Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) SWIFT/BIC code

Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) SWIFT code: ALEIGB22

ALEIGB22 and ALEIGB22XXX are two ways of writing the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both lead to Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) in London. Every bank on the SWIFT network uses these codes to route payments between countries to the correct bank. You will need it mainly for payments that cross a border and payments in foreign currencies.

We wrote this page to help people who pays into an account at Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC). The BIC identifies a bank or branch, not a single account; the IBAN or account number does that.

How long does an international transfer to Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) take?

There is no fixed answer for international payments: many arrive the same day or the next. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays often go out the next business day. Occasionally a bank wants to know about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sending bank for the tracking status and the transaction reference; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Keep your transfer receipt until the recipient confirms; it contains the details a bank needs to start a trace.

The bank that sent the money can request a trace. On the receiving end, you can check your statements for a partial amount.

Incoming international payments to Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC)

For an international payment into your account at Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC), the person paying you has to have more than the BIC. What they need is: your name, IBAN or account number, ALEIGB22XXX and in many cases your postal address.

Certain banks also ask for the address of Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) in London. Double-check the details before you send them, because the sender’s bank usually copies them as is.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below the amount on the sender’s receipt. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. Agree with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

About this information

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes from publicly available data and check our list from time to time. Still, banks merge or retire codes and our data may lag behind. Figures such as the number of codes come from our directory.

Before a payment that matters, always check the BIC with Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) or with the recipient. GoldexPay is independent of Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC), we only compare transfer services. Spotted outdated information? Tell us through the contact page.

Why Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) has an 8- and an 11-character code

A BIC is built from fixed blocks: the first four letters identify the bank, characters five and six give the country and characters seven and eight mark the location. The result is ALEIGB22, the short form of the code.

The full version adds three more characters for a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, they simply mean the head office, which is why ALEIGB22XXX and ALEIGB22 lead to the same place.

Do not add spaces or dashes when you type ALEIGB22; the code is always written in one block. Look out for the letter O and the digit 0 and the letter I and the digit 1; they are easy to mix up.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Fraudsters regularly send payment requests with changed bank details sent from what looks like a familiar address. That ALEIGB22 is a real code is no guarantee that a request mentioning it is genuine.

Never rely on contact details from the same email that announces the new account. Urgency or secrecy are red flags; a genuine business can wait for you to check. Acted too fast? Call the bank you paid from straight away and ask them to start a recall.

People receiving money are targeted too: one known trick is an overpayment followed by a request to refund the difference to another account. Do not act before the money has really arrived.

Paying Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) in euros within SEPA

United Kingdom is part of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), where euro transfers follow common rules. When you send euros within SEPA, the IBAN is usually enough and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

For anything other than euros and from non-SEPA countries, ALEIGB22XXX is still part of the payment details. A few banks and apps also show a field for the BIC out of habit; in that case, fill in ALEIGB22 or ALEIGB22XXX.

Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day. Fees for SEPA payments tend to be low.

Paying someone abroad from your Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) account

An international bank payment costs rather more than the fee suggests. On top of a fixed fee, banks in between can take a cut, and when currencies are converted the bank usually applies a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin is often the biggest item because it is hidden in the rate. An easy check: set the bank’s rate next to the mid-market rate for the same moment and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. Before your next transfer, it is worth comparing what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank. Using a transfer service does not mean leaving Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC): you simply pay the service from your account.

Which of the 5 codes of Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) do you need?

With 5 codes in 3 cities, Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) is one of the banks that register individual codes for parts of the organisation. The head office code remains ALEIGB22XXX.

Usually there is no need to look up a branch: transfers sent to ALEIGB22XXX reach Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) correctly. Just use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code, for example on an invoice or in their bank details.

If you are not sure, ask the person you are paying for the exact BIC in their bank details. Codes can change over time, so do not rely on old paperwork.

Is ALEIGB22 still correct? How to check

Have the recipient send you their account details directly from their banking app. Compare it against ALEIGB22 on this page; if they differ, ask before you pay.

Mistakes in the BIC are costly more than fatal – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. An error in the IBAN or account number is a bigger problem; check it just as carefully.

Most online banking apps validate the structure of IBANs – that confirms the format, not the owner. Some banks now check the payee name against the account before you confirm; take any warning seriously. For a first payment, many people send a small amount first before sending the rest.

The British Pound and what conversion costs you

United Kingdom pays in the British Pound, with the currency code GBP. If you send another currency gets converted somewhere along the way – by your bank, by Santander UK PLC (Formerly Alliance and Leicester PLC) or by a bank in between. There is rarely a separate line for that conversion.

Who converts the money makes a difference: every bank has its own margin. Often you pay less if you send GBP straight away via a transfer service with a good rate.

Exchange rates move during the day, and some providers let you lock in a rate. On larger amounts, even small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.