UK Banking
UK Sort Code
A sort code is a six-digit number used in the United Kingdom and Ireland to identify a specific bank and branch. Written in the format XX-XX-XX, it serves a similar role to a US routing number or the bank code portion of an IBAN.
The first two digits of a sort code typically identify the bank, while the remaining four digits identify the branch or processing center. For example, 20-00-00 is Barclays Head Office. Sort codes route payments across all major UK clearing systems: BACS, Faster Payments, and CHAPS. The Extended Industry Sort Code Directory (EISCD) maintained by Pay.UK maps each sort code to its bank, branch address, and supported payment schemes.
Every UK bank transfer requires a valid sort code to reach the correct destination. An incorrect sort code can send money to the wrong bank entirely. You can validate any UK sort code using BankCheck to confirm the issuing bank and branch before sending a payment. Sort codes are also embedded in UK IBANs, where they form part of the BBAN section.
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