Close Brothers Limited SWIFT/BIC code

CBRLGB2L – the SWIFT/BIC code of Close Brothers Limited

CBRLGB2L and CBRLGB2LXXX are two spellings of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both point to Close Brothers Limited in London. Banks worldwide use BIC codes to direct payments between countries to the right institution. In practice you mostly come across it on international invoices, in your banking app and in the bank details that Close Brothers Limited provides.

Further down we go through the practical side: money coming in from abroad, sending money abroad and how to verify a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. The SWIFT code alone does not identify a personal account; that is what the account number or IBAN is for.

Scams that use SWIFT codes

Stay wary if a contact unexpectedly wants you to send money to another account or a bank in another country. That CBRLGB2L is a real code does not mean that the account is genuine; criminals use the codes of real banks too.

Before paying, confirm changed bank details by phone on a number you know, not one from the message. Watch out for time pressure, unusual wording or a sender address that is slightly off. When money has already gone to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately: the sooner they act, the better the chance of a recall.

Scams also work the other way: someone sends too much and asks you to return the difference via a different route. A payment confirmation from the sender is no proof; only your own account shows what has arrived.

Paying into Close Brothers Limited in GBP

Accounts at Close Brothers Limited are typically held in GBP, the national currency. If you send money in a different currency it gets converted at some point: by your bank, an intermediary or Close Brothers Limited itself. There is rarely a separate charge for that conversion; it is built into the rate.

Which bank converts the money matters. Check what GBP the recipient gets via several services.

Rates for GBP change all the time, and some providers let you lock in a rate. For regular payments, small differences in the rate add up over a year.

Incoming international payments to Close Brothers Limited

When you expect money from abroad, give the sender everything they need in one go. What they need is: your name, account number or IBAN, CBRLGB2LXXX or CBRLGB2L and in many cases your postal address.

Their bank may also ask for the address of your bank, in which case the London head office is the usual answer. Double-check every detail before you send them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

An incoming payment will not always arrive in full. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. Agree with the sender who covers the fees, especially for larger amounts.

Close Brothers Limited: head office code versus branch codes

We have 2 SWIFT/BIC codes for Close Brothers Limited in 1 cities. Besides the head office code CBRLGB2LXXX, you will find codes for regional offices and specialised units.

Unless the recipient tells you otherwise, go with CBRLGB2LXXX. Branch codes are only needed if the recipient’s bank explicitly asks for it.

The safest approach is to copy the code straight from the recipient’s invoice. Branch codes can change over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Is CBRLGB2L still correct? How to check

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. When the code you were given does not match CBRLGB2L or CBRLGB2LXXX, stop and ask.

A wrong SWIFT code may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees for investigation. An error in the account number can be more serious, because the money may be credited to someone else; check it just as carefully.

A format check by your bank only confirms that the IBAN exists – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. Some banks now compare the name against the account; take any warning seriously. A small test payment can be a sensible step for large sums.

CBRLGB2L or CBRLGB2LXXX – which one to use?

Every SWIFT/BIC code starts with an 8-character core: a four-letter bank code, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. In this case, the 8-character core is CBRLGB2L.

Many payment forms accept either length. If a form asks for eleven characters, enter CBRLGB2LXXX.

Type the code in one piece, in capitals and without separators, exactly as shown here. Copying the code beats typing it by hand.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to Close Brothers Limited

How fast a payment reaches Close Brothers Limited depends on a few things: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and time zones. Transfers sent late in the day or just before weekends and holidays often start a business day later. Sometimes a bank asks about the purpose of a payment, which can hold things up.

If the money is delayed, ask your bank for the status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services often provide tracking online showing how far the payment is.

If the money does not arrive within the expected time, the sender needs to contact their own bank. As a recipient, you can check your account to see a slightly lower amount, since fees may have been deducted.

Euro transfers to Close Brothers Limited: is a BIC needed?

United Kingdom is a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. For a regular euro transfer within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough.

For anything other than euros and from non-SEPA countries, CBRLGB2LXXX or CBRLGB2L is still part of the payment details. If a payment form has a field for the BIC regardless, entering CBRLGB2L does no harm.

Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day. As long as the payment stays in euros, the transfer is cheap.

International transfers from Close Brothers Limited: the real cost

A bank transfer abroad costs rather more than the listed fee. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Many banks do not show the margin on the rate separately – you only notice it if you compare. Check their rate with the mid-market rate.

Money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer, it is worth to compare the total cost on GoldexPay. You can always keep your account at Close Brothers Limited, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

About this information

The codes on this page come from publicly available data that we update regularly. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. The number of codes on this page reflect our own data and not on information from Close Brothers Limited itself.

Use this page as a reference, not as the last word. GoldexPay is a comparison service and not part of Close Brothers Limited. Found an error? Tell us via our contact form and we will look into it.