Help with managing your account

We have collated our FAQ list to guide you with managing your account.

Common Questions

How do we change or add a signatory?

Download a new Mandate from CAF Bank Online.

- Log in to CAF Bank Online.
- Select 'Applications and user guides' from the menu on the left of your screen.
- Download a Mandate.
- Download the 'How to complete a mandate' user guide, which sets out the steps you'll need to take to change your signatories.

Send your completed form to:

CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Malling
ME19 4JQ

If you need more help or if you would like us to send you a form, please email us at cafbank@cafonline.org or call us on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays).
How do we change our Account Contact?

Download a 'Change of account contact details' form from CAF Bank Online.

- Log in to CAF Bank Online.
- Select 'Applications and user guides' from the menu on the left of your screen.
- In the 'Bank Authority Forms and Information' section, download a 'Change of account contact details' form.

Send your completed form to:

CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Malling
ME19 4JQ

If you need more help or if you would like us to send you a form, please email us at cafbank@cafonline.org or call us on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays).
How do we change our online users?

As an administrator, you can:

Add a user
- Log in to CAF Bank Online.
- Click on the 'Manage users' link on the left hand side of the screen.
- Select 'Add new user' and follow the steps on screen.

Delete a user
- Log in to CAF Bank Online.
- Click on the 'Manage user' link on the left hand side of the screen.
- Choose the user you want to delete.
- Select 'Delete'.

If you need more help or if you would like us to send you a form, please email us at cafbank@cafonline.org or call us on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays).
How do we close our account?

Download an 'Account Closure' form from CAF Bank Online.

- Log in to CAF Bank Online.
- Select 'Applications and user guides' from the menu on the left of your screen.
- In the 'Bank Authority Forms and Information' section, download an 'Account Closure' form.

Send your completed form to:

CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Malling
ME19 4JQ

If you need more help or if you would like us to send you a form, please email us at cafbank@cafonline.org or call us on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays).
How do we set up or amend our telephone password?

Download a 'Telephone password instruction' form from CAF Bank Online.

- Log in to CAF Bank Online.
- Select 'Applications and user guides' from the menu on the left of your screen.
- In the 'Bank Authority Forms and Information' section, download the 'Telephone password instruction' form.

Send your completed form to:

CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Malling
ME19 4JQ

If you need more help or if you would like us to send you a form, please email us at cafbank@cafonline.org or call us on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays).
How do we set up, amend or cancel a Direct Debit?

To set up or amend a Direct Debit, please contact the organisation you want to pay as they will set up or make the changes.

To cancel a Direct Debit, please contact our Customer Service team on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays). You'll also need to inform the organisation you are paying that you wish to cancel the Direct Debit instruction.
What is our sort code?

If you're a customer based in England or Wales and you use HSBC counters to pay in, your sort code is 40-52-40.

If you're a customer based in Scotland and you use Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) counters to pay in, your sort code is 83-91-46.
How do we receive money from overseas?

You'll need to provide the sender with your IBAN, which can be found in the top right corner of your bank statement. The remitting bank needs this to make sure that the money reaches your bank account. You'll also need to provide the CAF Bank swift code CAFBGB21XXX.

Download a ‘Receiving money from outside the UK’ form from CAF Bank Online, add your details and pass it on to the sender. This form provides the sender with the payment information they need so that the payment can reach your account.

- Log in to CAF Bank Online.
- Select 'Applications and user guides' from the menu on the left of your screen.
- In the 'Bank Authority Forms and Information' section, download the 'Receiving money from outside the UK' form.

If you need more help or if you would like us to send you a form, please email us at cafbank@cafonline.org or call us on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays).
How do we pay in a cheque made out in a different currency?

You'll need to complete and sign an 'International Cheque Clearing' form to use this service.

You can download a form from CAF Bank Online or request one from our Customer Service team, by emailing cafbank@cafonline.org or by calling 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays)

Send your completed form to:

CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Malling
ME19 4JQ

You’ll need to complete an 'International Cheque Clearing Deposit' form each time you pay in different currency cheques. This can also be downloaded from CAF Bank Online or requested from our Customer Service team. Send your form along with the cheques to the above address.

It can take anywhere up to eight weeks to receive payment from an international cheque. However, the time this takes will vary depending on the issuing bank.

For details of our International Cheque Clearing charges, please refer to our Fee Information Document.
Does CAF Bank charge for paying in cash or cheques?

CAF Bank does not charge customers to pay in cash up to £2,000 in value in a single calendar month, nor to pay in up to 20 cheques in quantity over a single calendar month. The charges which apply for any cash or cheques paid in over those amounts can be viewed here.

Please note: cash or cheques paid in on the last working day of the month will be included in the next month's allowance.

*Some branches may have cut off times for paying in funds.
How long does it take a cheque paid in at HSBC or RBS to clear?

With most UK banks now using cheque imaging, CAF Bank cheques are processed as digital images. This allows cheques to clear by 23:59 the next business working day and in many cases earlier, as long as the cheque has not been returned unpaid.

The paper cheque will be destroyed at the branch where it's paid in. The image becomes the legal document once it enters the cheque Imaging System.
How long does it take a cheque paid in at the Post Office to clear?

For cheques paid in at the Post Office, you'll need to allow two additional business working days to the normal clearing timescales.

Cheques paid in at HSBC or RBS will clear by 23:59 the next business working day and in many cases earlier, as long as the cheque has not been returned unpaid.
Can my organisation scan cheques directly to CAF Bank?

You’ll need to pay in cheques at your local HSBC (which offers full or cash services) or Post Office branch, as this is not a service we currently provide.

To search for HSBC branches which offer full or cash services, please use the HSBC branch finder.
What do I do if my cheque is returned due to poor image quality?

We'll send a letter to you explaining why the cheque has been returned unpaid, together with the image of the cheque. You'll need to contact the person who gave you the cheque, to either request a new one or arrange an alternative method of payment.

Unpaid cheques may incur a fee. Please refer to the Fee Information Document for more information.

Why has a cheque we've paid in been unpaid?

We'll send a letter to you explaining why the cheque has been returned unpaid, together with an image of the cheque.

You'll need to contact the person who gave you the cheque, to either request a new one or arrange an alternative method of payment.

Unpaid cheques may incur a fee. Please refer to the Fee Information Document for more information.

More details on the most common reasons why cheques are not paid can be found in the table below.


Reason	Description
Refer to Drawer	There was not enough money in the account when the cheque was paid in.
Not signed in accordance with mandate	When a cheque hasn't been signed correctly; this could be because the wrong person signed the cheque or that a signature differs from the example the bank holds.
Payment stopped	The person who wrote the cheque has asked their bank to put a 'stop' on the cheque so it isn't paid.
Account closed	The person who wrote the cheque has now closed their account.
Post-dated	The cheque has been dated with a future date and cannot currently be presented for payment.
Out of date	The cheque that you've paid in was written more than six months ago and is considered out of date.
Words and figures differ	The amount written in words and figures do not match.
Cheque incomplete	The cheque has not been completed correctly; for example, not all of the required fields have been filled in.
Poor image quality	The cheque image received is not of sufficient quality to confirm its validity.
Payee, courtesy or legal amount illegible	The payee name or amount on the image of the cheque is not clear.
Wrongly delivered	Due to the cheque being misfiled in the clearing system, the wrong bank has been asked to pay the cheque.

What will happen if my cheque is unpaid due to lack of funds?

You must make sure that there is enough money on your account to cover the cheque you have issued.

You'll need to arrange a new payment using an alternative payment method or issue a new cheque.
You’ll be charged a fee if this happens. Please refer to our Fee Information Document for details.
What is a CAF Bank Business card?

Find out all about the CAF Bank Business card here.
What do we do when a cardholder leaves our organisation?

Please call our Customer Service team on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays) so that the card can be cancelled.

Please securely destroy the card by cutting it into several pieces, including through the card CHIP.
Are there charges for making payments or cash withdrawals using the Business card?

Business cards are issued free of charge.

CAF Bank won't charge you to make payments inside or outside the UK. However, you should be aware that some merchants will charge for the use of the card as if it were a credit card and such charges will be payable by you. The merchant is obliged to tell you if a charge is payable at the time of the card transaction.

Some organisations charge to withdraw cash at ATMs. This should be advised at the time.
Can the Business card be used overseas?

The CAF Bank Business card can be used overseas for payments, contactless and cash withdrawals. Please advise us in advance by emailing cafbank@cafonline.org or calling 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays), when and where you intend to use your card outside the UK. This is so that we can make sure that our security checks don't unnecessarily interfere with the use of the card.

CAF Bank doesn't charge for card transactions made in a foreign currency. They are converted into pounds on the day that we debit the payment from your account, using Mastercard’s prevailing market rate.
How much cash can be withdrawn from a cashpoint?

The limit is £300 per cash withdrawal. If your organisation holds more than one card on your account, the maximum total daily cash withdrawals between all the cards is subject to a limit, which we may apply as part of security measures from time to time.
Can I see my CAF Cash Account balance at an ATM?

Bank account balances are not available to any cardholder at ATMs. You can obtain your account bank balance online by logging in to CAF Bank Online.
How do I stop a continuous payment on my card?

To cancel the continuous debit instruction, you’ll need to contact the company that you are paying.
What is contactless?

Contactless is a way of making card purchases of £100 and under, quickly and conveniently.

This method of paying is available at thousands of retailers across the UK, wherever you see the contactless symbol displayed in store or on the payment terminal.

Just like all other card purchases on your CAF Cash Account, you’ll need to have enough money on your account to cover the cost of the contactless payment.

Other contactless limits may apply outside of the UK. It is not possible to reduce the contactless limit.

If you’d prefer not to make a contactless payment, you can still use your CHIP and PIN.
How do I know if I have a contactless card?

If your Business card has the contactless symbol on the front, you can start using the contactless method of paying for purchases of £100 and under.

You'll need to authorise the first payment on a new card by entering your PIN. This will activate the contactless function within the card.

If you currently hold a card without the contactless symbol, you’ll receive a new contactless card when your existing card expires.

If you’d like to replace your current card with a contactless card, please contact our Customer Services team on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays).
How do I use my contactless card on Transport for London (TFL)?

Tap your card on the yellow card reader to open the ticket barriers at the start of your journey. Do the same when you arrive at your destination. Even if the barriers are open, tap the reader; otherwise you'll be charged the full fare.

Please visit Transport for London's website for useful information about using your card and creating an account with TFL.

Creating an account allows you to:

- Check your payment and journey history.
- Get email alerts if there's an issue with your contactless card which might stop you from travelling.
- Apply for refunds.
- Pay unpaid fares.
What should I do if I have a query about my fare charge?

Please log in to your Transport for London (TFL) account to view your transaction history or contact TFL on 0343 222 1234.
What happens if I forget to tap out?

Please visit Transport for London's website for more information on charges and refunds.
How do I change my Business card PIN?

Your PIN can be changed at most cashpoint ATMs in the UK at any time.

You won't be able to change the PIN within the 30 days of the card expiring or after a replacement card has been issued.
I've forgotten my Business card PIN - how can I be reminded of it?

Call the activation line on 03000 123 605 quoting your access code in order to obtain your PIN.

Our Customer Service team are available on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays) to provide details of access codes if necessary.
What is Mastercard Identity Check?

Mastercard Identity Check is a way of verifying that your online purchases are truly yours. During your online purchases you may be asked to confirm your identity using a one-time passcode.
How do I receive a one one-time passcode?

In the event a one-time passcode is required, a text message will be sent automatically to your mobile phone.

Please ensure you use a mobile number that's personal to you, so a one-time passcode can be sent to you when making an online purchase.
Why are you introducing one-time passcodes?

One-time passcodes provide additional security to protect you and your organisation when making online purchases.
Why do I need to provide a mobile number personal to me?

This will help verify your identity as the cardholder during online purchases.
What do I do if I’ve changed my mobile phone?

Please call our Customer Services team on 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm, except English bank holidays) to update your mobile phone number.
How does CAF Bank store and share my data?

We store your data on systems and in our offices in the UK.

We only share your information with trusted suppliers of services where it is appropriate to do so and always with controls in place, to ensure the security and safeguarding of your information.

You can find out more information in our Privacy Notice.
How does CAF Bank use my data?

Primarily we use your data to provide your organisation(s) with products or services.

We also use your information to confirm your identity and fulfil our legal and regulatory requirements, such as anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing checks.

Further information about this and any other processing activities can be found in our Privacy Notice.
How do I know that you are not passing my data onto a third party?

CAF and the companies in which it has a majority stake, or their subsidiaries, will not share your information with any outside organisation except as part of providing a product/ service or when legally obliged to do so.
What data do you hold?

The data we hold is the information that we collect via application forms for your products or services and information gathered throughout your relationship with CAF Bank.

Further information about this can be found in our Privacy Notice.
How long do you keep my data?

We have two categories with regards to how long personal data is retained, these are:

Customer relationship

Where you have taken out a product or a service, i.e. signed up to Terms and Conditions. We will retain your information all the while the product or service is active and for seven years after the end of the relationship, i.e. when you request we close your account.

Prospect/ non-customer relationship

Where you have not taken out a product or service, for example, you make enquiries about a service or you begin the process to open an account but decide not to go ahead. We will retain your information for no longer than three years.
How can I find out what personal data you hold about me?

You can raise a Subject Access Request by contacting us.

Write to us at:

DPO
Charities Aid Foundation
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Mailing
Kent
ME19 4JQ

Or email: DPO@cafonline.org

To help you prepare your request, you can use a 'Subject Access Request form'. Alternatively you can call us on 03000 123 456.

In order to carry out your request, we must confirm your identity. To do this we may need you to provide relevant documentation.
How can I get my personal data corrected or deleted?

Erasure (known as the right to be forgotten) - you have the right to have your personal information erased where we do not have a legal basis to process it, including where we are holding it for longer than required. You can do this by contacting us.

Write to us at:

DPO
Charities Aid Foundation
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Mailing
Kent
ME19 4JQ

Or email: DPO@cafonline.org

Alternatively you can call us on 03000 123 456

In order to carry out your request, we must confirm your identity. To do this we may need you to provide relevant documentation.
Can my personal data be corrected?

We will always endeavour to ensure that your personal data remains accurate. However, if you think this information is incorrect or incomplete you have the right to have your information rectified.

To request rectification please contact us on:

Write to us at:

DPO
Charities Aid Foundation
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Mailing
Kent
ME19 4JQ

Or email: DPO@cafonline.org

Alternatively you can call us on 03000 123 456

In order to carry out your request, we must confirm your identity. To do this we may need you to provide relevant documentation.
Can we go overdrawn?

Accounts shouldn't go overdrawn. If an account does go overdrawn, it may be subject to debit interest. Secured overdrafts above £50,000 will be considered by arrangement.
What do the abbreviations on my statement mean?

BACS - Credits paid in via BACS
DD - Direct Debit
FP - Faster Payment credit
ICS BACS - Paying in slip credit
SWE - Account sweep

Explore other help topics

Opening an account

Online banking

Products and services

Staying secure

Making a complaint

Further questions?

Give us a call

Our expert team is here to help with any questions you have about your organisation's banking.
Phone 03000 123 456 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, except English bank holidays).