What counts as a qualifying Direct Debit for a switch?
Not every regular payment is a Direct Debit. Here’s how to tell them apart, and what switching offers usually look for.
A qualifying Direct Debit is usually a genuine Direct Debit, listed under “Direct Debits” in your banking app, that’s active on your old account and moved in a full switch. Card subscriptions aren’t Direct Debits, and standing orders only count if the offer says so.
What a Direct Debit is
A Direct Debit is an instruction you give an organisation to collect payments from your bank account through the Bacs scheme. You authorise it once, and the organisation collects each payment, telling you in advance about the amount and date. You can see them in your banking app, usually under a section called Direct Debits.
Direct Debits are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee. If a payment is taken in error, your bank refunds it.
What doesn’t count as a Direct Debit
| Payment type | Is it a Direct Debit? |
|---|---|
| Bill collected via a Direct Debit Instruction | Yes |
| Standing order you set up yourself | No. It only counts if the offer says standing orders are accepted. |
| Subscription charged to your debit card | No. It’s a card payment, even if it’s monthly. |
| One-off bank transfer | No |
What switching offers usually look for
- The right number. Offers set how many Direct Debits are needed, often two.
- On the old account. They’re usually moved from the account you’re switching from, so they need to exist there first.
- Moved in a full switch. Offers usually require a full switch through the Current Account Switch Service. Partial switches typically don’t qualify.
- Active at the right time. Payments set up during the 7 working days before your switch date won’t be moved. Some offers also need a payment to have been collected.
If an offer has a minimum amount, or needs payments from different organisations, it will say so in its terms.
Not sure whether a payment is a Direct Debit? Find it in your banking app. If it’s listed under Direct Debits, it is. If it’s under standing orders or card payments, it isn’t.
Always check the current terms of your bank’s offer. Each bank sets its own rules, they change often, and a switching reward is never guaranteed.