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Yorkshire Bank International Transfers & Exchange Rates
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Published On:
November, 25 2022
Edited On:
March, 24 2023

Yorkshire Bank International Transfers & Exchange Rates

Yorkshire Bank is a retail bank in England and a trading name of Clydesdale Bank. It has a history that goes back more than 150 years and, in addition to banking services, it offers insurance, travel, and mortgage solutions. In this review, we’ll look at several aspects about Yorkshire Bank including how you can open an account and make international transfers between banks, and we’ll also take you through all the key details you need to know about its international transfers services - including the exchange rate margins applied by the bank.

About Yorkshire Bank

Yorkshire Bank, now part of Virgin Money, started life as West Riding Penny Savings Bank all the way back in 1859. It has offered banking and financial services across the UK for more than a century, and adopted the name Yorkshire bank in 1959. Headquartered in Leeds, the bank has 96 branches in the UK serving over 6 million customers and is expected soon to be rebranded under the Virgin Money name.

Yorkshire Bank Exchange Rates and Fees

When transferring money abroad, Yorkshire Bank will charge you an exchange rate margin above the interbank rates, and also apply a variety of transaction fees. This can make transferring money quite expensive, especially when compared to using specialist money transfer services. Here are the costs to expect when transferring money internationally with Yorkshire Bank.

Exchange Rates

Yorkshire Bank charges between 1.20%- 2.50% in exchange rate margins above the wholesale rate to convert your currency. The exact margin applied will depend on the currencies involved in your transfer and where you’re sending money to, but overall these margins are quite competitive when compared to other banks.

Fees

In addition to paying a percentage above the mid-market exchange rate, Yorkshire Bank will charge you flat fees for using its money transfer services. International payments cost £25.00 and the charges can be paid by the sender, beneficiary, or shared between the two.

Additional Costs

Receiving payments can cost up to £7.00 per transaction. Other charges include £5.00 for transaction confirmation copies and £18.00 if you request for cancellations and amendments.

Yorkshire Bank Pros and Cons

Being part of a larger banking group, Yorkshire Bank is able to offer a range of benefits to its customers. However, there are also some drawbacks that you also need to factor in when using Yorkshire Bank to transfer money internationally. Here is a run-through of the bank’s pros and cons.

Pros

Part of a larger group: Yorkshire Bank is now part of Virgin Money enabling it to offer a wide range of services and implement a competitive fee structure.
Free business banking: New business accounts enjoy up to 25 months of cost-free day-to-day business banking

Cons

Large exchange rate margins: The bank charges up to 2.50% in exchange rate margins. This leaves you worse off than someone using money transfer companies that charge as low as 0.5% - although Yorkshire Bank’s margins do compare favourable to other larger banks.
High transfer fees: The fees the bank charges can be quite steep. Apart from the bank-side charges, there are receiving charges, transaction confirmation, and cancellation fees.
Transaction limits: Online transfers are capped at £30,000 which is way too low if you are making major payments like buying property.

How to Open an Account and Transfer Money With Yorkshire Bank

Opening a Yorkshire Bank account is simple and it takes a few steps online. Here is a summary of the processes involved in opening an account and making a transfer.

Opening an Account

Step 1: About You
Step 2: Additional Details
Step 3: Submit

Sending Money

  • Step 1: Log onto your Yorkshire Bank online platform

  • Step 2: Click on ‘Move Money’

  • Step 3: Choose the account you want to move money from

  • Step 4: Choose your beneficiary account and input the details including the transfer amount

  • Step 5: Key in your transfer reference and complete the transaction

  • Step 6: Click on ‘Make payment’ to approve the transfer

Summary

Yorkshire Bank, under one name or another, has been part of the UK banking industry since 1859. It has branches in the midlands and northern England. By the end of 2021, the bank is expected to have been rebranded to Virgin Money, but its services will largely remain the same.

Despite being part of a larger banking group, the Yorkshire Bank’s exchange rate margins and fees are relatively high compared to specialist money transfer companies. This is typical of banks, which are usually the more expensive option when making international money transfers. To ensure you’re getting the best deal for your transfer, simply fill in our quick money transfer comparison tool and we’ll show you the best value options in seconds.

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April Summers
April Summers
April is a trained journalist and the Content Editor for MoneyTransfers.com. She has 10 years experience writing about a diverse range of subjects, from financial services to arts and entertainment. When she's not writing about global remittances she can be found daydreaming about her next holiday abroad.

Answers to key questions about Yorkshire Bank

Before opening an account and making a transfer with Yorkshire Bank, there are certain important things that you must know. Here is a quick run through of everything you need to know.

Can I open a Yorkshire Bank account in any country?
Does Yorkshire Bank have an app?
Are there transfer limits?
How long do transfers take with Yorkshire Bank?
What customer support options are available?
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