SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

This overview lists 4648 banks and other institutions in United Kingdom, with 20757 SWIFT/BIC codes in total. You will need such a code mostly for payments across borders, and especially for payments in foreign currencies.

Every bank has its own page with the head office code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. The sections below explain how the codes work, the cost of transfers and how to avoid mistakes before you send money.

The structure of a United Kingdom SWIFT/BIC code

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long. It starts with a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

You can recognise a bank code from United Kingdom by the fifth and sixth characters. If the country letters do not match United Kingdom, you are looking at a bank somewhere else, so check again.

The last three characters, if present, identify a branch or department; XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Paying in GBP: what conversion costs you

United Kingdom pays in the British Pound (GBP). A payment in a foreign currency will be exchanged into GBP on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Often you pay less if you send GBP straight away through a provider with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in United Kingdom

When you are waiting for money from abroad on an account in United Kingdom, send the payer everything they need in one go. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your address.

Look up your bank in the list above to check its code, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. It helps to include the name and city of your bank, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. On invoices, agree who bears the costs, so nobody is left short.

Euro payments to United Kingdom: is a BIC needed?

Since United Kingdom is part of the SEPA zone, a euro payment to a bank in United Kingdom usually only needs an IBAN. Many banks no longer ask for the BIC for these payments.

The BIC does matter when the currency is not euros. SEPA transfers normally land within one business day. As long as no conversion is involved, the transfer is usually cheap.

Verifying a SWIFT code from United Kingdom

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself, such as a statement or the account page in online banking. An incorrect BIC may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees.

We collect bank codes using public sources and update our list regularly. Banks reorganise, close branches and change codes. Treat our data as a reference rather than the last word. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site.

Scammers regularly use payment requests carrying new bank details that look completely genuine. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Tracking a payment to United Kingdom

There is no fixed delivery time for transfers to United Kingdom: some land within a day while others need several business days. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually start the next business day.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every gpi transfer gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often show tracking online so you can follow the payment.

Bank or transfer service for United Kingdom?

If you send money to United Kingdom through your bank, the stated fee is only part of the cost. Besides a fixed fee, correspondent banks may take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the largest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider turns out to be cheaper than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. On GoldexPay we compare what recipients in United Kingdom receive with different providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

Most SWIFT codes in United Kingdom: HSBC Bank PLC

In our data, HSBC Bank PLC holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom. Its head office code is HBUKGB41XXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes. Unless a branch code is given, HBUKGB41XXX is fine for transfers to this bank.