How to Send Money to India from the UK: A Step-by-Step Guide

Sending money to India from the UK takes about five minutes once you know what to check. The part most people get wrong is choosing the provider. Two services can both say "no fees" and still leave your family with thousands of rupees' difference on the same £1,000.

This guide covers the steps, what you need, and how to pick the provider that puts the most rupees in your recipient's account. The figures come from real quotes Plyna collects every day for the UK to India route.

How do you send money to India from the UK?

You use a money transfer provider authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and it converts your pounds to rupees and pays them into an Indian bank account. Banks can do it too, but they usually give a weaker exchange rate. The process is the same with most providers:

1. Compare today's quotes. Check what each provider would pay out for your amount, not the advertised rate or fee.
2. Create an account with the provider you choose. You'll need photo ID, and first-time checks can take a few minutes or, occasionally, a day.
3. Enter the amount in pounds and choose bank deposit, unless your recipient needs cash or a wallet payment.
4. Add your recipient's details: their full name as it appears on the account, the account number and the bank's IFSC code.
5. Pay by bank transfer or debit card, then confirm. Save the reference number until the money arrives.

What details do you need to send money to India?

For a bank deposit you need four things:

• Full name exactly as the bank holds it. A mismatch is the most common cause of delays.
• Account number. Indian account numbers vary in length, so copy it carefully.
• IFSC code. An 11-character code that identifies the bank branch, printed on cheque books and shown in the recipient's banking app.
• Bank name and branch, which some providers ask for alongside the IFSC.

Some providers can also pay to a UPI ID or a mobile wallet. If you're sending to your own NRE or NRO account, check the provider supports that account type before you send.

Which provider is cheapest for sending money to India?

There isn't one provider that's always cheapest. The cheapest is whichever one pays the most rupees for your amount on the day you send, and that changes. Here is what our daily quotes show over the last month:

The gap between the best and worst quote is the real cost of not comparing. It is bigger than most transfer fees, which is why the fee alone tells you very little.

Why does the exchange rate matter more than the fee?

Because the rate applies to every pound you send, while the fee is a one-off. Providers make money in two places: a stated fee, and a margin built into their exchange rate. The mid-market rate is the benchmark; the further a provider's rate sits below it, the more it is charging you.

Take a simple illustration. At a mid-market rate of 125 rupees per pound, £1,000 is worth ₹125,000. A provider with no fee but a rate 1% below that (123.75) pays ₹123,750. One charging a £3 fee at the full 125 pays ₹124,625. The "free" option leaves your recipient ₹875 worse off.

That's why Plyna ranks providers by the amount that arrives. It already includes both the fee and the exchange-rate margin.

How long does a transfer to India take?

Most bank deposits arrive within minutes to one working day. First transfers take longer while the provider checks your identity, and payments made late on a Friday or over Indian bank holidays can wait until the next working day. If speed matters, check the delivery estimate on the quote, because some providers charge more for faster delivery.

How do you avoid paying too much?

• Compare on the day you send. The best provider for India changes, as the history above shows.
• Compare the same thing. Same amount, same delivery method and same payment method for every quote.
• Treat first-transfer offers as one-offs. A boosted rate for new customers rarely applies to your second transfer.
• Pay by bank transfer where you can. It's usually cheaper than a debit card, and credit cards can carry cash-advance charges.
• Check the recipient amount is guaranteed before you confirm, not just estimated.

Is it safe to send money to India online?

Yes, if you use a provider authorised by the FCA. You can check any firm on the FCA register before you sign up. Be wary of anyone who asks you to send money urgently, especially by message: call the person on a number you already know before you pay, because a payment sent to a scammer is very hard to get back.

The quick version

Use an FCA-authorised provider, have the recipient's name, account number and IFSC code ready, and pick the provider that pays the most rupees on the day. You can compare today's quotes for India in under a minute.