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Foreign Payment Solutions for British Expats

There are a number of payment solutions for British expats, but the time for planning on how you will pay bills across international borders is before you make your overseas move.

Once you are overseas, you will have to trust the bill payment and money transfer systems you have put in place to make sure you meet your obligations when they fall due.  

For many British expats, they face a considerable amount of frustration and unnecessary cost when it comes to paying something as simple as a British utility bill!  Even more infuriating is the fact that many expats rely on friends and family to handle their UK bill payment affairs; however, for the majority of expats, these informal arrangements usually break down very shortly after they depart overseas, creating even more distress and confusion.

Fortunately, there are a number of formal ways in which you can meet your obligations and ensure funds are available where and when you need them and in the currency you need.  There are a number of international and domestic service providers, including the major banks and online service providers.

Maintain British Bank and Credit Card Accounts

It makes a lot of sense to maintain your UK accounts because most high street banks provide a range of international services which you can tap into.  By keeping your UK accounts you are also able to write cheques to pay UK bills, even though you mail them in from overseas.
In addition, by maintaining your UK bank accounts you will be able to arrange for regular bills to be paid by direct debit and standing order, though you should ensure your bank understands that you will be out of the country.

By maintaining your UK accounts you will also keep your credit rating active and this will be useful for when you repatriate to the UK.


Multiple Currency Accounts

When you are being paid in one currency but are spending money in another, then you need a facility to change currencies quickly and cheaply.  A multiple currency account provides the ability to switch in and out of different currencies – for example if you are paid a pension in British pounds but you have retired to Florida where you will spend US dollars.  

All of the major British banks provide these accounts including Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Abbey (Bank Santander), NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC.

Online Bill Payment Services

There are online bill payment services which allow you to manage your bills using the internet.  There are numerous service providers available on the net but you should ensure you are dealing with a reputable company.  In this, it is far safer to deal with a company or bank that you know or if not, that has been referred to you by a trusted source such as an existing customer.

Prepaid Debit & Credit Cards

There are an increasing number of prepaid debit and credit cards available on the international market which will allow you to establish a payment mechanism in one of the popular currencies.  Typically you can source a card which is denominated in US dollars, GBP pounds, Euros and other major currencies, which can then be used to make payments by telephone or using an online system.



1 GBP = 1.221 EUR
1.599 USD - U.S. Dollar
12.53 ZAR - South African Rand
12.406 HKD - Hong Kong Dollar
1.542 AUD - Australian Dollar
1.469 CHF - Swiss Franc
2 SGD - Singapore Dollar
1.581 CAD - Canadian Dollar
12.521 ZAR - South African Rand
12.048 HKD - Hong Kong Dollar

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