Money transfer providers

Firms that carry out payment services, including money remittance, must be authorised or registered by the Financial Conduct Authority. The rules cover authorised payment institutions, small payment institutions, registered account information service providers, electronic money institutions, credit institutions, the Post Office and certain public bodies. If a firm is not on the FCA Register, it is not covered by the usual complaints route.

It depends on the type of firm. Electronic money and payment institutions are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in the same way as banks, so money held with them may not be protected if the firm fails. Premier Payment Solutions Ltd, which provided money remittance services, entered liquidation, and the FSCS published a coverage position for customers.

Yes. The Financial Ombudsman Service covers money transfers and electronic payment platforms among its banking and payment services. It can look at complaints about high street banks, specialist money transfer and remittance businesses, online payment services and foreign exchange specialists. Complaining to the firm first is usually required before the ombudsman will take the case.

You need the amount you want to send, the full name of the person you are sending money to, their 6-digit sort code, their 8-digit account number, a payment reference, and whether you want the money sent straight away or at a later date and time. Check the name against the account before sending, because transfers are difficult to reverse once they leave.

Credit card payments over £100 get more protection than bank transfers, according to MoneyHelper. That protection can matter for purchases, but it does not apply to a straightforward transfer of your own money to another person. For transfers, the main safeguards are the firm's authorisation and the ombudsman route if something goes wrong.

The list covers the money transfer providers this site has pages for, including banks, specialist remittance businesses, online payment services and foreign exchange specialists. Each entry links to a page setting out what that provider offers, how it works and how to use it. The list can be filtered by type of provider and by nation.