040605 Sort Code: Full Bank Details, Branch Location, And Usage

The 040605 sort code, normally written as 04-06-05, is a UK sort code used by ClearBank Limited. ClearBank itself confirms 04-06-05 as its sort code.

However, people may encounter it through another financial brand because ClearBank provides banking and payment infrastructure to fintechs and other financial institutions.

The most important point is that seeing ClearBank or 040605 on banking details does not necessarily mean the customer signed up directly with ClearBank.

The account may have been provided through another financial services company using ClearBank’s underlying infrastructure.

What Bank Does The 040605 Sort Code Belong To?

The 040605 sort code belongs to ClearBank Limited, a technology-led UK clearing bank.

ClearBank differs from a conventional high-street bank because much of its business involves providing banking infrastructure to other regulated businesses. Its services include accounts, embedded banking, Faster Payments, Bacs and CHAPS connectivity.

ClearBank is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by both the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under Financial Services Register number 754568.

ClearBank’s official information about the bank confirms that its published sort code is 04-06-05.

For readers checking other UK banking identifiers, the UK bank sort code list provides broader information about how sort codes identify different financial institutions.

What Is ClearBank And Why Do Fintech Companies Use It?

ClearBank is essentially part of the infrastructure sitting behind many modern financial products.

Instead of concentrating on traditional branch banking, it provides regulated financial institutions, fintech companies and other eligible organisations with the infrastructure needed to create accounts and move money.

This can include real bank accounts, virtual account structures, safeguarding accounts and access to UK payment schemes. ClearBank says it supports millions of open accounts through its banking infrastructure.

That business model explains why someone may come across the 040605 sort code without remembering opening an account with ClearBank.

A fintech may manage the app, customer service and branding while ClearBank provides the underlying bank account or payment infrastructure.

One clear example is Tide. ClearBank states that it works with Tide by providing underlying accounts and powering payments, while Tide separately confirms that accounts using 04-06-05 are ClearBank accounts.

Why Does 040605 Appear If You Do Not Bank With ClearBank?

This is one of the main reasons people search for the sort code.

A customer may recognise the name of a fintech, payment platform or business account provider but see ClearBank Limited when checking bank details, making a transfer or reviewing account information.

That does not automatically indicate a problem.

ClearBank operates both agency banking and embedded banking models. Under these arrangements, another financial company can provide the customer-facing product while ClearBank supplies some or all of the banking infrastructure underneath it.

For example, the relationship may look like this:

Customer → Financial App Or Provider → ClearBank Account Infrastructure → UK Payment System

The customer therefore deals mainly with the financial service provider, while ClearBank can remain largely invisible behind the account.

If you are unsure why 040605 appears on your account, check the account terms, statement footer or account information inside the provider’s app before assuming something is wrong.

Where Is The ClearBank 040605 Branch Located?

It is better to think of 04-06-05 as a banking routing identifier rather than the sort code for a conventional branch that customers can visit.

ClearBank does not operate a traditional network of customer-facing high-street branches.

Its current registered office is:

• ClearBank Limited
• Level 27, The Broadgate Tower
  20 Primrose Street
• London
• EC2A 2EW
• United Kingdom

This address is confirmed by both ClearBank and Companies House.

Some older sort-code directories and documents may still show 1 Appold Street, London, EC2A 2UT. That was previously associated with ClearBank, but it should not be presented as the company’s current registered office.

Companies House currently records ClearBank Limited as an active company under company number 09736376.

What Payment Types Can Accounts Using 040605 Support?

ClearBank participates in major UK payment systems, but this does not mean every individual account using 04-06-05 will automatically support every available service.

The exact payment functionality can depend on the financial provider, account product and configuration.

ClearBank confirms that it provides access to Faster Payments, CHAPS and Bacs, among other payment schemes.

Pay.UK states that Faster Payments are normally available almost immediately, although some transfers can take up to two hours.

CHAPS is different. It is primarily designed for same-day sterling payments and operates during working-day settlement hours.

The Bank of England currently states that customer CHAPS payments must reach the system by 5.40pm, although an individual provider can impose an earlier cut-off.

Businesses should therefore check the limits and cut-off times applied by the provider operating their specific ClearBank-backed account rather than relying solely on the sort code.

Is The 040605 Sort Code Safe?

04-06-05 is a genuine ClearBank sort code. ClearBank is a regulated UK bank and its official FAQ specifically identifies 04-06-05 as its sort code.

However, recognising a legitimate sort code does not prove that a payment request is genuine.

Fraudsters can provide bank details belonging to legitimate banks, so businesses should still verify:

1. Confirm The Payee Name: Check that the account holder or business name matches the intended recipient.
2. Verify Changed Payment Details: If a supplier suddenly provides new banking information, confirm the change through a trusted contact method.
3. Check The Sort Code And Account Number: Use reliable banking records or an industry sort-code checker rather than information copied from an unexpected email.
4. Use Confirmation Of Payee: Where available, pay attention to match, close-match or no-match warnings.
5. Confirm Large Payments Separately: Businesses making substantial supplier or invoice payments should verify details before releasing funds.

Pay.UK explains that Confirmation of Payee checks the account name against details including the sort code and account number and is intended to reduce misdirected and fraudulent payments.

Is Money Held With ClearBank Protected By The FSCS?

ClearBank is covered by the UK’s Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but whether your particular balance is protected depends on how the account and funds are structured.

As of September 2026, the standard FSCS deposit protection limit is £120,000 per eligible depositor, per authorised bank. ClearBank confirms this limit in its current FSCS information.

This distinction is important for people using fintech products.

A customer could have a direct eligible ClearBank deposit account provided through an embedded banking partner, or funds could be held under another arrangement involving an electronic money or payment institution.

ClearBank specifically advises customers to check the terms and conditions of their financial service provider to establish whether their money is held under an arrangement that qualifies for FSCS protection.

Eligible deposits held through different ClearBank-backed brands can also be aggregated towards the same £120,000 ClearBank limit rather than receiving a completely separate £120,000 allowance for every brand.

Anyone relying on deposit protection should therefore check their provider’s current terms and ClearBank’s FSCS protection information rather than assuming protection simply because 04-06-05 appears on the account.

How Can You Verify The 040605 Sort Code And Account Number?

Checking that 04-06-05 is a legitimate sort code is straightforward. Confirming that a particular account number genuinely belongs to the intended recipient requires additional checks.

VocaLink provides an industry sort code checker that can be used to verify UK sort codes and payment scheme information.

Businesses processing large numbers of bank details can also use modulus checking. This applies mathematical rules to a sort code and account number combination to determine whether the two can legitimately work together.

However, modulus checking has an important limitation.

A successful check means that the account number is possible for that sort code. It does not necessarily prove that the account currently exists or belongs to the person or company claiming to own it.

Confirmation of Payee and direct verification with the recipient remain useful additional protections.

Individuals unsure where their own banking details are displayed can also check where to find a sort code on a debit card or banking account.

What Happens If A Payment To 040605 Is Rejected?

A rejected payment does not necessarily mean there is a problem with the 040605 sort code itself.

Common causes include an incorrect account number, an account that cannot receive the selected payment type, a payment limit, compliance screening, a closed or restricted account, incorrect recipient information or temporary technical problems.

For Faster Payments, once a payment has been sent it generally cannot simply be cancelled. Pay.

UK explains that participating providers use the Credit Payment Recovery process when customers accidentally send payments to the wrong account.

If a transfer fails, the first step should normally be to contact the financial provider through which the ClearBank-backed account is operated.

This is particularly important because ClearBank explains that, in many agency banking arrangements, the customer-facing financial provider handles the day-to-day account relationship.

Does ClearBank Have Other Sort Codes?

ClearBank can support more than one sort-code arrangement across its infrastructure.

However, businesses should be careful about using unofficial online lists of ClearBank codes as though they are permanent or exhaustive.

ClearBank currently publishes 04-06-05 as its own sort code, while its agency banking documentation explains that clients may either use a ClearBank-owned sort code or obtain a new sort code associated with their own bank code.

ClearBank also offers account structures in which individual real accounts can have their own sort codes.

For that reason, it is safer to verify a specific sort code through current industry data rather than assuming that every account supported by ClearBank must use 04-06-05.

What Is The Difference Between A Sort Code, IBAN And SWIFT/BIC?

These banking identifiers serve different purposes.

For a normal UK payment to a 040605 account, the sender will generally use the sort code and account number.

International payment instructions can differ depending on the provider, currency and route.

ClearBank has SWIFT connectivity, but businesses should use the IBAN and BIC supplied for the specific beneficiary account rather than constructing an IBAN themselves or assuming one general BIC will work for every ClearBank-backed account.

This is particularly important because different ClearBank arrangements can use account-specific international payment details.

Can You Open A 040605 Account Directly With ClearBank?

Most consumers cannot simply visit ClearBank and open a normal retail account directly.

ClearBank describes itself as a provider of banking services to other businesses. Those businesses can then use ClearBank infrastructure to provide products to consumers or other companies.

Its direct UK client base is primarily made up of eligible financial institutions and regulated businesses rather than ordinary retail banking customers.

That is another reason the 040605 sort code may appear unfamiliar. The user may have selected a completely different financial brand while the actual bank account infrastructure is provided by ClearBank.

Why Does The 040605 Sort Code Matter For Businesses?

Understanding who sits behind a bank account is particularly useful for companies managing supplier payments, payroll, customer collections and reconciliation.

ClearBank’s infrastructure is designed around real-time payments and API connectivity, which can allow fintechs and regulated businesses to build payment functionality without establishing direct connections to every underlying UK payment scheme.

For businesses sending money to an account using 04-06-05, however, the important issue is much simpler: verify the beneficiary details, ensure the selected payment method is supported and keep appropriate controls around changes to supplier banking information.

A legitimate sort code identifies the banking institution. It does not by itself verify the commercial relationship or invoice being paid.

Conclusion

The 040605 sort code, displayed as 04-06-05, is a genuine sort code published by ClearBank Limited.

ClearBank is a regulated UK clearing bank that provides banking and payment infrastructure to financial institutions and fintech businesses.

This explains why 04-06-05 can appear on an account even when the customer primarily recognises another financial brand.

ClearBank is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA under FRN 754568.

Its current registered office is at The Broadgate Tower in London, and eligible deposits may receive FSCS protection up to £120,000, depending on the account structure and customer eligibility.

Before sending money, always verify the account number, recipient name and payment instructions. The fact that 04-06-05 is legitimate should never be treated as proof that an individual payment request is genuine.

FAQs About The 040605 Sort Code

Is 040605 A Real Sort Code?

Yes. ClearBank officially confirms 04-06-05 as its sort code. ClearBank Limited is a regulated UK bank.

Which Bank Uses Sort Code 040605?

Sort code 040605 belongs to ClearBank Limited. Accounts using it may nevertheless be offered through another customer-facing financial brand.

Is 040605 A Tide Sort Code?

Tide confirms that its accounts using 04-06-05 are provided by ClearBank. This is an example of how a customer can use one financial brand while ClearBank supplies the underlying account.

Why Does ClearBank Appear On My Bank Transfer?

The financial provider you use may rely on ClearBank for its underlying accounts, payment clearing or embedded banking infrastructure.

Is Money In A 040605 Account FSCS Protected?

It can be, but protection depends on the product and account structure. Eligible ClearBank deposits are currently protected up to £120,000 per eligible depositor, subject to FSCS rules. Check the terms of the provider operating your account.

Can I Visit A ClearBank Branch For Sort Code 040605?

No conventional walk-in branch is associated with the sort code. ClearBank is primarily a technology-led clearing and infrastructure bank rather than a high-street branch network.

Can 040605 Receive Faster Payments?

ClearBank participates directly in Faster Payments. Whether an individual account can receive a particular transaction should still be confirmed with the provider operating that account.

Can I Use 040605 For Direct Debits?

ClearBank supports Bacs and Direct Debit services, but availability depends on the particular account and product. Check the account provider before setting up a collection or mandate.

What Is ClearBank’s SWIFT/BIC Code?

ClearBank uses the CLRBGB22 BIC family, but different account or agency arrangements can use more specific BIC instructions.

Always obtain the precise BIC and IBAN directly from the beneficiary or financial provider before making an international payment.

What Should I Do If I Do Not Recognise A 040605 Payment?

Check the payment reference and the financial brand involved first. If you still do not recognise the transaction, contact your bank or financial provider immediately using verified contact details and report suspected fraud rather than contacting details supplied in an unexpected message.