BACS payments are one of the UK’s most popular methods of sending money, with over 101,000 B2B collections and over 500,000 subscriptions paid via BACS.
Compared to other methods, BACS payments are part of a complex system taking time, but users like it because of its secure and reversible nature. But with over £700 million of unauthorised payment fraud attempted in the first half of 2024, are your finances really secure?
Learn about exactly how BACS payments work, and how to keep yours safe against fraud threats with Trustpair’s account validation.
What Are BACS Payments?
BACS payments stand for Bankers’ Automated Clearing Services (previously the Bankers’ Automated Clearing System). They are a type of UK-based electronic payment that allows businesses and individuals to send payments directly from one financial institution to another. It’s widely used for functions like payroll, supplier payments, and direct debits to utilities providers.
As they go from British bank accounts to bank accounts on the same infrastructure, the payments take around three days to be processed. It’s important to note that BACS are domestic only, so won’t work as a form of b2b cross border payment.
Types of BACS Payments
There are two types of BACS payment method:
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- Direct Debit: the receiver initiates the transaction after the customer authorises it
- Direct Credit: the payer controls when the payment is made and how much is sent
BACS Direct Credit is typically used to pay employees, suppliers and issue refunds in a business setting. Direct credit is the way to pay out, and no formal authorisation is needed.
Instead, Direct Debit is the way to get paid in, and is often used to collect invoice payments or operate subscription billing. Customers must be notified in advance (usually at least 3 days before a debit) to give proper authorisation.
How Do BACS Transfer Work?
As mentioned, BACS payments take three working days to fully process, because it’s a fairly intensive online payment processing system. Here’s the step by step guide:
- Prepare the BACS payment file
Usually initiated through your accounting or payments software. Bank transfers need details to include money amounts, recipient bank or building society details (including the account number and sort code) and payment references.
- Submit the payment file
How you submit it largely depends on the size of the business. Either use your bank’s online BACS submission portal (least common), BACS-approved software (good for larger businesses with in-house finance/payroll teams). Or, a Bureau Service Provider, which suits small to medium-sized businesses that don’t want to deal with technical or regulatory overhead.
- Input (day 1)
The BACS system receives the file, and it’s validated by format, and account details. It’s important to note that BACS operates on working days only (Monday to Friday, excluding UK bank holidays). Unfortunately, if you submit the file after your bank’s cut-off time, processing starts the next working day. That’s why you might recognise the term, ‘BACS system runs’.
- Processing day (day 2)
The BACS payment system processes the transaction and both the sending and receiving banks are informed of the payments. The payments are validated at this time, so if any details are incorrect, the payment is rejected. Interestingly, parties may still be charged though.
- Settlement (day 3)
The BACS transfer goes through and the payment is settled.
Setting Up BACS Payments
As most businesses choose to go through a Bureau Service Provider, you’ll first have to find an approved partner. This also means that you don’t need your own SUN (Service User Number), and can simply start setting up payment files.
But if you opt for your bank’s online BACS submission portal, you will have to apply for a SUN. Install Bacstel-IP, the secure system used to connect to BACS, and train staff on how to create payment files and make their payments.
Due to the processing time, businesses often schedule payments in advance to align with payroll dates or invoice deadlines. And there’s always a one-off set up fee.
Benefits of BACS Payments
BACS is generally viewed very positively by businesses as a form of payment; thanks to its low cost, high scale and good security.
Cost
Compared to Instant Payments, BACS is much more cost effective, with low administration costs. BACS transactions can cost as little as 5p, whereas Faster Payments can cost up to £2.50 per transaction.
Scale
Businesses can also make higher volume payments through BACS when compared to Faster Payments (FPS). While FPS enables up to £1 million to be sent in one go, BACS allows for up to £20 million.
Security
In the BACS network, funds are transferred between bank accounts directly, which means no risk of interference or vulnerability by compromised third parties. The network is traceable, which reduces errors by holding each party accountable for their actions. Again, compared to FPS, there is typically enough time to reverse transactions when they go wrong, or if fraud is discovered.
BACS Payment Security and Compliance
There are several security features of BACS payments to keep funds private and correct:
- Files are encrypted, so even if hackers enter the system, they couldn’t access personal payment information
- Built-in payment validation reduces errors and confirms that account details belong to the payee / payer names
- The payment system itself is highly secure against outside threats, reducing the risk of payment takeover or diversion after it has been sent
It’s worth noting that the payment validation only goes so far, and firms that truly prioritise their payment security should consider extra measures, like Trustpair. In fact, organisations should use smart controls, the likes of due diligence and verification of payee, before every payment.
Account validation goes beyond simple account existence checking, and instead:
- Verifies that the account is associated with the name you have been given
- Verifies that the name you have been given is the person you have been dealing with (no impersonation)
- Verifies that the person you have been dealing with is not high risk (associated with criminals, on any watchlists, susceptible to blackmail etc)
Making direct debit payments under this scheme also requires companies to follow the Direct Debit Guarantee rules. Compliance efforts can further aid with fraud prevention, including getting authorisation for every debit transaction and refunding customers where this does not happen.
Moreover, businesses who manage BACS payments in-house must store and manage the payment mandates securely, and will likely have a dedicated data archive just for this.
Protecting BACS payments against fraud
Although BACS payments are an incredibly popular form of B2B transaction, they’re not as secure as you may think. Thankfully, time is on your side to reverse any unauthorised transactions and protect funds. Go beyond standard security measures and use Trustpair to validate third party payments information before every payment leaves your account.
