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

SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom

This directory contains 4648 banks and other institutions in United Kingdom. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank should receive the money.

Select the bank below to view the head office code and any branch codes. Further down you can read how codes from United Kingdom are built, how to send money there without overpaying and what to check before you pay.

SWIFT codes in United Kingdom: banks under :letter

Here you see a selection: only banks in United Kingdom with a name starting with :letter. The figures for United Kingdom on this page apply to every bank we list and not only this letter.

If a bank is missing here, check the full list: banks are often registered under their full legal name. The full overview for United Kingdom is available when the letter filter does not help.

Verifying a SWIFT code from United Kingdom

Have the recipient copy their bank details directly from a recent statement. If the code you have differs from our list, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update them from time to time. Institutions reorganise, change names and change codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Use our data as a reference rather than the last word. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Watch out for invoices with changed bank details. Always verify a change of bank details by phone.

What a transfer to United Kingdom really costs

When you transfer money to United Kingdom with your bank, the fee you see is rarely all of the cost. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks can take a cut and, if currencies are converted, the bank usually applies a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee. An easy check: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For many currency pairs, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a traditional bank transfer, mainly because of the rate. GoldexPay compares what recipients in United Kingdom receive with different services, which makes the cheapest option easy to spot.

Paying in GBP: what conversion costs you

Most accounts in United Kingdom are usually held in GBP, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into GBP on its way to the recipient, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Compare how much GBP arrives via several services. Rates for GBP move all the time, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

The largest SWIFT network in United Kingdom: HSBC Bank PLC

HSBC Bank PLC leads our list for United Kingdom when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of HSBC Bank PLC uses HBUKGB41XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes – a high count is not a measure of size. If not the recipient asks for a branch, HBUKGB41XXX is fine for transfers to this bank.

SEPA transfers to United Kingdom

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to United Kingdom use the same rules and in most cases need only the IBAN. The BIC field is usually optional in that case.

You still need a SWIFT code for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Instant payments in euros are widely supported within SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. As long as no conversion is involved, the transfer is usually inexpensive.

Incoming international payments in United Kingdom

For an international payment into a United Kingdom account, the person paying you needs more than the SWIFT code. That means: your name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and usually your postal address.

Find your bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details. It helps to add your bank’s name and city as well, since some payment forms ask for it.

What lands in your account is often less than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

What the letters in a United Kingdom BIC mean

A BIC is 8 or 11 characters long and the parts always come in the same order. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and two characters for the location.

In every code from United Kingdom, letters five and six are the ISO country code of United Kingdom. A code with a different country code come from another country – a quick way to catch mistakes.

The optional last three characters stand for a specific branch; XXX means the head office. For most transfers the head office code is fine unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Tracking a payment to United Kingdom

A SWIFT payment to United Kingdom usually takes one to a few business days. Transfers sent late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday usually go out the next business day.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact the sending bank; only the sending side can start an official trace. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived.