How to send money to India with UPI from the UK

Can you send money from the UK to a UPI ID?

Yes, through a money transfer provider that offers UPI as a payout method. UPI is a domestic Indian payment system, so the provider converts your pounds to rupees and pays them in India to the bank account linked to the UPI ID.

NPCI's rules allow money received from abroad to be credited through UPI, either to a UPI ID or to an account number and IFSC code, and only into bank accounts that have passed identity (KYC) checks.

UPI payments settle instantly, around the clock, so a UPI payout can reach your recipient within moments of your provider releasing it. The total time also depends on the provider's own checks.

What is a UPI ID?

A UPI ID, also called a virtual payment address, is an address in the form name@handle that points to a person's bank account in India. The handle identifies the bank or app that issued it. Your recipient can find their UPI ID in their UPI app or their bank's app.

Paying a UPI ID means you don't need the recipient's account number or IFSC code, and they don't have to share those details.

Before you confirm, check that the name shown for the UPI ID belongs to the person you mean to pay. UPI payments are instant and hard to reverse.

How do you send money to a UPI ID from the UK?

1. Ask your recipient for their UPI ID and check it with them.
2. Choose a UK money transfer provider that offers UPI payouts to India and is authorised or registered by the Financial Conduct Authority.
3. Enter the amount in pounds, choose UPI as the payout method and enter the UPI ID.
4. Check the recipient's name, the exchange rate, the fee and the number of rupees that will arrive, then confirm.
5. Pay the provider, usually by UK bank transfer or debit card.

How much can you send to a UPI ID?

Your provider sets the maximum for a UPI payout. UPI also has its own per-transaction and daily limits, which the recipient's bank can lower.

For larger amounts, send to the recipient's bank account using their account number and IFSC code instead. The Reserve Bank of India sets no upper limit on NEFT or RTGS payments into Indian bank accounts.

Can NRIs in the UK use UPI with a UK mobile number?

Yes. In January 2023, the National Payments Corporation of India allowed NRE and NRO accounts registered to international mobile numbers to use UPI, starting with 10 countries including the UK (+44).

To set it up, register your UK mobile number with your Indian bank for your NRE or NRO account, then install a UPI app that supports international numbers and link the account. Not every bank or app supports this, so check with your bank first.

Once it is set up, you can pay people and businesses in India from your NRE or NRO balance. Moving money from the UK into that account is still an international transfer. Our guide to NRE and NRO accounts explains which account suits which money.

Is it safe to use UPI?

Yes, if you protect your UPI PIN. Every UPI payment needs the PIN, which works as a second check on top of the phone linked to the account. Never share your PIN, and remember that you never need to enter it to receive money: a request to do so is a scam.