If you like seeing a friendly face while you’re banking or you need to drop off cash or a cheque, your local Post Office might be a lifeline. We break down who can pay money in at the Post Office and how you do this.
Can you pay into your bank account via the Post Office?
Yes, almost everyone with a UK bank account can deposit money at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK. However, access to other services such as cash withdrawals and balance enquiries will vary depending on the bank you’re with.
What about business bank accounts?
While it depends on the bank, you can pay into business bank accounts. You can also access other business banking services, such as cash withdrawals, balance enquiries and cheque deposits (again, depending on the bank).
The following banks offer banking services at the Post Office*:
Allied Irish Bank Bank of Ireland Bank of Scotland Barclays CAF Cahoot Cashplus Countingup Coutts Co-Op Bank Danske First Direct Halifax Handlesbanken HSBC Lloyds Metro Mettle Monese Monzo Nationwide NatWest RBS Santander Smile Starling Bank Suits Me Thinkmoney Tide TSB Ulster Bank Unity Trust Bank Virgin Money
Whether you can pay in a cheque at the Post Office will depend on your bank, but most do allow this option. You’ll need:
The cheque
A completed paying-in slip from your bank (if required)
A cheque deposit envelope – available from your bank or stocked at the post office
Note that a lot of banks offer the option to now pay cheques in online via an app taking the hassle out of going to your local Post Office branch.
How to pay into your bank account at the Post Office
Once you’ve checked whether your bank is supported by the Post Office for deposits, you simply need to visit your nearest branch and request to pay money into your account.
What should you bring with you?
To deposit cash at a Post Office branch, you typically just need to bring your debit or cash card (and your PIN). If you don’t have a debit card, you can use a paying-in slip which can be requested from your bank.
Are there any fees?
No, it’s free to deposit money into your bank account at the Post Office counter, as long as your bank doesn’t charge its own fee for you making cash deposits.
How long will it take for the money to be available?
When you make a cash deposit at the Post Office using your debit card, the funds should be available in your account the same day. Any cash deposits made using a deposit slip should be available in your account on the next working day.
Is there a cash deposit limit at the Post Office?
Yes, there’s sometimes a cash deposit limit at the Post Office and this will be set by your bank, so you will need to find this out directly from them. There might be a daily, monthly or yearly limit to Post Office deposits.
Bottom line
The majority of people with a UK bank account will be able to make cash deposits at the Post Office using either their debit card or a paying-in slip. Cheque deposits are also possible, depending on your bank.
To find out if your bank supports deposits, you should first check with the Post Office website or ask someone at your nearest branch.
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Sophie Barber is a content marketing manager for Finder in the UK. She has over 5 years experience in writing and publishing clear, concise and informative articles that help consumers make informed decisions. See full bio
Sophie's expertise
Sophie has written 95 Finder guides across topics including:
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