Bank transfer information

When we make an international payment for you we require the following bank details. If you have any questions please contact us on 0117 311 3257.

1. SWIFT codes and BIC (Bank Identification Codes)

The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) is the global platform for the instant wiring of domestic and international money transfers.

Bank Identification Codes are a universal method of identifying financial institutions. They are applicable to all banks and financial institutions, and will typically consist of eight consecutive alphanumeric characters, although some will contain 11. Payments can often be delayed if made without this information.

2. IBAN (International Bank Account Numbers)

An IBAN makes it possible to identify an account held at a bank anywhere in the world. We are required to have an IBAN number for all payments made to EU countries. If the bank is in a non-European country, the bank account number will suffice. The format of the number will vary from country to country, but it will always include your account number.

Examples of the specific IBAN used in each of the participating countries

3. Settlement and value dates

The settlement date is the date on which we arrange to send the money to the destination account. The value date is the date on which the money should be received by the destination bank. Please note, your receiving bank might not allocate the funds to your account on the same day.

Different currencies have different value dates. Most value the same day, but some currencies value between one and two working days later. You can check what your value date will be with our currency dealers before placing your deal.

4. Country/region specific conventions

United States & Europe - As well as the BIC / SWIFT code, each bank has a 9-digit code which is typically known as the 'American Banker's Association' (ABA) number.

Australia & New Zealand - Banks are identified through the Bank/State/Branch code, known as the 'BSB code', which consists of 6 digits. An example would be BSB123456. Account numbers have a maximum of 9 digits.

Canada - Canadian banks are identified using an 8-digit code. The first 3 digits identify the bank and the following 5 identify the branch.

South Africa - The South African system uses a 6-digit code to identify the bank and branch. In some instances an 8-digit code will be provided by the bank but only the first 6 digits will be required for the payment instruction.

5. Bank receiving charges

Payments made to banks in foreign countries may be subject to a receiving charge once the funds arrive with the destination bank, or if they're routed through an intermediary bank. This means the amount we send to the receiving account may not be the exact amount received. It's worth checking with the receiving bank whether or not they are likely to make such a charge.