How to Write a British Cheque

Individuals as well as businesses usually keep records of their money transactions so that they can be referred to and presented as proof later. A perfect example of this is the check (written as ‘cheque’ in Britain and many other countries). Checks have made business easy by providing security and evidence for monetary transactions. The style of writing a check however varies from one country to another. Here’s how British cheques are written.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Write the date on the cheque. Remember, the date format should be dd/mm/yy unlike mm/dd/yy in the United States. You may also write the full date. For instance, “9 September, 2006."

2. Fill in the name of the payee (to whom the payment has to be made) next to “Pay." Start as close to “Pay” as possible. If you still have space on the line after you have written the name, you may draw another line with your pen. This would ensure that no one can add any more words to the Payee section.

3. Fill the amount of the cheque. This should be done both in words and figures. The amount in words (pounds and pence) should be written below the name of the Payee. As in the above case, if there is space after the amount is completely written, you may draw a line. On the right of the checque, a box to enter the amount in figures is given. The pound sign £ is usually preprinted. If the amount includes a lower denomination (pence) the amount can either be written as £ XX.XX or £ XX – XX p. For example, £72.80 or £72 – 80p

4. Cross the cheque. It is always advisable to pay the cheque to the payee’s account. This can be done by writing “Account Payee” on the check. Usually, this term is pre-printed on British cheques. If you do not mention Account Payee, the cheque amount can be cashed.

5. Rectify your mistake in case you enter wrong date, name or amount on your cheque. Do this by clearly crossing out the mistake and entering your full signature as close as you can to the change made.

6. Sign the cheque properly at the bottom right corner. A cheque cannot be passed unless signed. Ensure that your signature matches the signature given in your bank account.

Tips & Warnings

• Write the cheque in ink, if possible, so that it becomes permanent instantly and further changes cannot be made.
• Ensure that your handwriting is legible
• Verify all the details again before it is presented to the bank.
• Ensure that the payment amount in words matches the amount in figures
• Remember to put in your signature only after you have filled in the payee and the amount in words and figures on the cheque leaf. A signed cheque without details is liable to be misused.