You can no longer pay cheques into the Post Office

I run a Post Office. These are the banks that you can still pay cheques into over-the-counter.

HSBC First Direct, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, TSB, Ulster, Bank of Ireland, Barclay, Cahoot, Virgin money group, Co-op, Coutts. In Northern Ireland, you can also pay in to AIB and Danske

You can also pay cash in and and get cash out from most uk banks including Lloyds .

There are no limits to the amount of cheque value that you can pay in but there are limits to cash. Every bank is different, but it’s quite a high amount. There are no charges for these services.

If there are any questions, I would only be too happy to find the answers for you

But it’s becoming very difficult to pay in foreign currency cheques. After two months, I worked out that American companies don’t accept email or letters to arrange electronic transfers but only phone calls. I think that is likely to result in errors….

I detest the Post Office and won't use them unless I really seriously have no choice.

Can't swap coins for notes or notes for coins without needing an account, so the money has to go through the account first before the cashier hands you the cash. Can't do this, that and the other without needing an account.

About the only things we can do without an account, now, are needing plastic money bags!

Thank you Melanie61 that is really useful to know. As I get large cheques twice a year I am considering opening an account with one of the banks you mention. Idk why Lloyds Banking Group cancelled with the Post office.

TheWeirdoAgain60, the problem is that we get paid commission on every single thing that we do and if we just swapped cash for cash, we don’t get any money for doing that. If it’s payed into an account and you draw it out again we get a tiny bit of commission which all adds up to make our wage.

I think the banks pull out because they’re not prepared to pay the Post Office the fee that they charge to use our facilities

Avalon, I don't know what a freepost address is, but surely the cheque you received is crossed? If it isn't cross it before sending it.

A crossed cheque must be paid into the account of the person whose name is on it, and cannot be withdrawn for three days.

Take a photo or photocopy of it before you send it.

I don’t think this is especially ageist. Lots of younger people struggle with technology too, especially if they don’t use it regularly at work. Lack of digital literacy is a major barrier to accessing training in vocational jobs.

Ladyleftfieldlover you suggest there are always ways of getting round this. Drive, bus, taxi, lift. Maybe, but they’re not very convenient are they, or practical. Not everyone can drive, not everyone has a car, many of us have had to give up driving. I don’t know anyone who would be willing to give me a lift to visit my nearest bank 27 miles away. The cheapest taxi cost approximately £50 each way. I can get there via two buses and a train (bus pass is free but train is about £10 each way) it takes 5 hours for the round trip, plus the time in the bank. I’m looking at a full day minimum just to deposit a cheque. There are only two buses a day that pass the station so I might have to stay somewhere overnight if the bank takes more than 30minutes and I miss the bus that gets the train that gets to my local station in time for the last bus.
But yes, there are ways around it!
And yes, I have written to my mp about it. He’s “looking in to it”
Our nearby banking hub doesn’t take cheques or dispense cash. It’s advice and opening accounts only.

Lloyeds have a website section on this, looks like the 'app' limit is £10K. Plenty info re posting them.

See https:// www.lloydsbank.com/ help-guidance/everyday-banking/payments-and-transfers/pay-in-a-cheque.html (remove the gaps to use the link, never sure on here what the rules are re such links?!)

This large cheque from the Treasury. Didn't they offer you the option of direct transfer to your bank account?

My Santander app has no option for cheques.

That original post looked pretty misleading?? Just checked the Post office site, THEY say you can pay-in cheques from many banks.

CHECK the relevant info >>> https:// www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking/guides/where-can-i-pay-in-cheques

This seemed to be the gist:- Paying in a cheque at a Post Office branch
You can deposit cheques (as well as cash) into personal and business accounts at thousands of Post Office branches across the UK that provide banking services.

Here’s how it works:

First, you’ll need an envelope for your own bank. We have these in our branches for most banks who offer the service

Follow the instructions on the envelope, making sure you’ve written the correct details of the account number and sort code you want the cheque to go into

Put the cheque and your paying in slip into the envelope and seal securely
Hand it over to one of our colleagues at the counter who'll accept it and give you with a receipt
The receipt will only include your sort code and account number. Please keep this safe until the cheque's been credited to your account

This service is available for most major UK banks. If you’re not sure what your bank needs when depositing cheques with us, check our banking services page or directly with your bank.

Most businesses do not pay by cheque these days and nor do most people. I think the Treasury should up their game and pay by BACS straight into your bank account. There is no excuse not to.

Dreadwitch

My Santander app has no option for cheques.

Mine does ‘Pay and Transfer’ then ‘Pay in cheque’ ?

Nationwide Bank have a few quirks, like no bank statements on some accounts, and separate cheque books on joint accounts, but they are fairly prevalent ( I have 4 within 10 miles) and offer odd bonuses for use. Pretty good rates on branch savers too.

HSBC allow paying in at PO, and have a great phone service, although their savings rates are lower than many.

Seems like services are moving from PO to PayPoint (my brother paid his TV license in his local off-license).

I agree it is not necessarily an age thing, but if you do not want to pay £600+ for a new phone, it would seem that apps are not that easy to download. We are asked to be environmentally conscious, but my 4 year old perfectly working phone will not take some of them.

TV licenses moved to Paypoint on 31st July 2006

ExaltedWombat

This large cheque from the Treasury. Didn't they offer you the option of direct transfer to your bank account?

I just looked this up and apparently they do BACS transfer, unless AI or Google are wrong.

No cheques here either except bank cheques for huge things like house purchasing. No one has cheque books anymore.

Nationwide Bank have a few quirks, like no bank statements on some accounts, and separate cheque books on joint accounts, but they are fairly prevalent ( I have 4 within 10 miles)

No Nationwide branches nearby now and they are one bank which still send paper statements.
They are helpful if you have a problem and give a good rate of exchange too.

You can pay by post. The info will be on your banks website. If it is large, you should photo it and send it registered. I have done this several times.

Our bank closed and was replaced by a banking hub. DH went in on the day they dealt with his bank. He had a fairly large cheque to pay into his account. He was told they couldn't do it and sent him to a local (?) Branch about 10 miles away.

Jaxjacky

ExaltedWombat

This large cheque from the Treasury. Didn't they offer you the option of direct transfer to your bank account?

I just looked this up and apparently they do BACS transfer, unless AI or Google are wrong.

We had a tax rebate of over £7k - was sent a cheque even though they had our bank details. No option given. I think they like to keep hold of monies owed as long as possible!

Exactly!

Obviously, I don’t know what the payment is but twice yearly payments from HMT would usually be interest (coupons) on gilts These are usually paid electronically. If this is what the payments are then I would explore having the payment method changed.

Nationwide is not a bank. Not will Post Offices accept cheques bound for a Nationwide account. It is not in Melanie61’s list upthread and my local PO manager confirms the is the case.

Any cheque I do receive, I take a photo then put it in an envelope, buy 87p 2nd class postage online and post the letter in the nearby electronic post box. It’s quicker and easier than going into town. No cheque has ever gone astray.

As Auntie E explained, a crossed cheque can't be paid into anybody else's account (unless it's been endorsed).

I bank with Barclays and Nationwide. I can pop to several nearby branches of Nationwide but have to go miles for the nearest branch of Barclays. We used to have 4 Banks in our little town and now have none. I've stayed with Nationwide because I can pay cheques in with them and then transfer the money to other banks electronically.