What Is a BACS Payment?

BACS is a form of electronic bank-to-bank transfer that is used exclusively in the UK. There are different transfer methods in the country, but BACS is the most popular and is mostly used for direct debit and edit transfers. Nine out of ten consumers in the UK use BACS payments for some form of regular payment.

What Does BACS Stand For?

The term BACS is short for the Bankers Automated Clearing System, which was founded by a committee for the Bankers Clearing House in London. The first transfer of funds electronically began in 1968. BACS later became a subsidiary of Pay.UK in May 2018 and that company is now responsible for direct debits. On its 50th anniversary, BACS had processed over 6.4 billion transfers, worth almost $5 trillion.‍

How Long Does a BACS Payment Take?

As competition heats up in electronic payments, the most common question about the BACS payment system is how long do they take? BACS payments usually take around three working days to clear. Payment instructions are submitted to the BACS system on the first day while the second day is reserved for bank processing. On the third day, the payment is then debited from the sender's account and will be credited to the recipient's account.‍

What Are the Two Main Types of BACS Payment Types?

There are two types of BACS payments: Direct Debit and Direct Credit. These are the differences between the two:

Direct Debit

The direct debit system is popular in the UK for customers who want to pay regular or occasional amounts to an organisation at specified dates by signing an advance notice to their bank to allow the automatic collection. This is often arranged by an organization such as a gym for monthly memberships. The customer instructions are contained in a document called a Direct Debit Mandate form that stays with the bank. Direct Debit payments account for over £4.5 billion annually in transaction volume in the United Kingdom. Bank customers can terminate the agreement by calling their bank or doing the process online.

Direct Credit

The BACS direct debit scheme provides a simple and secure way to make and receive payments directly into a beneficiary's bank account. There are currently over 150,000 organizations using the BACS Direct Credit system.

How Do You Make a BACS Payment?

In order to setup a BACS payment for regular payments you must get access to a direct debit mandate online or in paper form. Here you will enter your account details including sort code. Add the details of the organization you're paying if its not already on the form. Confirm the start and end dates for the payments to start. Then submit to the bank.‍

Are There Fees Associated with a BACS Payment?

Banks charge anywhere between £0.05-£0.50 in transaction fees for BACS payments, with higher transaction volumes meaning higher transaction fees.

Can a BACS Payment Be Accepted at Any Time of Day?‍

BACS payments can be accepted at any time of the day, but it is important to note that each bank will have a cut-off time for when the instructions are accepted. If you submit the information late in the working day, the three day cycle could start the following day. BACS also works around the traditional banking system, and only working days will count on the three day payment cycle.

Is a BACS Payment the Same as a Bank Transfer?

A BACS payment is generally the same as a bank transfer, it is only used for regular payments, rather than a one-off payment. The BACS system uses the same information as a bank transfer for processing.

Why Do People Use BACS Payments?

BACS payments are often used by companies to pay salaries and benefits. They are also the preferred payment option used for pensions, employee expenses and many other payments/invoices. Retail businesses, charities and sports facilities are other examples of organisations that will use BACS for regular payments.‍

Risks Associated with BACS Payments

Overall, BACS is a very safe method of payment as it is facilitated by the major banks in the UK. The risks involved would be related to human error with the wrong information submitted, or attempts to take money from an overdrawn account. These issues would be ironed out with the help of the banks involved.

What Is the Maximum Amount You Can Pay Using a BACS Payment Method?

Using Barclays Bank as example, the daily limit for third-party payments and standing orders is £50,000. However, companies could adjust the dates to pay that limit on consecutive days.

Can Anyone Make a BACS Payment?

BACS payments are generally used by businesses who need to make, or take, regular monthly payments. Anyone with a UK bank account or a payments account like Payset can make a BACS payment.

What Information Is Required to Make a BACS Payment?

BACS payments require the beneficiary's name, account number, sort code, and the amount to be paid before they are submitted. A payment reference is also advised to help the recipient identify what the payment is for.

What Is a SUN and Do You Need One to Make a BACS Payment?

A BACS Service User Number (SUN) is a unique identifier given to trusted businesses to make payments with BACS approved software. BACS payments use SUN numbers to distinguish between organisations collecting payments with the Direct Debit system.

It is not necessary to have one as it requires sponsorship from a bank. Smaller businesses that have been established for fewer than three years, have an annual turnover of less than £1 million and make minimal BACS payments, will not require a SUN.

What Are BACS Reports?

BACS reports are provided by the BACS service and provide historical details on your submissions. The report will include Credit payments, Direct Debit collections and Direct Debit Instructions. There are multiple reports produced by the BACS service and each different report provides different information.

What Are Some Alternatives to BACS Payment Methods?

Two other forms of payment used in the UK are the CHAPS transfer and Faster Payments. Most high-street banks are participants in CHAPS and the system guarantees same-day payment. This is dependent on the bank receiving payment instructions by a specific time during the working day. There is no limit to the size of the transfer you can make with CHAPS and in most cases they are worth over £10,000.

Faster Payments offer almost real-time payments between bank accounts in the UK, although they are usually restricted in the size of transfer that you can make. published at https://www.payset.io.