The guides below help with common tasks and frequently asked questions about cheques.
Before paying in a cheque
Always make sure that the cheque is made out to an account holder and the cheque is not future-dated. There are different conditions depending on how you pay your cheque in so please read the relevant section below.
As a precaution, please take a photo of your cheque or keep a note of the cheque details (the printed cheque number plus the amount).
Using cheques
You can pay cheques in using our Mobile Banking app, all you need is a mobile phone with a camera.
Before you get started, please check:
- your cheque is in pound sterling (£) and from a UK bank.
- your cheque is for £1000 or less.
- all information on the cheque is completed.
- the written amount and the numerical amount on the cheque are the same.
You can use the app to pay in a total of £1000-worth of cheques per eligible account per day.
Our branch counters accept cheques to be paid into any type of account, but cash machines at our branches can accept cheques paid into current accounts or savings accounts.
Cash machines
You can deposit up to 30 cheques at a time into our cash machines. You’ll need your debit card and PIN.
Insert your card into the cash machine and type your PIN.
- Choose ‘Deposit cheques’.
- You’ll be asked to put the cheque(s) into the machine.
- The cash machine will scan the cheque(s) and calculate the value – if there are any it can’t read it’ll ask you to type the value in on the screen.
- Confirm the value and that you’ve paid your cheque/s in.
If you’ve tried to pay in a cheque that the machine can’t read, or an invalid cheque, the machine will return it to you.
If one of our cash machines captures your cheque and doesn’t credit your account, please chat with us and we’ll provide some steps on how to resolve this issue.
You can use most of our cash machines at any time but 8 of our branches only have internal cash machines and not external ones. These branches are: Canterbury, Canary Wharf, Chelsea, Oxford City, St Neots, Surbiton, Tenterden and Wells.
If any of these branches are closed, you can’t use the internal cash machines to deposit cheques.
You can use the post to deposit cheques into your current account, credit card account or savings account with a sort code and account number. On the back of your cheque, please write your own postcode and the sort code and account number you want the cheque to be credited to. We can’t accept cheques for mortgage or loan payments in the post.
- If you have a paying-in slip, complete it and send it with the cheque.
- If you don’t have a paying-in slip you can still deposit your cheque, please write your postcode, sort code and account number the cheque is to be credited to on the back of the cheque. Without this information we won’t be able to pay in your cheque. Requesting paying-in slips
- Send the cheque to: Santander Processing, P.O. Box 12644, Harlow, CM20 9QH
To do this, you'll need:
- a personalised paying-in slip
- a deposit envelope
- the cheque(s) you want to deposit
- take a photo of your cheque or keep a note of the cheque details (the printed cheque number plus the amount)
- on the back of your cheque, please write your own postcode plus the sort code and account number you want the cheque to be credited to.
How do I order new envelopes or paying-in slips?
When logged on to Mobile or Online Banking, you can use chat to ask for new paying-in slips and deposit envelopes. Or you can contact us and use our automated telephone service and ask for new deposit envelopes. These can take up to 7-10 working days to reach you.
If you need to request a foreign currency cheque, or pay a foreign currency cheque into your account, we can help. Take a look at the ‘Foreign currency cheques/drafts’ section on our making international payments page.
Managing cheques
The easiest and quickest way to request a new chequebook is using Online Banking.
- Go to the ‘My details and settings’ tab
- Go to ‘Other services’ in the left-hand menu
- Go to the ‘Request chequebook’ link
Don’t have Online Banking? Get started online
Alternatively you can contact us
Cancelling a cheque is often called stopping a cheque.
We can’t stop a cheque if you realise you haven’t got enough money to cover it or if you’ve changed your mind. If you think a cheque is lost or stolen please contact us
If you don’t recognise the date, value of the cheque, or it was not written by you then contact us
You can cancel a cheque or chequebook in branch. You can find your nearest branch and check opening hours using our branch locator
Take a look at our table to see how long it takes for the money to show in your account, depending on how you deposit the cheque.
In most cases the cheque will fully clear a few days later. However, it’s important to remember that while the money appears available, if the cheque does not then clear the money will be taken back out of the account.
| The way you deposited | When funds usually become available | Things to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Banking app (deposited before 7pm on a working day) | Available by 11:59 pm next working day. | Your cheque is in pound sterling (£) and from a UK bank Your cheque is for £1000 or less |
| Mobile Banking app (deposited after 7pm on a working day or anytime on a non-working day | Available by 11:59 pm in 2 working days. | Your cheque is in pound sterling (£) and from a UK bank Your cheque is for £1000 or less |
| Posted | Available by 11:59pm the next working day after the cheque has been received | We can’t accept mortgage or loan payments and payments into savings accounts without a sort code or account number by cheque in the post |
| Branch counter (deposited on a working day) | Available by 11:59pm the next working day | All cheques accepted |
| Branch counter (deposited on a non-working day) | Available by 11:59pm 2 working days later | All cheques accepted |
| Cash Machine (deposited before 8pm on a working day) | Available by 11:59pm the next working day | We can’t accept mortgage or loan payments and payments into savings accounts without a sort code or account number by cheque at cash machines |
| Cash Machine (deposited after 8pm on a working day or anytime on a non-working day) | Available by 11:59pm 2 working days later | We can’t accept mortgage or loan payments and payments into savings accounts without a sort code or account number by cheque at cash machines |
| Post Office | Available by 11:59pm the next working day from when the cheque is received at our clearing centre, which can sometimes take a little longer to reach us from the Post Office. | We can’t accept mortgage or loan payments and payments into savings accounts without a sort code or account number by cheque at Post Office counters |