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Confirmation of Payee FAQs

We’ve summarised our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about the Confirmation of Payee service.

  • What is Confirmation of Payee?

    Confirmation of Payee is a name checking service which checks account details before initiating a payment. This helps to make sure that your payment is going to the right account and provides an extra layer of protection from fraud.

    The person paying you will be informed if the account name does not match and will be encouraged to check payment details with you before proceeding with the transaction.

    For more information on how to stay safe from fraud, please visit our Protecting Your Organisation From Fraud webpage.

  • Do I need to do anything to enrol onto this service?

    You don’t need to do anything; you will be automatically enrolled onto this service if you hold an account with us.

  • 
Can I opt out of Confirmation of Payee?

    You can request to opt out at any time. This will mean that your details won’t be checked when other people try to pay you and they will receive a message saying that your details can’t be checked. This could discourage people from making payments to you as they won’t be able to verify that the account details are correct. You can opt back in at any time.

    Opt out requests are usually only agreed to in exceptional circumstances but if you would like to discuss opting out of, or opting in to, Confirmation of Payee, please submit a secure message through Online Banking or call us directly. Our Customer Service team will contact you within 48 hours of receiving your secure message.

  • How does Confirmation of Payee affect me when I’m receiving payments?

    To receive your payments safely, make sure you give the person who is paying you your exact Unity account name as shown on your account statement. They will also need your sort code and account number along with the account type (e.g., business).

    Your account name is then checked via a secure online portal and the person paying you will receive an almost instant response to let them know if the account name matches the account details.

  • 
How do I find my account name?

    We recommend that you refer to your statements to find your exact account name. This is shown next to the ‘Name of Account’ field.

    To find your account information using Online Banking, select the relevant account number and your account name is listed on the top left-hand corner. This information will need to be entered by the person paying you. Please note that if you don’t have an account title, the product name will be shown instead i.e., T2 Current Account and this should not be entered by the payer.

    If you are having difficulty finding your account name, please contact us – we will need to call you back and verify your details for security purposes before providing this information.

  • Which payment types will the service apply to?

    The service applies to CHAPS, Faster Payments and Standing Order payments. BACS payments including Direct Debits are not included.

  • 
Do all banks or building societies perform a check on my Unity account name?

    Unity Trust Bank has joined the Confirmation of Payee scheme. The name checking service is only available to those banks and building societies that have joined the scheme.

    For more information about Confirmation of Payee, please visit pay.uk FAQs.

  • How is my data kept secure?

    Payment providers will use the Open Banking directory service and secure technology to safely exchange Confirmation of Payee requests. To be accredited to use this service, companies must undergo rigorous security checks and are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

  • How do I raise a complaint about Confirmation of Payee?

    If you have a complaint relating to Confirmation of Payee, please follow Unity’s standard complaints process.

  • Where can I go for more information about Confirmation of Payee?
    • For further help and guidance, call our Customer Service team on 0345 140 1000*, or email us@unity.co.uk
    • If you think there has been fraudulent activity on your Unity account, contact us directly on our dedicated fraud number, freephone 0808 196 8420 (open 8:30am-5:00pm Monday-Friday, excluding Bank Holidays).
    • For more information about CoP, visit the UK Finance and Pay.UK websites.

*Our call centre opening hours are 9am – 4pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank and public holidays in England or Scotland. Calls may be monitored and recorded for training, quality and security purposes. Calls to this number are charged at your local geographic rate, and calls from mobiles may be higher. Please contact your telephone provider for details.