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Charges

We're committed to helping you stay in control of your money. One way we do that is by letting you know up front about any charges that might apply to any of our accounts - after all, nobody likes a nasty surprise. Have a look through the tabs below for more detailed information about each products' charges.

Show the section Banking charges

first direct debit card

Using your card outside the UK

All foreign debit card payments or cash withdrawals outside the UK are converted to Sterling by VISA or MasterCard (as appropriate) using their Payment Scheme Exchange Rate which applies on the day of the conversion. Details of the current wholesale market exchange rates can be obtained by calling us on these numbers: in the UK 03 456 100 100 (Text-phone 03 456 100 147) or from outside the UK +44 113 234 5678 (Text Relay+44 151 494 1260).

For all foreign currency transactions, including cash withdrawals, we'll charge a fee of 2.75% of the transaction. This fee will be shown as a separate line on your statement as a 'non-Sterling transaction fee'. We'll deduct the payment from your account once we receive details of the payment from the card scheme, at the latest, the next working day.

See more information on the rate of exchange Visa Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first]used when converting your transaction.

Using cash machines outside the UK

When using cash machines outside the UK, as well as the non-Sterling transaction fee (described above), we'll also charge an ATM transaction fee: currently 2% (minimum £1.75, maximum £5.00). But if you're a First Directory customer, you won't be charged this extra fee (applies to the account the First Directory fee debits from).

Please be aware that some cash machine operators may also apply an additional charge for withdrawals made from their cash machines, and this will be advised on screen at the time of withdrawal.

	1st Account
Cancel a cheque	1st Account Free
Copy of a cheque/credit	1st AccountFree
Status Enquiry (including VAT)	1st Account£10.72
Inward payments received from banks within UK:	1st Account in Sterling: Free in currency above £100 equivalent: £8.00
The issue of an indemnity for a lost share certificate/dividend warrant and sundry items	1st Account0.5% of the value, minimum £50
Branch payment cheque (drawn on Savings Accounts)	1st Account£10.00
Duplicate Statements, interim or additional statements (e.g. fortnightly, weekly)	1st AccountFree

Show the section Credit card charges

Credit card charges

Cash advance

2.99% cash fee, minimum £3.00 (includes cash withdrawals both in the UK and abroad, internal transfers, the purchase of foreign currency, travellers cheques and certain balance transfers).

Foreign usage

2.99% of the amount of the non-Sterling transaction (a foreign currency) will be added as an adjustment to the exchange rate. Non-Sterling transactions are converted to Sterling by VISA using wholesale market rates applying on the day conversion is made, usually the date the transaction is applied to your account. For more information please visit Visa. Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first]

Introductory balance transfers

2.29% of the amount transferred (minimum £5) within three months of account opening.

Balance transfers	2.9% of each balance transferred, minimum £5.00
Late payment fee	£12.00
Over limit fee	£12.00
Unpaid cheques and Direct Debits	£5.00
Duplicate credit card statements	Free

Show the section Foreign and travel charges

Foreign and travel charges

Travel money

Online	£3.95 postage fee for orders under £250
Telephone	2% of order value (minimum £3)

Euro drafts

All Euro drafts (drawn on banks in the UK) under £100	£15*
All Euro drafts (drawn on banks in the UK) over £100	£20
Cancelling an international or Euro Bank Draft	£10 each
Posting a warning on a lost or stolen international or Euro Bank Draft	£10 each **

*A different charge may apply if collected from an HSBC branch

**Plus any charges made by banks on which foreign drafts are drawn.

Sending money out of your account

Payment type	To	Phone Banking	Online or Mobile Banking	Post
Payment typeSending money by CHAPS	ToAnywhere in the UK	Phone Banking£25	Online or Mobile Bankingn/a	Post£25
Payment typeSending foreign currency, inside and outside the UK	Tofirst direct or HSBC accounts	Phone Banking£0	Online or Mobile Bankingn/a	Post£0
	Tonon-first direct or non-HSBC accounts	Phone Banking£4	Online or Mobile Bankingn/a	Post£4

Receive money into your account

Payment type	Charge
Payment typeReceive foreign currency of £100 or more. We won't charge for receiving up to €50,000 (or 500,00 Swedish Krona) from countries in the EU if the relevant identification numbers are provided i.e. Bank Identifier Code (BIC) and International Bank Account Number (IBAN).	Charge£8
Payment typeRecieve £100 Sterling or more from banks outside the UK	Charge£6
Payment type Cheques we negotiate or collect for you because they're issued: In a currency that isn't Sterling or Euro By a non-UK bank in Sterling or Euro	Charge£250 or less - £7
Payment type Cheques we negotiate or collect for you because they're issued: In a currency that isn't Sterling or Euro By a non-UK bank in Sterling or Euro	Charge£250.01 or more - 0.5% (minimum £10, maximum £50)
Payment typeCheques issued in Euro by a bank in the Eurozone	Charge£7

These charges will be deducted from your account when you ask for the service. We may make a charge for any enquiries we receive in respect of each payment instruction, whether made by you or another person. We won't charge you if we've made a mistake. We'll advise you of the charge before we start investigations on your behalf.

If you give us incorrect information, and you ask us to try to recover the money you sent, we may charge you for this service. We'll give you the details of our charges before we try to recover the money you sent. The recipient's bank may also charge you if this happens.

For some payments we may also deduct from your account charges made by agents, intermediary banks and the recipient's bank, as agreed with you in the first direct Terms.

Currency cut-off times

When you make a Priority Payment or SEPA payment, currency cut-off times will apply. The main European currency cut-off times are shown below. If you're sending money to a country that's not listed, you can call us on the usual numbers to find out if there is a cut-off time and what it is.

Currency	Currency cut-off time
CurrencyEuro	Currency cut-off time15:30
CurrencySterling	Currency cut-off time15:30
CurrencyCzech Republic CZK	Currency cut-off time16:30
CurrencyDenmark DKK	Currency cut-off time16:30
CurrencyHungary HUF	Currency cut-off time16:30
CurrencyLiechtenstein CHF	Currency cut-off time16:30
CurrencyNorway NOK	Currency cut-off time16:30
CurrencyPoland PLN	Currency cut-off time16:30
CurrencySweden SEK	Currency cut-off time16:30

All cut-off times quoted are GMT (Greenwich Mean Time - the time in London).

Show the section Sharedealing charges

Online sharedealing charges

Account fee

Sharedealing Account fee
Sharedealing Account feeOn the last business day of each quarter you will be charged an Account Fee. This is payable quarterly in arrears. This is subject to having held the account for a full calendar quarter.	£10.50 including VAT

Online trades

Sharedealing rates and fees
Sharedealing rates and feesUK equities	£10.50
Sharedealing rates and feesUK transactions in Euros	€30.00
Sharedealing rates and feesUK gilts	£40.00

Telephone trades

Sharedealing rates and fees
Sharedealing rates and feesUK equities	£25.00
Sharedealing rates and feesUK transactions in Euros	€45.00
Sharedealing rates and feesUK gilts	£50.00

Frequent user

Sharedealing rates and fees
Sharedealing rates and fees Frequent trades The first nine trades within a calendar quarter are subject to the standard online or telephone charge as quoted above. All subsequent online trades (in UK equities only) during that calendar quarter will be subject to the frequent user charge. Trading in Irish equities listed on the London Stock Exchange will attract commission in Euros.	£7.95

Sharedealing rates and fees

Frequent trades

The first nine trades within a calendar quarter are subject to the standard online or telephone charge as quoted above. All subsequent online trades (in UK equities only) during that calendar quarter will be subject to the frequent user charge.

Trading in Irish equities listed on the London Stock Exchange will attract commission in Euros.

£7.95

Trading taxes and levies

Stamp duty - charged on consideration plus commission
Stamp duty - charged on consideration plus commissionUK equity purchases	0.5%
Stamp duty - charged on consideration plus commissionIrish equity purchases	1%

Panel for takeovers and mergers pay
Panel for takeovers and mergers payUK equity trades over £10,000 (per transaction)	£1.00
Panel for takeovers and mergers payIrish equity trades over €12,500 (per transaction)	€1.25

Ancillary fees
Ancillary feesTransfer of securities to another broker/share certificate in the customer's name	£15.00 per line of stock
Ancillary feesDuplicate statements (e.g. contract notes, Consolidated Tax Certificates / statements	£10.00 + VAT

Show the section Overdraft interest

Overdraft interest

You can request an arranged overdraft, or request an increase to your existing arranged overdraft limit, on your 1st Account (but not on a savings account) by making a formal request – before you make any payments or withdrawals from your account that take you over an existing arranged overdraft limit, you ask us for, and we agree to provide you with, an arranged overdraft or an increase to an existing arranged overdraft limit.

An unarranged overdraft is when you authorise a payment that would take your account overdrawn or beyond your arranged limit without agreeing in advance an overdraft to cover it. We’ll always consider an unarranged request and will make the payment if we can subject to status. An unarranged overdraft may result in declined transactions

Unarranged Overdraft interest

We will normally charge you unarranged overdraft interest of 39.9% EAR variable on any day your 1st Account is in unarranged overdraft. We won’t charge Unarranged Overdraft interest if covering funds are paid in before the end of the day (defined as 11:45pm).

We won't charge you more in unarranged overdraft interest than the maximum unarranged overdraft agreed in that charging month (e.g. the cost of a £15 unarranged overdraft will be limited to £15).

The monthly cap on unarranged overdraft interest for your 1st Account is £20 (effective from 14 March 2020).

Monthly cap on unarranged overdraft charges

A charging month normally starts on the day in the month you originally opened your account.

1. Each current account will set a monthly maximum charge for:

(a) going overdrawn when you have not arranged an overdraft; or

(b) going over/past your arranged overdraft limit (if you have one).

2. This cap covers any:

(a) interest and fees for going over/past your arranged overdraft limit;

(b) fees for each payment your bank allows despite lack of funds; and

The introduction of the Monthly Maximum Charge of £20 is effective from 14 March 2020. Any charges generated before this date will incorporate the previous charging structure.

Unarranged Overdraft interest: when this applies and what you might pay

If you use your 1st Account to send money when you:

don't have enough money in your account and haven't agreed an arranged overdraft with us, or
go over your arranged overdraft limit.

you will normally have to pay unarranged overdraft interest.

Below, we've given examples of what we might charge you for sending money from your account when you haven't enough money - you can use your bank statements to identify scenarios that might apply to you. Once you have worked out reasons why you might be charged, it could help you avoid charges in future.

Example 1

We refuse a payment from your account because there is not enough money in your account.

No charge

Example 2

A payment from your account takes you into an unarranged overdraft and you make another payment from the account while you are overdrawn or over your limit. All in all, you are in unarranged overdraft for two days during the charging month.

You would be charged 39.9% EAR variable on the unarranged overdraft balance

Example 3

A payment from your account takes you into an unarranged overdraft, and you make eleven more payments from the account while you are overdrawn or over your overdraft limit. You end up being in unarranged overdraft for 10 days during the charging month.

You would be charged 39.9% EAR variable on the unarranged overdraft balance

Example 4

A payment from your account takes you into an unarranged overdraft. You are in unarranged overdraft for 21 days in a row during the month and you make 12 more payments from the account while you are in unarranged overdraft.

You would be charged 39.9% EAR variable on the unarranged overdraft balance but we will never charge more than £20 per charging month in Unarranged Overdraft interest.

These examples are meant to show how different actions can result in different charges, and they are only examples, so you shouldn't see them as actions you might take and charges you might have to pay, and we might not allow you to use your account in the ways shown.

It's best to avoid going over your agreed limit wherever possible and you should contact us if you need help to manage your account or are struggling with your finances.

For details of all the charges and interest rates for your 1st Account, please see the Banking charges page.

About your overdraft

When you open a 1st Account we automatically offer you a £500 arranged overdraft. We review this limit each year and your facility can be more or less than £500. If you have a first direct account you can check your arranged overdraft limit by logging onto Online Banking, calling us on 03 456 100 100, or by referring to your most recent facility letter.

Charges

first direct debit card

Using your card outside the UK

Using cash machines outside the UK

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