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

Bank SWIFT codes for United Kingdom

Our directory covers 4648 banks and other institutions in United Kingdom and 20757 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. A BIC tells the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank is meant to get the money.

Each bank is listed with its own page with the head office code and, where available, branch codes. Below the list you can read how a code from United Kingdom is put together, how to send money there without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in United Kingdom

Someone abroad who wants to pay you will ask for several details about your account. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Look up your bank in the list above and compare the code with your own bank details – your bank statement is the final word. You can include your bank’s name and city because some forms have separate fields for it.

What lands in your account is often less than what was sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. On invoices, agree how the fees are split.

When does money sent to United Kingdom arrive?

There is no single delivery time for payments to United Kingdom: some arrive within a day, others take several business days. Public holidays in either country can add a day or more, because banks do not process payments on those days.

If a transfer seems late, the sender should contact the sending bank. Keep your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it if something goes wrong.

How SWIFT codes from United Kingdom are built

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

You can recognise a bank code from United Kingdom by the fifth and sixth characters. A code with other letters in that position belong to another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code, where XXX means the head office. For most transfers the head office code is what you need.

Paying in euros to United Kingdom

Within the SEPA zone, euro transfers to United Kingdom follow the same rules. The BIC field is often optional in that case.

You will still need the BIC when sending payments in other currencies or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Instant payments in euros have become widely supported across SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. Costs stay low as long as no currency is converted – conversion is what costs money.

How reliable is this list?

The best place to find the right code is a document from the bank itself. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, stop and ask.

We gather bank codes using public sources and check our list from time to time. Institutions reorganise, close branches and retire codes. Use our data as a reference. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site for money transfers.

Be wary of invoices containing changed bank details, especially when they come by email. Always verify changed details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Sending money to United Kingdom for less

When you transfer money to United Kingdom through your bank, the stated fee is only part of the cost. Besides the fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank often applies a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Check the rate you are offered against the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Money transfer services frequently offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. On GoldexPay we compare the amount that arrives in United Kingdom with different providers.

Filter: banks in United Kingdom with :letter

Here you see a selection: just institutions in United Kingdom with a name starting with :letter. The totals mentioned above still refer to the whole country, not just this letter.

If a bank does not appear under :letter, try another letter. Use the full list for United Kingdom when you are not sure the exact name.

Most SWIFT codes in United Kingdom: HSBC Bank PLC

In our data, HSBC Bank PLC holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes in United Kingdom. The head office of HSBC Bank PLC uses HBUKGB41XXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

Many codes usually means separate codes for branches, departments or services, not necessarily that the bank is the biggest in the country. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code HBUKGB41XXX works for a payment to HSBC Bank PLC.

Paying in GBP: what conversion costs you

United Kingdom uses the British Pound (GBP). When you pay money in a different currency, it has to be converted somewhere along the way.

Which bank converts the payment matters. Often you pay less if you send GBP straight away via a provider that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. With bigger transfers, even a small difference in the rate adds up quickly.