By inputting the sort code of the account a payment is being sent to, a customer can see whether the account can receive a Faster Payment, Bacs Credit or CHAPS payment.
Customers will also be able to see if an account allows a direct debit instruction to be set up and if a cheque or paper credit can be paid into the account through the clearings. The Checker, which stores all the UK’s 20,000 sort codes, can be found on the UK payments website.
The Sort Code Checker was developed to coincide with the launch of the faster payments service in May 2008 to help customers see whether the account they wanted to send a payment to was linked into the new faster payments service. The Sort Code Checker is updated regularly to ensure data is current. The checker will particularly benefit businesses who want to prevent any possible delays to a payment or the registration of new customers’ direct bebit details.
Gary Cook, payments integrity executive at Payments Council, said: “This improved checker provides a very simple way for someone to check whether an account is set up to accept a faster payment, Chaps payment or BACS payment. As more of us are making payments online or on the phone it provides a very easy way of avoiding unnecessary delays. The sort code checker strips out the element of chance because it quickly confirms to users what forms of payment are at their disposal.”
