How to pay a bill in euros from the UK: Your complete guide

Paying bills across borders is now common for UK residents. Maybe you're sending a monthly GBP to EUR bill payment for your holiday home mortgage in Spain, topping up an Italian energy account before winter, or buying goods from an EU-based website that only accepts bill payment in euros.

Whatever the scenario, knowing how to pay a bill in euros from the UK will save you a small fortune on unnecessary conversion fees.

On the surface, sending money abroad seems simple – after all, banks do it every day.

But hidden costs, complicated codes, and slow processing times can turn a straightforward payment into an expensive headache. Add post-Brexit changes into the mix, and UK-to-EU transactions can feel even trickier.

The good news is that there are smarter ways to pay. With online money transfer services like Wise, you can save time, cut costs, and avoid surprises.

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What are the challenges of paying bills in euros from the UK?

While paying bills in euros from the UK is absolutely possible, it's not without its hurdles. Here are some of the biggest challenges you'll face when dealing with these payments.

Hidden costs

A "zero-fee" promise can still cost you more if the provider adds a spread to the exchange rate. Many banks advertise "low fees" or "no fees" for international transfers, but the real cost can be buried in the exchange rate.

Let's say you need to send €1,000 to settle rent on your apartment in Lisbon. If your >provider's GBP to EUR rate is 2–4% and worse than the mid-market rate, you'll pay >£20–£40 more than necessary on every payment.

The mid-market rate, sometimes called the middle-rate,¹ is your best benchmark, so aim to get as close as possible to it.

Complexity of international banking codes

Euro payments ask for details you may not use domestically, like IBAN (the international bank account number format for cross-border payments) and SWIFT/BIC (the bank's identifier used worldwide)². These codes are standardised and ensure accuracy, but they can feel daunting the first time you use them.

Post-Brexit changes

Before Brexit, UK-to-EU transfers often worked like domestic EU payments. Now, they're treated as international transfers³. The UK remains within the SEPA geographical scheme for euro payments, so SEPA credit transfers are still possible.

However, the UK is no longer in the EEA, so EU/EEA "equal charges" rules don't apply to UK-originating payments.

In practice, some EU banks now levy extra receiving fees for SEPA payments from UK accounts³. That means your Spanish utility company or French mortgage provider could end up getting less than you intended to send, leaving you short.

What information do you need to pay a bill in euros?

When sending a euro payment, make sure you've got everything you need. All the necessary details are usually provided on invoices, utility bills, or bank account information sheets. So before you press "Send", you'll need the following details:

• Recipient's full name and address
• Recipient's bank name and address
• IBAN (International Bank Account Number)
• SWIFT/BIC code (the bank's international identifier)

Read our guide on how to pay international invoices below for more information.

📚Paying international invoices

Methods to pay a bill in euros from the UK

There are several ways to pay bills in the EU from the UK. Each comes with pros and cons, and the time it takes for the money to arrive can vary. It's best to select a payment method based on cost, speed, and convenience for your specific bill.

Here’s a rundown of the different payment methods:

Bank Transfers (SWIFT/SEPA)

The SWIFT network is the traditional way banks move money globally⁵. It's reliable, but transfers can take 2–5 working days and may involve multiple "intermediary banks", each taking a cut.

What about SEPA? The UK is still part of the SEPA scheme, meaning you can make SEPA credit transfers in euros.⁴ However, because the UK is no longer in the EEA, EU banks can now charge extra fees for receiving SEPA payments from UK accounts³.

Online money transfer services

This is often the best way to pay a bill in euros from the UK. Services like Wise, Revolut, and PayPal make it simple to pay with transparent fees and faster delivery times. Wise, for example, always uses the mid-market exchange rate* and shows you the exact fee upfront.

More importantly, you can use your Wise account to send money to over 140+ countries, making international payments seamless and easy.

Credit or debit card payments in euros

Cards are convenient for online shopping or paying service providers that accept card checkouts. Watch for Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)⁵: if a website asks "Pay in GBP or EUR?", remember to always choose EUR. Paying in GBP lets the merchant or their processor set the rate, which is rarely in your favour.

A Wise multi-currency card can auto-convert at the mid-market rate* when you spend in EUR, which can be handy for travel or one-off purchases from EU websites.

Learn more about the Wise card 💳

Can I pay a euro invoice or bill from my UK bank account?

Yes. You can instruct your UK bank to send a euro payment internationally (often via SWIFT, sometimes via SEPA). Just note it's often the most expensive route once you add international transfer fees, intermediary fees, receiving fees, and any exchange-rate markup.

What is the cheapest way to send euros from the UK?

In most cases, the approach that is often cheaper is a specialist online money transfer service that applies the mid-market exchange rate and a small, transparent, upfront fee, rather than a padded exchange rate with "no fee".

How to pay a bill in euros from the UK using Wise

Whether you're buying furniture from an EU-based webshop or need to pay your mortgage bill in EUR, paying your bills with Wise is fast and simple. Here's a simple step-by-step guide that will take you through the entire process:

1. Open and verify your Wise account (free)
2. Add your recipient by entering the payee's name, IBAN, bank name and address, and SWIFT/BIC if shown
3. Enter the amount in EUR and see exactly what the recipient will get
4. Select your payment method by funding your transfer in GBP via bank transfer, debit card, or another supported option
5. Review the fee and real-time exchange rate before confirming
6. Confirm and track your payment in the app to see an estimated delivery window

Learn more about paying bills using Wise via Direct Debits, money transfers, scheduled transfers and even how to split bills in our handy article below.

📚How to pay bills with Wise

With Wise, there are no surprises. Every bill you pay shows the mid-market rate*, the fee, and the exact amount your recipient will get upfront. Whether it's a recurring mortgage payment in Spain, a quarterly energy bill in Portugal, or a one-off furniture purchase from a French website, you can use Wise to pay your bills with confidence.

Open your Wise account today and you could make your Euro bill payments simpler, faster, and fairer.

Open your Wise account 🌍

Wise Split Bill feature

If you share expenses for a holiday home or villa with family or friends, Wise's Split Bill feature lets you divide costs instantly and fairly, so everyone pays their share in their local currency. Even if someone is not on Wise, they can still pay their part of the bill via a link.

Fees and exchange rates when paying in euros

When you pay bills in euros, multiple fees can creep in:

• Exchange-rate markup: the hidden "spread" between the rate you get and the mid-market rate
• Transfer fee: charged by the sending bank/provider
• Intermediary bank fees: deducted as the payment passes through correspondent banks
• Receiving bank fees: the EU bank can charge to receive your money (more common post-Brexit for UK-origin EUR)³

For example, let's say your monthly rent in Valencia is €1,000. If your bank's exchange rate >is 3-4% worse than the mid-market rate, you'll pay £30-£40 more than you need to. The >key is to ignore "zero fee" banners and compare the final EUR the recipient will receive, >after all fees and conversions, using the mid-market rate as your benchmark.
This rate is the one banks use when trading currency with each other. Wise always uses >the mid-market rate*, so your money goes further, without adding a mark-up.

Key considerations when payments go wrong

Even well-prepared payments sometimes hiccup. In case you do encounter some issues with your payment, here's what you need to check.

What if my euro payment is delayed?

Delays usually come down to timing or checks. If there's a bank holiday in the UK or in the country you're sending to, the payment can't move until the next business day.

Transfers can also pause while banks run routine compliance or security reviews, and even a small mistake (like a single wrong digit in the IBAN) can slow things down or bounce the payment back.

The quickest way to understand what's happening is to open your provider's app or web portal and check the live status. Many transfers have end-to-end tracking, so you can see where the money is.

If the delivery estimate has passed (international wires are commonly quoted at 1–5 business days), contact customer support with your transaction reference so they can investigate and, if needed, escalate a trace.

How to resolve incorrect euro payments?

If you notice you've entered the wrong details (most often a typo in the IBAN or a name that doesn't match the account), get in touch with your bank or provider immediately. When funds haven't left yet, they can usually cancel or correct the payment.

Once the transfer has been released, your provider will need to request a recall or open an investigation with the receiving bank. That process can take time and may involve fees, and success isn't guaranteed if the money has already been credited.

Within SEPA, there are established recall and inquiry procedures between banks, so act fast, share the correct details, and keep your transaction ID handy to speed things along.

Reasons a euro payment could be rejected

There are a few reasons your euro payment may be rejected⁶:

• Invalid or mis-keyed IBAN/SWIFT
• Name mismatch between the payment and the beneficiary account
• Receiving bank compliance rules (e.g. additional security checks are needed)

Tips for saving money on euro payments

By now, you've seen that the real challenges of paying bills in euros from the UK come down to cost, timing, and transparency. The key takeaways are simple:

• Avoid hidden fees by focusing on the final EUR your recipient receives
• Choose services that use the mid-market exchange rate¹, rather than inflated FX rates
• Double-check your details (IBAN, SWIFT/BIC) to prevent costly delays
• For cards, always choose EUR at checkout (avoid DCC⁶)
• Time your transfers smartly so they don't get stuck in weekend or holiday processing queues

When you put these principles together, you'll consistently get more value from your GBP to EUR bill payments to cover your Spanish mortgage, French utility bill, or your latest online order from an EU-based retailer.

How to avoid high transfer fees?

The easiest way to keep costs down is to steer clear of high-street banks for international payments. Traditional banks often advertise "free" or "low-fee" transfers, but build their profit into a weaker exchange rate or allow intermediary banks to take a slice.

Instead, use a specialist online money transfer service. These providers show you the actual rate, their fee upfront, and the exact amount your recipient will receive. With Wise, for example, you'll always get the mid-market rate and a small, transparent fee*, so you can see the savings compared with sending through a high-street bank.

When is the best time to send euros from the UK?

Currency markets are volatile and unpredictable, so the best strategy isn't to try to "beat the market" but to use tools that work in your favour.

With Wise's free Rate Alerts, you can set a target GBP/EUR exchange rate and get notified when it's reached. That way, you can transfer at a time that works best for your budget.

Get exchange rate alerts 📈

Another smart move is to avoid sending money on Friday afternoons or just before a bank holiday. Many transfers won't begin processing until the next business day, which can delay your euro bill payment by several days.

Pay your euro bills without the hidden fees or markups with Wise

Whether you're paying a French mortgage, Estonian energy bill, or shopping on an EU website, the winning formula is the same: transparent pricing, the mid-market rate, and clear delivery estimates.

Wise is built to do exactly that, so more of your money arrives where it should. Open a Wise account to send EUR from the UK at the mid-market rate, split shared bills if you co-own a place, set up Direct Debits where supported, and track every payment from your phone.

Open your Wise account 🌍

Sources used in this article:

1. Investopedia – middle rate
2. Swift.com – IBAN and SWIFT
3. J.P. Morgan – impact of Brexit on the UK-EU cross-border payments
4. Stripe – SEPA
5. Visa – Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)
6. Stripe – reason codes for failed SEPA direct debits

Sources last checked on 29th Aug 2025