy needed help.

Specifically, he needed help accessing money he held in a NAB account.

"I've got over $20,000 but I can't get to it to pay anybody. I can't get to it to get one of those card things," he said, before telling Levingston he hadn't visited a bank for at least eight years.

"The National Bank, they're making it so hard and they're also making me look a real pig-type person, a monster who just uses people and wants to rob them. And I'm not made that way.

"The manager said that their way of doing things is they can't come out here.

"They probably drive by here every now and then and they still don't know who I am."

Ziggy said a NAB employee told him to visit a branch to get the necessary paperwork sorted so he could withdraw money, however the elderly man preferred to stay away, saying he would not go in "a suit and tie".

"Just come out here with the papers, so I can sign [them], so everything can start coming out and [we don't] have to touch because of the corona [virus]. I'm very scared of that.

"I'm close to 70 and I don't want to drop dead yet. I've got lots of life still."

Bank's priority to keep money secure

Levingston took Ziggy's story to the bank, and NAB retail executive general manager Krissie Jones said it was "very important" customers could access banking services.

"Sandra from our team went to see Ziggy and they've been able to determine a solution that's going to work for him ongoing," she said.

"He was really pleased he was able to have an option each time he needs access to his money."

Ziggy was not just concerned at his own situation, he was worried other vulnerable people might also struggle to access essential services.

Ms Jones said the pandemic had definitely revealed that sometimes "not everyone wants to go into a branch to get their money or [they] aren't able to".

She said NAB offered ATMs and services at Australia Post for deposits and withdrawals and computer-savvy customers could use internet banking or the NAB app.

"However in some cases, and you can imagine, refugees coming into the country from Ukraine, for example, or customers who might be fleeing from domestic violence or even in natural disasters, that sometimes it's really tricky and not everyone has the right, conventional forms of ID on them," Ms Jones said.

"So we do have some alternative options in those scenarios.

"We have a customer service hub which really supports customers in this different and unique situations, to make sure we can identify them because we want to make sure we're keeping people's money secure but once they're identified, to provide them with access to their money."

Vulnerable need support, know-how

Accessing welfare, banking and other services was often overwhelming for those on the streets or without strong supports, said Rees Maddren, service manager for Anglicare Southern Queensland's INSYNC Youth Services.

He said Centrelink and bank staff were often complying with their organisation's rules and could not help.

"Now, especially, Centrelink has social workers, who once they know someone is homelessness, they start going above and beyond what they usually do," Mr Maddren said.

"If they come to an organisation like us, we start negotiating identification, we have to support them to get documents, to get birth certificate reissued, to open a bank account.

"If I had a wishlist for banks or others, it would be if you find out people are homeless, make some concessions and have some understanding.

"Put them in touch with someone who can help navigate the system."