How to send money to the UK

Find the best rates for sending money to the UK.

While your regular bank may be the most obvious way to send money to the UK, you can usually save on fees and get a more competitive exchange rate with a dedicated money transfer service.

Compare services that send money to the UK

Table: sorted by promoted deals first
Our table below lets you compare services you can use to send money abroad. Compare fees, exchange rates and discounts from different money transfer services, and when you have made your choice, click Go to site.
1 - 15 of 15
Name Product Filter values Score Pay by Receiving options Fastest transfer Fee (pay by bank transfer) Key benefits
OFFER
TorFX
Finder score
★★★★★
Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account
Within minutes
£0
Get a £50 Amazon voucher for each friend you refer who transfers £5,000 or more. T&Cs apply.
Key Currency
Not rated yet
Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
OFFER
Wise (TransferWise)
Finder score
★★★★★
Credit card, Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account, Alipay (China only)
Within minutes
From 0.41%
Refer 3 friends to receive up to £50 referral bonus
OFFER
Atlantic Money
Not rated yet
Bank transfer
Bank account
Within minutes
£3
Pay no fees on your first Atlantic Money transaction with this link.
OFFER
CurrencyFair
Finder score
★★★★★
Bank transfer
Bank account
Within minutes
€3
New customers get unlimited fee-free transfers for their first 3 months. T&Cs apply.
CurrencyTransfer
Not rated yet
Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
OFFER
Currencies Direct
Finder score
★★★★★
Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
Get a £50 Amazon voucher for each friend you refer who transfers £5,000 or more. T&Cs apply.
TorFX Business
Finder score
★★★★★
Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account
Within minutes
£0
OFX
Finder score
★★★★★
Credit card, Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
OFX
Finder score
★★★★★
Credit card, Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
CurrencyTransfer Business
Not rated yet
Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
Xe Business
Not rated yet
Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
Special offer: £25 Amazon voucher when you refer a friend
OFX Business
Not rated yet
Credit card, Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
Currencies Direct Business
Finder score
★★★★★
Debit card, Bank transfer
Bank account
24 hours
£0
CurrencyFair Business
Not rated yet
Bank transfer
Bank account
Within minutes
€3
Zero fees on your first 10 transfers. T&Cs apply.
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How to send money to the UK online

Sign up and send money to the UK with a digital money transfer specialist in four steps:

  1. Sign up for a free account. Pick a provider and sign up for a free online account using your contact information, proof of ID and your preferred payment method.
  2. Provide transfer details. Submit your recipient’s contact information and pick a delivery method. If you’re transferring to a bank, you’ll need your recipient’s UK bank account details.
  3. Confirm transfer details. Double-check your payment method, expected fees and destination.
  4. Save your receipt. Record your receipt’s confirmation number to track the progress of your transfer to the UK. Some money transfer providers send a text or email when your transfer is complete.

What’s the best way to send money to the UK?

Online money transfer providers typically offer the strongest exchange rates and lowest fees on money transfers to the UK. Some offer transfers straight to UK bank accounts, while others allow the money to be picked up in British pound sterling in person. Banks, PayPal and other options are available but come with high fees, weak rates and longer turnaround times.

Blue icon representing money transfers Image: Infogram

Digital money transfer services

Companies like OFX and CurrencyTransfer specialise in foreign currencies, making them some of the most cost-effective transfers. Most offer transfers directly to your recipient’s UK bank account, often in as little as a day or two.

Picture not described: BlueCoinsCashIcon_Infogram_94x62.png Image: Infogram

Cash transfers

Services like MoneyGram allow you to transfer cash for pickup at a local branch in the UK – often in 15 minutes. While it’s a fast way to send money, you’ll pay for the convenience in weaker exchange rates and high fees. If a cash pickup is necessary, compare MoneyGram to digital services like WorldRemit or Xe when possible.

Picture not described: BlueBankIcon_Infogram_62x56.png Image: Infogram

Banks

British pound sterling is almost certainly carried by your bank, and although your local bank can convert your currency into GBP, beware of high fees and wide margins on the exchange rate compared to digital and other options.

Let’s crunch the numbers: Sending AUD $1,000 to the UK

Let’s say you’re in Australia and need to send AUD $1,000 to the UK. Here’s what you might face as far as fees and exchange rates as of 26 September 2022.

Money transfer appCash transfer serviceBank transfer
FeeAUD $0AUD $2.99AUD $9 + additional correspondent bank fees
Exchange rate1 AUD = 0.5963 GBP1 AUD = 0.5820 GBP1 AUD = 0.5813 GBP
Transfer speed1 dayMinutes2-5 days
Amount received£596.30£580.25£576.07
Verdict
  • Best value
  • Fastest
  • Slowest and most expensive

The bank option ends up being both the slowest and gets the smallest amount of money to your recipient. If you go with the digital money transfer service, your recipient ends up with £20 more than the bank offers. If speed is crucial, a cash transfer can typically have your transfer to the UK in as little as 15 minutes for a slightly higher fee.

How to get the most best deal when you send money to the UK

Weigh costs and fees against convenience, and learn how to compare money transfer providers that send to the UK to meet your needs:

  • Exchange rates. The GBP relationship with other currencies fluctuates daily, so using a service that allows you to lock-in exchange prices may help you save money down the line if exchange rates take a turn for the worse in the future.
  • Transfer fees. Transferring money overseas nearly always requires fees, but they might be hidden in the exchange rate. When sending large amounts, it may be cheaper to pay a flat fee to secure a stronger exchange rate.
  • Transfer limits. How much you can send varies by company, and different amounts can attract higher or lower fees. Shop around for the best deal on the amount of British pound sterling you’re sending.
  • Turnaround. Transferring money through a local bank can take a business week or longer. If you need the funds delivered quickly, seek out a digital specialist that offers instant transfers to the UK.
  • Maximum limits. When exchange rates are favourable, sending more money can save you money in the future. If you plan to send large amounts of money to the UK, be sure to pick a provider that won’t limit you.
  • Transfer methods. Whether you want money sent to a UK bank account or picked up as cash at a local agent, narrow down a company that matches your preferred delivery method.

Emergency cash transfer to the UK

If you’re in a hurry to send money to the UK, look for money transfer companies that support cash pickup in minutes.

You can pay with a credit or debit card for fast pickup, but fees are higher than other methods.

How to send money to the UK without a bank account

If you don’t have a bank account, you can still use cash transfer services to get the money to its destination. Similarly, a recipient can get the money with a cash transfer if they don’t have a bank account.

These cash transfer services are widely available around the world and although they’ll typically not be the cheapest available service they can be fast, convenient and can be used without bank accounts.

The UK’s exchange rates explained

The exchange rate determines how much one country’s currency is worth in another country’s currency. When a country’s currency is strong, it yields more money when exchanging it in a country with a weaker currency. The UK’s exchange rate often fluctuates when compared to other currencies, so expect exchange rates today to be different than those you’ll see tomorrow. Factors that influence the exchange rate include interest rates, economic stability and inflation.

Below we show how much a US dollar is worth in pounds in our historical rate chart.

Documents needed for sending money to the UK

To send money to the UK, you’ll need government-issued ID and other documents, while documents needed to pick up money in the United Kingdom may be different by company. If you’re simply receiving a transfer to your bank account, you won’t need ID, but any subsequent, large, in-person withdrawals of cash at your bank will require proof of ID.

Documents needed to send money to the UK from abroad

To send money to the UK from elsewhere, you’ll generally need documentation and details that include:

  • Identification. Most services require a driver’s licence, passport or other government-issued ID.
  • Payment method. Your service may accept credit or debit cards, cash, bank accounts or personal cheques.
  • Recipient information. Submit your recipient’s name as it appears on their ID, along with their phone number, UK bank account and routing number if sending to their bank.

Documents to receive money in the UK

To pick up money in person, documentation can include:

  • Transfer number. The person sending you money can forward the transfer’s confirmation details – called a PIN, a MTCN, a reference number or a tracking number, depending on the company.
  • Government-issued ID. Passport details, a driver’s licence or a similar government-issued ID is typically required to pick up cash.
  • Amount sent. You may need to know how much was sent, usually within 10% of the total.
  • Sender’s information. Take along your sender’s full name, the sending country and their address, if known.

What to watch out for

Most money transfers to the UK won’t have specific tax obligations attached. Genrally speaking, if you’re a UK resident you’re free to transfer as much as you likle back to the UK, but if it’s income earned abroad it’s subject to the usual income tax requirements. Non-residents sending under £10,000 won’t hit issues, provided tax was paid in the country the funds are being received from.

So you may need to consider: –

  • The residency status of the recipient.
  • The taxation history of the funds.
  • The total amount of the transfer.

Bottom line

It shouldn’t cost a fortune to send money to the UK. Compare companies that specialise in foreign transfers to access the strongest rates, lowest fees and fastest delivery times.

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