When dealing with financial transactions in the UK—especially when setting up direct debits, standing orders, or receiving payments—it’s not unusual to come across the term “building society roll number.” For many, especially those unfamiliar with building societies, this number may seem confusing or unnecessary. However, it plays a key role in ensuring funds are correctly routed to your account.
What Is a Building Society?
Before diving into roll numbers, it’s helpful to understand what a building society is. A building society is a type of financial institution similar to a bank, but with a cooperative structure. That means it’s owned by its members (the account holders), rather than shareholders.
Building societies offer many of the same services as banks, including:
- Savings accounts
- Mortgages
- Personal loans
- Current accounts (in some cases)
Examples of well-known UK building societies include Nationwide, Yorkshire Building Society, and Coventry Building Society.
What Is a Building Society Roll Number?
A roll number is a unique identifier used by building societies to manage accounts, especially savings and mortgage accounts. Unlike traditional bank accounts that only use sort codes and account numbers, some building society accounts require an additional roll number to correctly direct payments.
Key Points:
- It acts like a reference number for your account.
- It’s usually a mix of letters and numbers.
- It may be needed when setting up payments to or from the building society account.
Why Is the Roll Number Important?
In many cases, if you omit the roll number during a payment or direct debit setup, the funds might not reach the correct account—even if the sort code and account number are correct. This is because some building societies hold all member funds under a general sort code/account number combination, and the roll number is used to assign the money to your individual account.
Think of it like this:
The sort code and account number take the payment to the building society. The roll number tells them which specific account it belongs to.
Common Scenarios Where You’ll Need the Roll Number
Here are a few situations where entering your roll number is essential:
- Setting up a direct debit (e.g., for paying a utility bill from a building society savings account)
- Receiving your salary or pension into a building society account
- Transferring money between your bank and your building society
- Making mortgage payments directly to a building society
In many online forms, especially those from banks, there is often a field marked “Building Society Roll Number” or “Reference” for this very purpose.
Where to Find Your Roll Number
If you’re unsure where to locate your roll number, here’s where you can typically find it:
- On your bank statement from the building society
- On the welcome letter or account-opening documentation
- Inside your online banking profile, under account details
- By contacting your building society directly
⚠️ Note: Not all accounts require a roll number. For example, some newer current accounts offered by building societies follow the standard sort code + account number structure, similar to banks.
Do Banks Use Roll Numbers?
No. Traditional banks in the UK, like Barclays, Lloyds, or HSBC, do not use roll numbers. They rely solely on the sort code and account number to identify accounts.
This is one of the key distinctions between building societies and banks in terms of account identification.
How to Use a Roll Number in Online Payments
When making an online payment or setting up a transfer to a building society:
- Enter the sort code and account number provided by the society.
- In the “Reference” or “Roll number” field, enter your roll number exactly as given, including any letters or slashes.
- Double-check all the details—especially the roll number—to avoid misdirected payments.
Example:
Let’s say you’re sending money to someone with an account at Yorkshire Building Society. You may be given the following details:
- Sort Code: 60-95-09
- Account Number: 12345678
- Roll Number: AB/9876543
When making the payment, the roll number goes into the Reference field.
Read More: Understanding the Number 0300 123 2323 – Who’s Calling and Why?
FAQ
Without it, the payment may be received by the building society but not applied to the correct account. It could be delayed or even returned.
No. The roll number is an additional identifier, not a replacement for your sort code/account number.
As building societies modernize their systems and offer more current account-style products, many now use standard account numbers and sort codes. However, for savings and mortgage accounts, roll numbers are still commonly required.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the building society roll number is crucial for anyone who banks with one of these member-owned institutions. Though it might seem outdated in our age of IBANs and online banking, this little number still serves a vital role in directing payments correctly.