Resources
Guides, how-tos, and comparisons for UK finance teams.
Plain-English editorial on business banking, payment rails, multi-currency accounts, and payroll infrastructure. Written for people who need to make decisions, not just understand concepts.
Our own analysis of official data
Original research
Study
UK late payment statistics
Nine years of official payment practices data: is late payment actually improving?
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Study
How Britain pays
Six years of Bacs volumes by payment purpose, with the reclassifications stripped out.
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Comprehensive guides
Reference guides
Rails
BACS payments guide
The three-day cycle, Direct Credits, SUN sponsorship and automation.
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Rails
CHAPS payments guide
Same-day high-value sterling: cut-offs, fees and settlement finality.
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Rails
SEPA payments guide
Credit transfers, direct debits and euro payments after Brexit.
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Rails
SWIFT payments guide
MT103, gpi tracking, correspondent banking, fees and timings.
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Rails
Direct Debit guide
Collecting by Direct Debit: SUN, advance notice, AUDDIS and returns.
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Rails
Bacs bureau guide
When bureau approval is mandatory, what inspection involves, and how to choose one.
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Rails
Cross-border payments guide
Choosing between SEPA, SWIFT and local rails for international trade.
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Banking
UK business banking guide
Choosing, opening and switching a UK business account.
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Banking
Digital business banking guide
How challenger banks and e-money firms compare to the high street.
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Currency
Multi-currency account guide
Choosing and running a multi-currency business account.
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Banking
FCA regulation guide
What FCA authorisation means for your money and how safeguarding works.
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Rails
International payment solutions
Comparing platforms and rails for regular cross-border flows.
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Step-by-step
How-to tutorials
Payroll
How to automate payroll payments
SEPA, BACS and API-driven payroll automation, step by step.
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Banking
How to open a UK business account fast
Documents, timelines and what to do when onboarding stalls.
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Currency
How to reduce international payment costs
Practical steps to cut FX margins and correspondent charges.
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Currency
How to manage multiple currencies
A working routine for holding, converting and reporting balances.
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Currency
How to set up a multi-currency account
Wallets, IBANs and connecting your accounting software.
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Rails
How to integrate a payment API
Authentication, webhooks and error handling for payment APIs.
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Interactive tools
Free tools and calculators
Tool
IBAN checker
Validate any IBAN with the official MOD-97 checksum before you pay.
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Tool
Bank account checker
Check a UK sort code and account number against the official modulus rules.
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Tool
HMRC exchange rates
The official monthly rates for VAT returns and customs declarations.
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Tool
HMRC rate archive
Every HMRC monthly exchange rate since January 2021, one page per month.
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Tool
FX calculator
See what an exchange rate margin actually costs on your transfer size.
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Tool
Payment cost calculator
Estimate the all-in cost of an international payment across rails.
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Tool
Payment timing calculator
Work out when a BACS, CHAPS, SEPA or SWIFT payment actually arrives.
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Side-by-side
Comparisons
Comparison
UK business banking comparison
Providers side by side on fees, currencies and opening speed.
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Comparison
Traditional vs digital banking
Where each model genuinely wins for a business account.
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Comparison
Bacs approved software register
Every Pay.UK-approved supplier, and what the Bacstel-IP, bureau and HSM columns mean.
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Comparison
Wise Business alternatives
How Wise Business compares for UK companies, and where it does not fit.
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Comparison
Revolut Business alternatives
What Revolut Business covers and the gaps to check before switching.
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Comparison
Tide alternatives
Tide compared with multi-currency and international-first providers.
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Worked scenarios
Case studies
Case study
Payroll provider case study
What changes operationally when a bureau moves to multi-currency infrastructure.
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Case study
E-commerce case study
Marketplace payouts, forced conversions and holding balances in the selling currency.
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