Confirmation of Payee (CoP)
A name-checking service that verifies whether the account holder name entered by a sender matches the bank's records before a payment is processed.
Also known as: CoP, payee name check, account name verification
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Confirmation of Payee (CoP) is a UK account-name checking scheme introduced in 2020 by Pay.UK. When you enter a recipient's sort code, account number, and name, your bank checks with the recipient bank whether the name matches. You receive a 'match', 'close match', 'no match', or 'unavailable' result before you confirm the transfer.
CoP is designed to combat APP fraud and misdirected payments. A 'no match' warning should prompt you to pause and verify details directly with the payee. However, CoP is not a guarantee: fraudsters who have already taken over a legitimate account will return a 'match' result.
Since October 2023, the Payment Systems Regulator has extended CoP obligations to more UK financial institutions. Consumers should treat a 'no match' result as a serious warning sign and never override it without independently confirming the correct account details.