SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom: banks starting with I

SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom

This overview contains 4648 banks and financial institutions in United Kingdom and 20757 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly for international transfers and for payments in a foreign currency.

Each bank has its own page with its main code and if there are any, branch codes. The rest of this page explain the structure of the codes, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Sending GBP to United Kingdom

Most accounts in United Kingdom are usually held in GBP – the British Pound. Money sent in a different currency will be converted into GBP on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Which bank converts the payment matters: every bank has its own margin. In many cases it is cheaper to send GBP directly via a transfer service with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Exchange rates change during the day.

Transfer times to United Kingdom

How fast a payment reaches United Kingdom depends on a few things: which currency you send, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and time zones. Bank holidays in United Kingdom or in the sending country add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

A growing number of banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Every gpi transfer gets a unique reference, the UETR that banks can use to see where the money is. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Banks in United Kingdom starting with :letter

This filter narrows the list to banks from United Kingdom that begin with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The figures for United Kingdom mentioned here apply to every bank we list, not just the ones under :letter.

Many institutions appear under their official name, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The complete list is available if the letter filter does not help.

About our data and how to check a code

The most reliable source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. If the code you have differs from our list, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes from publicly available data and check our list from time to time. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes. For any payment that matters, check the BIC with the recipient’s bank. 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 says nothing about whether a request is genuine – scammers use the codes of real banks.

The largest SWIFT network in United Kingdom: HSBC Bank PLC

In our directory, HSBC Bank PLC has the most SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom. Its head office code is HBUKGB41XXX – the code most transfers need.

How many codes a bank has tells you more about how it organises its payments than about its size. Paying someone at HSBC Bank PLC? Use HBUKGB41XXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

The structure of a United Kingdom SWIFT/BIC code

A SWIFT code is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. The first four letters identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and the next two mark the location.

Whatever the bank, every code from United Kingdom share the same country code in positions five and six: the ISO code of the country. A code with a different country code belong to a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

When a code ends in XXX, it refers to the main office, and the 8-character version leads to the same place. Use a branch code only if the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

United Kingdom and the SEPA area

Since United Kingdom is in the SEPA zone, a euro payment to a bank in United Kingdom normally only needs the IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC for these payments.

You will still need the BIC for payments in other currencies or money from outside the SEPA area. Instant payments in euros have become increasingly available across SEPA – check whether your bank supports them. Fees are generally low as long as no currency is converted; the conversion is where it gets expensive.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in United Kingdom

If you are waiting for money from abroad on an account in United Kingdom, give the sender a complete set of details. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your postal address.

Look up your bank in the list on this page to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. Some sending banks also ask for the name and address of your bank.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is smaller than what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers differ from bank to bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

What a transfer to United Kingdom really costs

An international bank payment to United Kingdom can cost more than you think. You pay the transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

That exchange rate margin is often the largest cost item, even though it is not listed as a fee. Check the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate. The difference is your real cost.

Money transfer services frequently use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares these providers side by side, showing what actually arrives in United Kingdom for the same amount sent.