SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom

Bank SWIFT codes for United Kingdom

This overview covers 4648 banks and financial institutions in United Kingdom and 20757 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. A BIC tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank should receive an international payment.

Every bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and if there are any, branch codes. The sections below covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

What the letters in a United Kingdom BIC mean

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long. First comes four letters for the bank, then two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

No matter which bank, all United Kingdom codes share the same country code in positions five and six. If the country letters do not match United Kingdom, you are looking at a bank somewhere else – worth double-checking.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the main office. Choose a branch code just when the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Euro payments to United Kingdom: is a BIC needed?

Because United Kingdom is part of the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to a bank in United Kingdom normally only needs an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC for these payments.

You still need a SWIFT code when sending payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Instant payments in euros have become widely supported within SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. Costs stay low as long as everything stays in euros – conversion is what costs money.

Receiving money in United Kingdom from abroad

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details about your account, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address, which some banks require.

Look up the bank in the list above to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. You can include the name and city of your bank as well.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

How long does a transfer to United Kingdom take?

There is no fixed delivery time for payments to United Kingdom: some arrive within a day. Bank holidays in United Kingdom or in the sending country can add a day or more to the journey.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact their own bank for a trace – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it if something goes wrong.

United Kingdom and the British Pound

United Kingdom uses the British Pound, with the currency code GBP. Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into GBP.

Who converts the payment matters. In many cases it is cheaper if you send GBP directly through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate. Rates for GBP move during the day.

Banks in United Kingdom beginning with the letter :letter

You are looking at a filtered list: only banks in United Kingdom with a name starting with :letter. The figures for United Kingdom on this page cover every bank we list and not only this letter.

Some banks appear under their official name rather than the name on their app or website, so the letter can differ from what you expect. Use the full list for United Kingdom if you do not know the exact name.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient copy their bank details directly from their online banking. A wrong code may lead to a delay, a returned payment or extra fees – compare it with the code in our list.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory draws on publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes, so information can be out of date. Use this list as a starting point; the recipient’s bank details are leading. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Scammers often send fake invoices with changed bank details. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

Most SWIFT codes in United Kingdom: HSBC Bank PLC

In our data, HSBC Bank PLC has the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in United Kingdom. Its main office uses HBUKGB41XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

A large number of codes usually means that the bank registers branches and departments separately, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Making a payment to HSBC Bank PLC? Go with HBUKGB41XXX except when a specific branch code is requested.

The cheapest way to send money to United Kingdom

A bank transfer to United Kingdom often costs rather more than you think. There is a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

The markup on the rate is often the biggest part of the cost, even though it is not listed as a fee. An easy check: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of currency pairs, a specialist provider is cheaper than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives in United Kingdom across services, so you can pick the cheapest route.