Very few of us pay by cheque these days. But it’s still a valid form of payment – even if many companies refuse to accept them.
So, if you’ve found an old cheque stuffed in a drawer, or someone’s sent you one with your birthday card, you might be wondering how long you have to cash it in.
How long do cheques last?
Cheques don’t have an official expiry date. But you’ll usually find that banks won’t accept cheques that are older than six months – this is based on the date on the front of the cheque.
If you’ve found a cheque that’s older than this, it’s best to ask the issuer to write you a new one and rip up the old one.
How to pay in a cheque online
Thanks to mobile banking, paying in cheques is much easier than it used to be. You no longer have to pop down to your local bank branch to cash in your cheques. Instead, you can use cheque imaging with your bank’s app.
To do this, you’ll need to take a photo of both sides of the cheque in the app with your smartphone. The app then reads the details of the cheque. You can review whether this is correct and agree to deposit the cheque into your account. You should keep hold of your cheque until the money has been paid into your account.
As well as being much easier to do, the cheque imaging clearing process is much quicker. If you pay in a cheque at your bank, it can take up to 6 days for the cheque to clear. If you pay it in online, the funds can be in your account by the end of the next working day.
Just be aware that if you’re writing a cheque, this means you need to ensure you have sufficient funds in your account for the cheque to clear immediately. Learn more about which banks accept online cheque deposits.
With NatWest, you can pay in cheques of up to £1,500 per day, with an individual limit of £1,000 per cheque. To do this via the app, select the account you want to pay the cheque into and select the “Deposit a cheque” option. Under “Cheque amount”, enter the cheque amount and select “Continue”.
Next, select “Take a photo of your cheque” and allow access to your camera. You’ll then need to capture images of both the front and back of your cheque (even if the back is blank), review the details and then select “Deposit now”.
Representative Example: Effective Annual Rate: 39.49% EAR (variable). Representative APR: 39.49% APR (variable). Assumed credit limit: £1,200 Subject to status. How does this overdraft compare? Representative APRs help you compare the cost of different credit products.
No monthly fee
Emergency cash option
Easy to open and manage
Arranged overdraft available
Access to mobile banking app to help you manage your finances
With RBS, you can pay in cheques of up to £1,500 per day, with an individual limit of £1,000 per cheque. To do this via the app, select the account you want to pay the cheque into and select the “Deposit a cheque” option. Under “Cheque amount”, enter the cheque amount and select “Continue”.
Next, select “Take a photo of your cheque” and allow access to your camera. You’ll then need to capture images of both the front and back of your cheque (even if the back is blank), review the details and then select “Deposit now”.
Representative Example: Effective Annual Rate: 39.49% EAR (variable). Representative APR: 39.49% APR (variable). Assumed credit limit: £1,200 Subject to status. How does this overdraft compare? Representative APRs help you compare the cost of different credit products.
Switch to a 1st Account and get £175*. New customers only and T&Cs apply.
first direct allows you to pay in a total of £750 in cheques a day, with an individual limit of £500 per cheque. Through the app, you need to select the “More options” menu on the account you’d like to pay your cheque into, then select “Pay in cheque” from the menu. Enter the amount on the cheque, scan the front and back and then submit it.
Representative Example: How does our overdraft compare? The representative APR shows the cost of borrowing over a year, so you can use it to compare the cost of our overdraft against other overdrafts and ways of borrowing.
0% EAR variable on the first £250, 39.9% EAR variable thereafter, giving a representative rate of 30.5% APR variable (assumed arranged overdraft £1,200).
For customers with an offset mortgage linked to a 1st Account, the interest-free limit will not apply.
Earn £5 cashback a month for 6 months when making 20 or more debit card payments each month. T&Cs apply.
To pay in a cheque using the TSB app, select the “Payments” tab and then tap “Deposit a cheque”. Next, enter the name and amount as shown on the cheque and add a reference if you wish to. Tap “Continue”.
Next, tap “Take a photo” and hold your phone above the cheque. Your camera will take the photo automatically. Check the details, and if you’re happy, deposit the cheque by tapping “Confirm”.
If you use an arranged overdraft of £1,200, you'll be charged interest at 39.9% EAR variable/APR representative.
Earn cashback as you spend
Competitive Monthly Saver
Save the Pennies feature
Overdraft available
Cashback on Save and Spend account expires after six months
Interest charged on overdrafts
Minimum opening balance
£0
Minimum operating balance
£0
Switch service guarantee
Yes
Account fee
£0
Overseas cash withdrawals
2.99%
Pros and cons of paying in a cheque online
Pros
Much faster and more convenient than paying in a cheque in a bank branch.
Your banking app has built-in security checks to make the process secure.
You’ll be notified as soon as your cheque has cleared.
Cons
You can only deposit UK cheques
There’s a risk the cheque could bounce if the issuer doesn’t have sufficient funds in their account
There might be a limit to the amount you can pay in via your app
Bottom line
Cheques are no longer as popular as they once were, but there’s no sign of them being completely phased out. However, if you receive a cheque, it’s important to pay it in within six months to avoid it becoming invalid. Fortunately, mobile banking has made this much easier to do from the comfort of your own home.
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Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time. See full bio
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