IBAN explained
IBANs and BICs are used throughout the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland. They must be used on all payments to and from these countries.
Making payments
You should always quote the beneficiary's IBAN and BIC. Don't give any additional information such as account numbers or bank names. This can cause problems with the payment.
You can use IBAN and BIC to make currency payments within the UK. But if you're only making normal sterling payments in the UK, you should use sort codes and account numbers.
Receiving payments
If you're receiving funds from anyone, you should:
- Give the payer your IBAN and BIC
- Don't provide any other information
While it's not essential, you can also provide your IBAN and BIC for payments being received from countries other than those in the UE, EEA and Switzerland.