Bank statement abbreviations
What do they mean?
Know your BACS from your CHAPS? There are so many terms found on bank and credit card statements and utility bills. This guide gives a full rundown, including breakdowns of popular gobbledygook, and reveals how to query terms on itemised bills and bank statements if they remain unclear.
Why should you check your statements?
There are two main reasons why you should check your bank statements...
Make budgeting easier. Tracking spending via statements is a key step in maintaining a budget. This helps you accurately map your incomings and outgoings over a year, so you can assess whether it balances. See our Budget Planner guide for full information and a free downloadable spreadsheet.
Identify fraudulent transactions. Fraud is often difficult to spot before it's too late. However, never assume an unknown charge on your bank statement is legit. Fraudsters can hit you for large or low amounts, and often favour hard-to-understand jargon to commit their crimes. Grasping bank-statement terms is an effective way of spotting suspicious transactions early.
Thankfully, banks are legally responsible for refunding fraudulent transactions, unless it's proved a customer was grossly negligent. But it's important to check yourself, as unauthorised transactions not identified may never be refunded.
Common bank statement jargon explained
A table is below of jargon that you may have come across on your bank or utility statements. We've tried to include as many popular terms as possible – yet this isn't an exhaustive list.
Unfortunately there's no set standard for statement abbreviations, so terms are likely to differ slightly across different banks or utility providers. For instance, the long-winded 'Clearing House Automated Payment System' term is referred on a Barclays bank statement as the acronym CHAPS, while on a NatWest statement it'll be known simply as CHP.
However, most terms are generally shortened in similar ways, so distinguishing between them shouldn't be too difficult.
Abbreviation | What it stands for | Description |
|---|---|---|
APR | Annual Percentage Rate | A rate of interest payable over a year. See APR examples |
BBP or BP | Bill Payment | Payment of a bill. |
BAC or BACS | Bankers' Automated Clearing Services | Electronic system to make payments directly from one account to another. Can take up to three working days to clear. |
BGC | Bank Giro Credit | The deposit of cash or a cheque in a bank branch. |
BSP | Branch Single Payment | Bill or third-party payment made within a branch. |
CDL | Career Development Loan | A Government loan received for career development. |
CDM | Cash & Deposit Machine | Cash machines that can be used to process pay-ins, bill payments and withdrawals. |
CHG | Charge | Charge regarding a transaction. |
CHAPS or CHP | Clearing House Automated Payment System | Electronic transfer for large payments between accounts sent and received on the same day. |
CHQ | Cheque | Document that orders payment of money from a bank account to another person or organisation. |
COR | Correction | Correction regarding a transaction error. |
CRE | Credit payment | Credit added to your account. |
CSH | Cash | Cash paid into your account. |
CUI | Centralised Unpaid In (Unpaid Cheque) | Cheque that has failed to clear. |
CWP | Cold Weather Payment | Government payment to qualifying households during periods of cold weather. See if you qualify: Benefits check-up. |
D/D or DDR | Direct Debit | Regular payment of a fixed or variable amount to a third party or some savings accounts. |
DIV | Dividend | Payment to your account from shares you hold. |
DR | Account Overdrawn or Debit Item / Debit Balance | An indication on your statement to show that your balance is less than zero. If needed, see Debt Problems. |
DWP | Department for Work and Pensions | Deposit into your account by the Department for Work and Pensions. |
ERTF | Exchange Rate Transaction Fee | Fee for the use of a card at a cash machine or POS (Point Of Sale machine) abroad. You can avoid these in future – see Travel Credit Cards. |
FPI or FP | Faster Payments Inwards | A 'faster' payment – made using the 'Faster Payments' electronic system – received from another account. |
FPO | Faster Payments Outwards | A 'faster' payment – made using the 'Faster Payments' electronic system – sent to another account. |
IBAN | International Bank Account Number | Usually required for international money transfers when making a payment between international bank accounts. See Sending Money Abroad. |
IBP | Inter-Branch Payment | Transfer between accounts at different bank branches. |
IMO | International Money Order | Used to make payments abroad. See Sending Money Abroad. |
INT | Interest | Credit or debit on your account associated to interest earned or incurred on your balance. |
ISA | Individual Savings Account | A tax-free savings account. See Top Cash ISAs. |
ITL | International | Transfer of money from your UK account to one abroad. |
NDC | Non Dividend Counterfoil | A payment to your account from shares held by you. |
OTR | Online Banking Transaction | Transaction carried out using online banking. |
POC | Post Office Counters | Transaction carried out over a post office counter. |
POS | Point Of Sale / Debit Card Transaction | A purchase made with your debit card, eg, at a retailer. |
REV | Reversal | A standing order or direct debit that has been returned. |
SAL | Salary | Salary paid into your account. |
S/O or STO | Standing Order | Regular payment of a fixed amount from your account to another account or a third party. |
SBT | Screen Based Transaction | A transaction processed by a bank branch on your behalf. |
TEL | Telephone Banking | A transaction carried out using telephone banking. |
TFR | Transfer | Transfer of money between accounts. |
TLR | Teller Transaction | A transaction carried out using a bank branch. |
UNP | Unpaid | A cheque credited to your account that was not paid in at your account-holding branch or bank. |
Unknown retailer on your statement?
There are organisations that may leave a mark on your bank, credit card or utility statement by using unique abbreviations that only apply to themselves or specific products or services. We've included some terms below that MSE users have specifically searched for in our forum.
This guide is meant to help identify hard-to-understand abbreviations. As such, any organisations included in the glossary below does not signify an endorsement from MoneySavingExpert.com.
Organisation | Abbreviation | What it stands for/does | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Adyen | Adyen UK LTD | Electronic payment processing company | Adyen processes payments on behalf of companies selling products and services via the internet. |
Bet365 | B365 Internet | Bet365 | Gambling website. |
Buchanan Clark and Wells | BCW | BCW debt collection company | Debt collection agency. If needed, see Debt Problems. |
Cassava Enterprises or Virtual MaSerIRL | Cassava Enterprises or Virtual MaSerIRL | 888.com / Wink Bingo | Gambling website. |
Coral | Cl Ltd | Coral Interactive | Gambling website. |
Vodafone | CFU | Call Forward Unconditional | Found on Vodafone statements. A charge relating to incoming calls that have been redirected to another number. |
Domestic & General Services | DGS / RPP | Domestic & General Services / Regular Payment Plan Direct Debit | Warranty provider taking a direct debit from your account. See Free Warranties. |
UK Government | EESA | Enhanced Employment Support Allowance | You can get EESA if your ability to work is limited by ill-health or disability. See if you qualify: Benefits check-up. |
JPMorgan Bank and PayPal | JPMC | A payment to a PayPal account from your bank | PayPal uses JPMorgan (a large American bank) to process its transactions. |
Vending Machines | NYA* | A card payment made at a vending machine | You'll usually see NYA* and then the name of the vending machine owner |
Paddy Power | PP Phones | Paddy Power | Gambling website. |
Payforit | Payforit | Brand allowing consumers to make payments via their phone on behalf of several mobile providers | Some MoneySavers have experienced issues with Payforit: see feedback thread. |
Qmee | Qmee | Cashback provider | Third-party provider offering cashback for internet searches and signing up to online offers. See Make Money Online. |
William Hill | WHO Internet | William Hill Online | Gambling website. |
Still unsure of a transaction? Query it
If you find a term on your bank statement or itemised bill that isn't listed above, it's important to check it. The best way is to contact your bank or utility provider directly via secure messaging on mobile or internet banking or over the phone.
Alternatively, you may wish to post or search the MSE Forum where fellow MoneySavers may be able to help.
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