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

Bank SWIFT codes for United Kingdom

In United Kingdom our database holds 20757 SWIFT/BIC codes from 4648 financial institutions. A SWIFT code tells the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank should receive the money.

Search for the recipient’s bank below and click through to see all codes we have and the details a transfer needs. Below the list you can read how codes from United Kingdom are built, how to send money to United Kingdom at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in United Kingdom

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details from you, and missing ones are a common cause of delays. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and your address.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. You can add the name and city of your bank, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the incoming amount is below what the sender paid. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, agree who bears the costs to avoid a shortfall.

Most SWIFT codes in United Kingdom: HSBC Bank PLC

HSBC Bank PLC leads our list for United Kingdom in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office of HSBC Bank PLC has HBUKGB41XXX and that code covers most payments.

Banks differ in whether they register branch codes. Making a payment to HSBC Bank PLC? Use HBUKGB41XXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

When does money sent to United Kingdom arrive?

An international transfer to United Kingdom usually needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Public holidays in either country can add a day or more to the journey.

If a transfer is late, ask the sender to contact their own bank; only the sending side can start an official trace. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived.

Euro payments to United Kingdom: is a BIC needed?

Since United Kingdom is part of SEPA, a euro transfer to a bank in United Kingdom usually requires just the IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC in that case.

You will still need a SWIFT code for non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA usually arrive by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low provided no currency is converted.

What a transfer to United Kingdom really costs

When you transfer money to United Kingdom with your bank, the stated fee is rarely all of the cost. Besides the fee, intermediary banks may deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank usually applies a less favourable rate than the real market rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. An easy check: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service turns out to be less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. Before you send money to United Kingdom, it is worth to compare the total cost on GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Recognising a SWIFT code from United Kingdom

SWIFT/BIC codes follow one international format: 8 characters. The first four letters identify the bank, characters five and six are the country code and the next two mark the location.

For banks in United Kingdom, letters five and six are the ISO country code of United Kingdom. A code with other letters in that position come from a bank abroad – a quick way to catch mistakes.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code. For most transfers the head office code is what you need unless the recipient asks for a specific branch.

Verifying a SWIFT code from United Kingdom

The safest source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. When the code you were given differs from the code listed here, stop and ask.

We collect bank codes from publicly available data and check our list regularly. Still, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes, so information can be out of date. Use this list as a starting point: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is a comparison service.

Watch out for payment requests with a new account, especially when they come by email. Always verify changed details through a separate channel, using a number you already had.

Banks in United Kingdom beginning with the letter :letter

Here you see a selection: only institutions in United Kingdom whose name begins with :letter. The figures for United Kingdom on this page apply to all 4648 banks and not only this letter.

Cannot find the bank? Its official name may begin with another word, for example the full legal name rather than a brand name. The complete list remains one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

United Kingdom and the British Pound

United Kingdom uses the British Pound, with the currency code GBP. A payment in a foreign currency is exchanged into GBP on its way to the recipient, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Which bank converts the payment matters, because each party uses its own rate. Compare what GBP arrives with several services. Exchange rates move all the time, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.