Help and FAQs | first direct bank

How do I change or cancel a direct debit?

How to cancel a Direct Debit

To cancel a Direct Debit on our App:

select 'Payments'
click 'Manage regular payments'
choose the Direct Debit you want to cancel
tap 'Cancel' and follow the on-screen instructions.

To stop a payment being made you must cancel your Direct Debit before 4:30pm the working day before the payment is due.

If your payment is due out today or the next working day, please use our chat service.

You should also let the payee know that you’ve cancelled the Direct Debit.

How to change a Direct Debit

Direct Debits are controlled by the company you're paying. If you'd like to make changes to the amount you pay or when you pay it, you need to get in touch with the company directly.

How do I change or cancel a standing order?

How to cancel a standing order

To cancel a standing order on our App:

select 'Payments'
click 'Manage regular payments'
choose the standing order you want to cancel
select 'Manage payment'
tap 'Cancel' and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you need a hand, we're always here to help. Just hit 'Chat with us' below and type 'Cancel Direct Debit/standing order' to get started.

How to change a standing order

To change a standing order amount on our App:

select 'Payments'
click 'Manage regular payments'
choose the standing order you want to amend
select 'Manage payment' then 'Amend payment'
input your new amount and press 'Confirm'
a pop-up message will appear, if you're happy select 'Yes'
confirm the change with your fingerprint, facial recognition or Digital Secure Key PIN.

You can change this up to 11:45pm the day before it's due to debit your account.

If you need to amend anything else other than the amount, you'll need to cancel your old one and set up a new one.

Standing orders only debit on working days.

Please allow two calendar days between setting up the standing order and it debiting your account.

If you need a hand, chat with us and type ‘Amend Direct Debit/standing order' and we'll be happy to help.

How do I download my bank statements?

You can view and download up to 6 years' worth of statements in PDF format as soon as they're available.

To do this on our App:

go to your Balance screen
tap the three dots on the account you want to view statements for
select ‘Statements’
choose the statement you want to view.

To do this via Online Banking:

go to your transactions page
select 'Statements' in the top right corner
choose the statement you want to view.

Once your statement is open you can download it or send it to your personal email address.

How do I pay in a cheque to my first direct account?

The quickest way to deposit a cheque into a 1st Account, Savings Account or Bonus Savings Account is by using our App. To do this:

go to your Balance screen
tap the three dots on the account you want to pay the cheque into
select 'Pay in a cheque' and enter the amount
press 'Capture cheque' and take a photo with your phone.

When the image has been taken, a pop-up box will appear to say the cheque details have been read correctly. Then you can take a photo of the back of the cheque. You'll be able to review the images before continuing.

For the best results, place the cheque flat on a dark, unreflective background/surface. Make sure the image is in focus and that the whole cheque is visible inside the box on the screen. The cheque will then be captured automatically.

For more information, please visit our branch facilities page.

What are the payment limits on a first direct account?

Each day you can send:

£999,999 between your first direct accounts
£50,000 to other UK accounts via our App, Online Banking and Open Banking*
£5,000 via standing orders.

Limits might change in the future, so check back here if you’re unsure.

Want to make a payment that isn’t listed or exceeds the above? Call us on 03 456 100 100.

If you’re abroad call us on +44 113 234 5678.

Calls may be monitored or recorded.

*Payments are sent via the Faster Payments service to accounts in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

How do I close my account?

If you don’t need your account anymore, you can follow these steps to close it:

have an account balance of zero (not in credit or debit)
cancel all standing orders and Direct Debits on the account you want to close. You can do this on our App or Online Banking before requesting the closure
redirect any regular credits to your other account e.g. salary, child benefit
have no pending cheques due to credit or debit the account
have no pending/authorised card transactions (you can view this in the pending transactions section of our App)
have no recurring payments on your debit card (e.g. online subscriptions, streaming services or annual insurance payments)
have no fees or charges left to debit (e.g. debit interest)
make sure the decision to close a joint accounts is amicable*.

Some of our other accounts such as our Regular Saver are classed as linked accounts (they need you to have a current account and can’t be standalone accounts). If you're closing your last current account and you have a linked account these will also be closed.

Once all these things have been done you can close your account via chat on our App. Just go to 'Help', select 'Chat now' and type 'Close my account'. Or in Online Banking select 'Message us'.

Other ways to close your account:

call us on 03 456 100 100
write to us at first direct, 40 Wakefield Road, Leeds, LS98 1FD
if you're moving your bank account to another provider your account can be closed using the Current Account Switch Service.

*For non amicable joint account closures, our Joint Account Disputes Team can help. Call them on 03 456 100 191, they’re available 8am-10pm Monday to Friday, and 8am-7pm Saturday and Sunday.

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What other people are asking...

How do I change or cancel a direct debit?

How to cancel a Direct Debit

How to change a Direct Debit

How do I change or cancel a standing order?

How to cancel a standing order

How to change a standing order

How do I download my bank statements?

How do I pay in a cheque to my first direct account?

What are the payment limits on a first direct account?

How do I close my account?

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