Confirmation of Payee (CoP)

Confirmation of Payee (CoP) is a UK account name-checking service designed to reduce fraud, improve payment transparency, and prevent misdirected payments for domestic GBP transfers.

Before a payment is sent, CoP verifies whether the account name entered by the payer matches the name registered with the receiving bank. This helps ensure that payments are sent to the intended recipient and supports UK regulatory requirements for domestic payment schemes.

What is Confirmation of Payee

CoP is an API-based verification service used before initiating certain UK domestic payments. It validates whether the beneficiary name provided by the payer matches the account details held by the receiving institution.

Key benefits of CoP include:

• Prevention of accidental misdirected payments

• Reduction of authorized push payment (APP) fraud

• Improved payment transparency for end users

• Support for UK regulatory compliance requirements

Supported roles in CoP

CoP supports two operational roles:

Outbound CoP (Requestor role)

When sending a GBP payment, the platform performs a Confirmation of Payee check before the payment is executed.

Supported payment schemes

CoP checks are performed only for:

• Faster Payments (FPS)

• CHAPS

CoP checks are not performed for:

• Non-UK payments

• Non-GBP payments

• Other transfer methods

How Outbound CoP works

1. Payment initiation: When a user initiates a GBP payment through the banking application or API, the system automatically triggers a CoP check before processing the transaction.

2. Verification request: The system sends a CoP request containing the recipient’s account details and account name to the supported provider or aggregator.

3. Response handling: The provider validates the account details and returns a response indicating the verification result.

4. Payment decision: Depending on the returned result, the payer may proceed with the payment, review the details, or correct the entered information.

CoP response outcomes and behavior

Except for specific validation or regulatory scenarios, the final decision to proceed with the payment remains with the payer.

Inbound CoP (Responder role)

If supported by the provider, the platform can also respond to incoming CoP requests from other UK financial institutions.

Key principles

• Accounts must be explicitly marked as participating (OPT_IN)

• Administrators may opt-out accounts when required

• Opt-out may require justification depending on applicable regulations

• Disabling the CoP feature automatically sets all accounts to non-participating

Scope

Inbound CoP functionality applies to eligible GBP accounts and may support both real and virtual accounts, depending on provider capabilities.

Availability depends on:

• Provider support

• Contractual agreement

• Regulatory requirements

Account participation (Opt-In / Opt-Out)

For Responder functionality, accounts can be configured with one of the following participation states:

OPT_IN

The account participates in CoP checks. Name verification responses are returned to requesting institutions.

OPT_OUT

The account does not participate in CoP checks. Requests for such accounts return a “not supported” response. Depending on regulatory requirements, opt-out capability may be required for vulnerable customers.

Secondary Reference Data (SRD)

Secondary Reference Data (SRD) refers to additional identifying information beyond sort code and account number. SRD is commonly used for:

• Collection accounts

• Shared IBAN structures

• Credit card or building society payment flows

Currently, SRD validation is not supported.

Since CoP functionality applies to FPS and CHAPS payments, where accounts are uniquely identified by sort code and account number, SRD is not required.

Prerequisites for enabling CoP

To enable CoP functionality:

• A supported UK banking provider must offer CoP services

• A separate contractual agreement with the provider may be required

• Account metadata must contain:

  • Legal owner type (Personal / Business)

  • Relationship type (for example, Single)

Without correct account metadata, CoP checks may fail or produce inaccurate results.

CoP via aggregator model

In many integration scenarios, CoP services are provided through a banking partner or aggregator model. This means:

• The provider performs the actual name verification

• The platform does not independently validate account names

• CoP availability depends on the provider’s scheme participation and network access

API-based availability

CoP functionality is available via API integration with supported providers and is not managed through external banking portals.

Frequently asked questions

Is CoP mandatory

In the UK, implementation requirements depend on regulatory classification and provider obligations. Please consult your compliance advisor and banking provider for guidance.

Can CoP be enabled automatically for all accounts

This depends on provider configuration and applicable regulatory requirements.

Can CoP responses be customized

No. Response codes and behaviors are defined by the UK scheme and provider specifications.

Does CoP block payments

Only in specific validation scenarios, such as invalid account details. In most cases, the payer retains the final decision on whether to proceed with the payment.