Send business payments to United Kingdom
Pay suppliers, staff and partners in United Kingdom in GBP, from a balance you hold, by SWIFT. Euro payments go by SEPA. The fee and the rate are shown before you confirm.
Quick facts
- Local currency
- GBP · British Pound
- Pay out in GBP?
- Yes — GBP can be held, converted and paid out
- Route
- GBP · SWIFT / EUR · SEPA
- Typical timing
- SWIFT: typically 1 to 3 working days · SEPA: same or next working day (typical, not guaranteed)
- Account details
- IBAN, 22 characters, starts GB · Format and example
- Banks closed
- Saturday – Sunday · Payment calendar
- Next GBP closing days
- 25 December 2026 — Christmas Day · 28 December 2026 — Boxing Day (substitute) · 1 January 2027 — New Year's DayCHAPS / Faster Payments
- SWIFT codes
- 1000 banks in our directory
What you need from your supplier
The beneficiary’s full legal name
Exactly as their bank holds it: the company name for a business, not a trading name.
Their address
Street, town and country.
IBAN (22 characters, starting GB)
Check it with our IBAN checker before the first payment: the check digits catch almost every typo.
The bank’s SWIFT/BIC code
8 or 11 characters. Not needed for a euro payment by SEPA.
What the payment is for
An invoice number or a short description. Some payments need a supporting document such as the invoice.
How it works
- 01
Add your beneficiary in United Kingdom
Enter the details above once and save them. Every later payment to the same supplier, employee or partner starts from the saved record.
- 02
Pay in GBP or EUR
Pay from a balance you hold, or convert as part of the payment. The fee, the rate and the amount the beneficiary receives are shown before you confirm.
- 03
Approve and send by SWIFT
A second approver can sign off if your policy requires it. You can download a confirmation of the payment to forward to the beneficiary.
Largest banks in United Kingdom
Fees
- SEPA payment out
- €0.50
- SWIFT payment out
- 0.25%, min €25.00
- Currency conversion
- 0.5%
Figures from the MENA plan. Every fee is shown before you confirm a payment, and banks in a SWIFT chain may deduct charges of their own. All plans and fees →
Sending money to United Kingdom: questions
- How long does a business payment to United Kingdom take?
- A euro payment by SEPA typically arrives the same or the next working day. A SWIFT payment typically takes 1 to 3 working days, depending on the currency and the banks in the chain. Banks in United Kingdom are closed Saturday – Sunday. Payments instructed after the daily cut-off, at a weekend or on a holiday start on the next working day. Timings are typical, not guaranteed; the payment calendar shows value dates.
- How much does it cost to send money to United Kingdom?
- On the MENA plan a SEPA payment out costs €0.50. A SWIFT payment out costs 0.25%, min €25.00, and banks in the SWIFT chain may deduct charges of their own. Converting currency costs 0.5%. Every fee and the rate are shown before you confirm.
- Which currency should I pay a supplier in United Kingdom in?
- Usually GBP, the currency the supplier’s account is held in, so their bank doesn’t convert it. GBP is a currency you can hold: pay from a GBP balance, or convert into it as part of the payment. Euro payments to the same supplier can go by SEPA.
- What details do I need from the supplier?
- The beneficiary’s name and address, their IBAN (22 characters, starting GB) and their bank’s SWIFT/BIC code.
- Will I need to send documents?
- Sometimes. Depending on the destination and the amount, we may ask for an invoice or another supporting document before a payment is released, and the recipient’s bank may ask your supplier for the same. Keeping the invoice number in the payment reference helps both.
- Can a business based in United Kingdom open an account?
- Yes, United Kingdom is not on our list of markets we can’t serve, so a business based there can apply, subject to KYC/KYB review. Onboarding hasn’t opened yet: join the waiting list and we’ll contact you when it does.
Related
Other destinations in Europe and Central Asia
Paying suppliers in United Kingdom?
Onboarding hasn’t opened yet. Join the waiting list and we’ll contact you when it does.