This section describes how to code bank data for direct deposit of Title II benefits to a bank in the U.K.. We store IDD bank data on the MBR in the same fields as are used for U.S. direct deposit.

Special coding identifies the data as U.K. direct deposit. This allows benefit payments to be routed through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the processor bank in the United Kingdom (UK) to the beneficiary's local FI.

If the account is in a branch in Northern Ireland, you need to follow the procedure in GN 02402.309C.

However, if the account is in a branch in the Republic of Ireland, you need the procedures in GN 02402.303.

The data for coding may come from a signup form for U.K. (see GN 02402.309E.) or from the equivalent information received by mail, phone, fax, or Email.

For detailed instructions on IDD requests and forwarding information, see:

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  GN 02402.201 Background and Policy for Direct Deposit Outside the U.S.

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  GN 02402.205, Direct Deposit Enrollment Outside the U.S.

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  GN 01010.255, Adjudication of Foreign Claims

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  GN 01702.310C Routing of Claims for U.S. Benefits Involving Totalization

We receive requests to input bank data by mail, phone, or fax in the following formats:

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  Blank check;

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  SSA-1199-UK International Direct Deposit Signup Form for U.K.; or

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  Any document that contains required banking information.

If you receive information with discrepancies, see the following instructions:

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  GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants

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  GN 02402.025 Direct Deposit Post Entitlement Interview

IDD payments sent to U.K. must be in pound sterling (GBP) accounts at local FIs. The beneficiary must provide complete information to DIO or the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) for input. DIO faxes incomplete forms to the FBU that serves Comoros. The FBU contacts the beneficiary or FI for the additional information.

U.K. bank data consists of the following:

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  Bank Sorting Code Number (branch number): 6 digits.

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  Bank Account Number: up to 8 digits. If the Bank Account Number contains fewer than 8 digits, enough zeros must be coded in front of the Bank Account Number to make 8 digits.

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  Type of account: 1 digit:

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    Checking Account = 0, and

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    Savings account = 1.

If the type of account is not known, a zero should be used.

Building society savings accounts require a roll or reference number (in addition to the Bank Sorting Code Number and Bank Account Number) that cannot be coded in SSA's systems. Therefore, IDD cannot be accomplished to building society savings accounts. IDD can be accomplished to checking accounts in building societies. A building society may not be easily identified as such by its name, which may or may not contain the words “building society.” The beneficiary may not be aware that the FI is a building society. Some building society savings accounts contain letters in the account number. All other accounts, including checking accounts in building societies, contain only digits.

The FRBKC relies on us to provide the complete bank data to ensure correct posting of payments to a customer’s account. If the information is incomplete, the FRBKC rejects the payment and returns the funds to our agency.

You may establish or change IDD bank data for Comoros using an SSA system (e.g. Modernized Claims System (MCS), Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE)).

You must then go to ITS.gov to enter the following data:

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  account ownership

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  account type

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  account number

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  6-digit bank code

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  bank address

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  beneficiary address -

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  beneficiary phone number

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  country

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  enrollment status

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  first and last name of the beneficiary

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  payee indicator

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  reclamation country

1. Process initial award

You must update ITS.gov with the bank account information prior to processing an initial award to ensure that the beneficiary receives payment. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to our agency.

2. Add or update bank data using SSA systems

When you add or update IDD bank data using SSA system (e.g. Post Entitlement Online System (POS), MACADE), you must:

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  update ITS.gov on the same day;

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  enter all POS direct deposit changes according to normal procedures;

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  use procedures outlined in the following chart when processing within four business days of the current operational month (COM) cutoff date.

The beneficiary calls with the following information for a pounds sterling checking account:

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  Bank Sorting Code Number (branch code): 80-83-33

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  Bank Account Number: 1234567

The Depositor Account Number will be: 012345670. (Since the Bank Account Number contains only 7 digits, a zero is placed before the Bank Account Number. A zero is added after the Bank Account Number because this is a checking account.)

The Routing and Transit Number will be: 508083338. (The final digit, 8, is the U.S. Check Digit for 50808333.)

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  GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants

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  GN 01010.255 Adjudication of Foreign Claims

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  GN 01702.310C Routing of Claims for U.S. Benefits Involving Totalization

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  GN 02402.025 Direct Deposit Post Entitlement Interview

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  GN 02402.201 Background and Policy for Direct Deposit Outside the U.S.

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  GN 02402.205 Direct Deposit Enrollment Outside the U.S.

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  ITS.gov International Treasury Services (U.S. Treasury system)