Confirmation of Payee is a name checking service that helps you verify the account holder’s name before you make a transfer. It protects you from accidentally making misdirected payments to the wrong account holder it provides as well another layer of protection in the fight against fraud and scams.

Enter the account holder's name, account number, and sort code. The system identifies the record and displays one of four possible outcomes:

Yes – Right match
Close Match – Similar name found. The system shows the actual name. Update and retry or contact the payee to confirm
No – the name is wrong. You need to Verify the details of the recipient whether a person or an organization that you are trying to transfer money to Unavailable – Cannot verify (due to timeout, customer opt-out, or account doesn't exist)

To verify details before sending and receiving payments, you need:

• Full name – First and last name as registered in the account (not initials, trading name or nicknames)
• Sort code and account number
• Account type – Personal or business account
• Secondary Reference Data: 16-digit credit card number for card payments and roll number for building society accounts.

Some payment service providers will not enable Confirmation of Payee checks on accounts that require SRD. Customers attempting to pay these accounts will continue to see an error message regardless of the correct SRD.

 

As a sole trader or business, please provide your full name as registered in the bank account, sort and account number in your invoice. Your business/trading or nickname should not be used for CoP verifications.

Confirmation of Payee only checks if the payee's information is accurate and not the payment amount. Most banks include a confirmation step where you can review the amount before approving. Always check this carefully before completing payment.

CoP currently checks:

•  Faster payments (online and mobile banking)
•  CHAPS (same-day payments)
•  New recipients only (first-time payments)

It does not check:

•  Direct Debits and Bacs payments
•  Standing orders
•  Payments to existing saved recipients

No, it only verifies recipient details when you make a new payment to someone for the first time.

CoP helps you to:

•  Combat impersonation: CoP reveals the identity of the account holder, exposing scammers pretending to be from a trusted organisation.
•  Neutralise "urgency" tactics: Acts as a safety net, preventing you from making urgent transactions. You can take time to pause, verify and transfer money to the right recipient.
•  Prevent APP fraud: Shields you from sending money to a criminal’s account by flagging the lack of name-alignment.
•  Rectify errors: Beyond fraud, it catches simple typos in account numbers or sort codes, preventing your funds from being lost in the banking system.

Yes, you will receive payments during the switch. Use your new account for all new payments. Any payments accidentally sent to your old account will automatically redirect to your new one during the switch phase.

After the switch:

Update your new sort code, account number, and account holder name with everyone who pays you regularly.

Not necessarily. The first time you make a payment, the bank may verify the payee’s name using the Confirmation of Payee service (if your payee’s bank offers this service). If details don't match, you'll be asked to verify them before completing the payment.

Receiving payments: Yes, you can contact your Relationship Manager to opt out.

Making payments: No, you are required to verify recipients for your protection.

Yes, contact your Relationship Manager to opt-in again. Your request will be processed within 2 business days.

When setting up a new payment, a payment services provider (PSP) will be able to check the name, sort code, account number, plus, if applicable, secondary reference data such as a building society roll number, and type of account of the person or organisation that their customer is asking to pay, against the details held on the account.

You now need to know someone’s full name as per their bank account, number and whether it is a personal or business account, if you are going to pay them and you haven’t paid them before.

For individuals this will be their first name and last name. For businesses you will need the name on their bank account as this may not be the same as their trading name.

If you need to be paid by someone then you need to make sure that they know your first full name and last name, your sort code and account number and whether it is a personal or business account.

Your name may not be the same as the name on your bank card. For example, if you have your initials on your bank card, you will still need to give your full first name and last name to the person paying you.

It is also worth remembering if your account is still in your maiden name or if you use you middle name rather than first name.

The name on your bank account will be used in communications that your account provider has with you (such as a bank statement) and through your online or mobile banking applications.

If you think you need to change the name of the account, or you are unsure of the name to be used, you should discuss this with your bank.

If you try to pay an individual or business who banks with a provider who doesn’t support Confirmation of Payee, it will not be possible for your bank to check the account details are correct. You may receive a message back from your bank stating the name was unable to be checked, or asking for you to contact the recipient to check the details. This does not necessarily mean that the account details are incorrect.

You will only need to provide one of the names registered on the joint account, however you may choose to provide both names.

You would not get a match if you just type in a person’s initials. You now need to know someone’s full first name and last name, their sort code and account number, and whether it is a personal or business account, if you are going to pay them. For businesses, you will need to know the name on their bank account as this may not be the same as their trading name.

Even if the person or business that you are paying has their initials on their bank card, you will still need to give the full first name and last name to the person paying you or in the case of a business, the name on their bank account.

Yes – you now need to know someone’s full first name and last name, their sort code and account number and whether it is a personal or business account, if you are going to pay them