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

United Kingdom: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

Here you will find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 4648 banks in United Kingdom, 20757 codes in all. Every code points to a bank or a specific branch or department and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Each bank is listed with its own page showing its main code and, where available, branch codes. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing.

What a sender needs to pay you in United Kingdom

To receive a transfer from abroad in United Kingdom, the person paying you has to have not just the BIC. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your address.

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

What lands in your account can be lower than the amount sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. For business payments, state how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

Sending GBP to United Kingdom

Bank accounts in United Kingdom are typically held in GBP – the British Pound. Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into GBP before it reaches the account – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Who does the conversion has an effect on the final amount, as rates and margins differ per bank. Compare how much GBP the recipient gets via several services; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

What the letters in a United Kingdom BIC mean

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two mark the location.

No matter which bank, every code from United Kingdom have the same country code in positions five and six: the ISO code of the country. If the country letters do not match United Kingdom, you are looking at a bank somewhere else, so check again.

The optional last three characters identify a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

SWIFT codes in United Kingdom: banks under :letter

You are looking at a selection: just institutions in United Kingdom whose name begins with :letter. The figures for United Kingdom on this page cover all 4648 banks, not just the ones under :letter.

Some banks appear under their legal name. The full overview for United Kingdom remains one click away when you cannot find the bank here.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to send you the account details directly from a recent statement. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

We gather bank codes using public sources and check them from time to time. Banks reorganise, change names and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Before a payment that matters, confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and has no link to the banks in this list.

Be wary of payment requests with changed bank details, especially when they come by email. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account.

How long does a transfer to United Kingdom take?

There is no single delivery time for transfers to United Kingdom: many land within a day while others need several business days. Transfers sent late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday often start the next business day.

If the money seems late, ask the sender to contact their own bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Specialist transfer services usually provide a status online, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

Euro payments to United Kingdom: is a BIC needed?

Because United Kingdom is in the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to an account in United Kingdom usually only needs the IBAN. Most banking apps no longer ask for the BIC for these payments.

You still need a SWIFT code for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. SEPA transfers normally land within one business day. Costs stay low as long as no currency is converted.

Sending money to United Kingdom for less

A bank transfer to United Kingdom often costs more than you think. Besides the fee, correspondent banks can take a cut, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a rate below the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate. Check the bank’s rate against the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay compares transfer services side by side, showing the amount that reaches the recipient for the same amount sent.

Which bank in United Kingdom has the most codes?

HSBC Bank PLC tops the list for United Kingdom when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is HBUKGB41XXX.

The number of codes tells you something about how it registers branches and services than about how big it is. If not the recipient asks for a branch, HBUKGB41XXX is fine for transfers to this bank.