What each one is
| Detail | What it identifies | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sort code | The bank and branch, in 6 digits | 12-34-56 |
| Account number | Your account at that bank, in 8 digits | 98765432 |
| IBAN | Your account anywhere in the world: country, check digits, bank code, sort code and account number | GB82 WEST 1234 5698 7654 32 |
| BIC (SWIFT code) | The bank itself, in 8 or 11 characters, not your account | Shown by your bank |
The examples come from the SWIFT IBAN Registry’s sample UK IBAN and aren’t a real account.
How they fit together
A UK IBAN is built from your sort code and account number. After GB and the two check digits come four letters that identify the bank, then your 6-digit sort code, then your 8-digit account number. That makes 22 characters in all.
So if you know your sort code and account number, you can see them inside your IBAN. What you can’t safely do is make up an IBAN from them yourself: the bank code and the check digits have to be right, and only your bank can give you the correct IBAN. Find it in your banking app or on a statement (see how to find your IBAN).
Which one to give
- Someone paying you from a UK bank account: give your sort code and account number, and the name on the account. UK payments use these, not the IBAN.
- Someone paying you from abroad: give your IBAN and the name on the account, and your bank’s BIC if they ask for it.
- On an invoice: show the sort code and account number for UK customers, and add the IBAN if you have customers abroad. Our invoice generator has a place for both.
Whichever you give, include the account name exactly as your bank holds it, and a reference so you can match the payment.
What each check can and can’t tell you
An IBAN checker tests that the IBAN is correctly formed: the right length and layout for its country, and check digits that work. That catches most typing mistakes. It can’t tell you that the account exists or who holds it.
To check who holds an account, use the name check your bank runs when you set up a new payee. In the UK this is Confirmation of Payee, which compares the name you enter with the name on the account for UK payments (Pay.UK). For euro payments, banks in the euro area must now offer a free Verification of Payee check that does the same with an IBAN (European Commission).
If the name doesn’t match, stop and check with the person you’re paying, using contact details you already trust. Changed bank details in an email are a common sign of fraud.