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What you need to know about sending money to the UK

If you have family or friends living in the UK, you may need to send them money from time to time. Here are some of the key things to know.

There may be some terms you’re not familiar with when sending money internationally, such as IBAN and BIC. It can be useful to find our more about these before you make an international transfer to help make the process a bit easier.

What bank details are needed to transfer money?

If you’re transferring money to someone, you’ll need your account details, and:

  • the full name and address of the person you’re sending the money to (known as the beneficiary)
  • their bank code – normally the BIC (Business Identifier Code)
  • their IBAN (International Bank Account Number) or account number
  • the country or region of their bank
  • amount of the payment

Find out more about what IBAN and BIC codes are and how to find yours.

How much money can you send to the UK?

This will differ depending on your bank and your daily limit. Check with your bank to see how much you can send.

What exchange rate is used?

The exchange rate will change depending on the day and time your payment is made. It’ll also depend on the bank, or company, you use to send the money. Before completing the transfer your bank should be able to tell you about the exchange rate used. 

Explore: How do exchange rates work?

How long does an international money transfer take?

This will differ depending on your bank. For HSBC customers, payments within the European Economic Area (EEA) will normally be credited the next working day and all other payments will normally take up to 4 working days. This is subject to currency cut-off time and further checks. From time to time, we may need to carry out extra security checks to validate the payments.

How much does it cost to send money to the UK?

There may be a cost for sending, or receiving the money. This will depend on your bank and the bank you’re transferring the money to.

It’s a good idea to find this out before you transfer your money to someone in the UK.

Already have an HSBC account in another country or region?

If you have an eligible HSBC account in another country or region, you may be able to use our Global View and Global Transfers service to send money to the UK. There’s no transfer fee and the real-time exchange rates mean you make the transfer when it suits you.

Find out which currencies you can use with Global View and Global Transfers.