What is Confirmation of Payee (CoP)?

Confirmation of Payee (CoP) is an account name-checking service that helps you to ensure that your money is being sent to your new Savings account successfully, and to help the Bank validate that the linked nominated account is in your name.

These checks are designed to help stop payments going to the wrong account by spotting possible mistakes and adding extra security steps to help prevent fraud.

How does CoP work?

To help protect you when linking your new Savings account to your nominated bank account, we carry out a CoP check to make sure your name matches the account details you provide.

Checks are conducted using your name, account number, payment reference (secondary reference data) and account type against the information held by your nominated bank. We will conduct CoP checks at the point that you link your nominated account to your Savings account, and if you make a change to your nominated account.

What are the CoP matching scenarios?

There are 4 matching scenarios:

1) Match – you will receive confirmation that your nominated account details match and your account will be opened successfully, subject to account opening requirements.

2) Close Match – if the check comes back as a close match, you will be notified that the account name is a close match. You will be given the option to proceed or to go back and check your details to ensure these are correct.

3) No Match – we will request additional documentation from you to verify that the nominated account belongs to you. We will advise you of this at the application stage and follow up with an email to remind you of what we need to continue the application process.

4) Account Not Found – there may be occasions where a CoP check is unavailable, for example if you have entered the details incorrectly or your nominated bank does not support CoP. We will request additional documentation from you to verify that the nominated account belongs to you.

How can I improve my chances of getting a successful CoP verification?

To improve your chances of getting a successful CoP verification, please ensure that all details are entered correctly; this includes your personal details as well as details of your nominated account. There may be instances where a maiden or married name is used which differs to the name on your nominated account, in which case the CoP check will be unable to match. Please ensure that the name you enter matches the name on your nominated account.

Will the CoP check take place if I change my nominated account?

You can change your nominated account to another UK bank or building society account at any time, by logging into your online account, but not using our Savings App. The CoP check will take place at the point that you change your nominated account to ensure that this belongs to you.

Your data security

When you link your nominated account to your Savings account or make a change to your nominated account, we will check information against your nominated bank’s records to ensure that the account belongs to you. All banks who are part of the CoP scheme undergo rigorous security checks, and the Bank is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Can I opt out of the CoP service?

CoP is an industry wide service which is used to ensure that the correct nominated account is linked to your new Savings account, therefore we strongly recommend that you remain opted into the CoP service. Please note, there are some circumstances where you are unable to opt out. If you would like to opt out or need further information, please contact us on (within UK) 0345 600 3350 or (outside UK) +44 191 622 1183 to receive the opt out / opt in form. If you do opt out, you can opt back in at any time.

Contact us

You can email us on info@gatehousebanksavings.com, call us on (within UK) 0345 600 3350 or (outside UK) +44 191 622 1183, or write to us at Gatehouse Bank, PO Box 861, Wallsend, NE28 5BP.