Online money transfer platforms such as Xe and Wise offer some of the quickest and cheapest ways to send money from the UK to Pakistan. Western Union is an excellent option considering its global outreach and a large number of agents in both Pakistan and the UK.
Sending money to Pakistan from the UK has become more accessible thanks to the presence of various online banks and money transfer services. Thousands of individuals in the UK send remittances to Pakistan along with payments for freelance services to residents of the country.
In the first half of the current fiscal year, more than $1.977 billion were sent from the UK to Pakistan as part of workers’ remittances, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.
If you are looking for efficient and quick ways of sending money from the UK to Pakistan, this guide is for you.
Best Ways of Sending Money From the UK to Pakistan
Online money transfer services such as Xe and WorldRemit offer users some of the best exchange rates. Wise is also an excellent option for better exchange rates but charges more fees than other platforms.
I have used multiple channels for money transfers between the UK and Pakistan.
Millions of remote workers in Pakistan rely on these online money transfer methods for their wages.
Based on the research and my experience with e-transfers, here are the top 11 ways of sending money from the UK to Pakistan.
1. Xe
Xe is a Canadian company that provides foreign exchange services to its customers. Users in the UK can use Xe to send money to Pakistani individuals. I have found this company to provide some of the best mid-market exchange rates and minimum to no fees.
- Register an account with Xe via the application or their website.
- Click on the “Send Money” option.
- Choose the Destination Country, i.e., Pakistan.
- You can choose to send a specific amount or specify the amount the recipient receives by editing either field.
- Click on Continue
- Select the Payment Method (bank transfer, debit card, or credit card)
- Choose the Delivery Option (cash pickup, bank transfer, or mobile wallet)
- Enter the details of the recipient.
- You can choose to enter a payment reference for the transfer.
- Make the payment.
- Review the information and send the money.
The money should be credited to the recipient’s account within a few minutes to a maximum of four working days. Users can send up to GBP 350,000 in a single transfer via Xe.
2. Western Union
Western Union is one of the world’s most extensive money transfer services. Founded in 1851, the company provides its customers with foreign exchange and wire transfer services.
Western Union is an effective and cheap money transfer method to Pakistan. With thousands of agents in the UK alone, Western Union allows UK residents to send money to Pakistanis via their mobile application and website.
Users can also visit any Western Union physical location and deposit the transfer amount there. The recipient in Pakistan can quickly receive the money in their bank account or cash pickup from their nearest Western Union agent.
The money will be available to the recipient in real time or within a few working days. Transfers to central banks in Pakistan are usually processed within a few minutes.
3. Remitly
Remitly is an emerging player in the online money transfer industry. Founded in 2011, the company provides international money transfers to more than 100 countries. Individuals in the UK can easily send money to Pakistan via Remitly.
- Register an account with Remitly.
- Verify your identity.
- Enter your security details (name, date of birth, and mobile number).
- Enter the payment details (recipient’s name, bank account, and transfer amount).
- Select the payment method (credit/debit card, bank transfer).
- Review and complete the transfer.
If you choose to pay via bank transfer, it can take 3-5 business days for the funds to be delivered from your bank account to the recipient. In the case of credit or debit card payments, the funds will be delivered within minutes.
Users in Pakistan can receive transfers directly in their bank accounts or mobile wallets. Cash pickup is also another option for money retrieval in Pakistan.
Remitly provides some of the best exchange rates among all money transfer services. Users who send over £200 do not have to pay any fees for the transfer.
4. Wise
Wise, formerly Transferwise, is one of the leading online wallets in the world. The London-based financial company allows users to operate multiple currency accounts, which can be used to send or receive payments.
Much of my international transfers are through Wise due to the high exchange rates and the transparent fees.
Though Wise charges more than WorldRemit or Xe for transfers, multiple currency bank accounts are a significant advantage for users.
Recipients can also open a Wise account and get GBP delivered to their account, which they can send to their Pakistani bank accounts whenever they want.
- Register with Wise and enter your information (name, address, phone number).
- Verify your details to use your account. Wise may require you to upload a small amount to your account before you can start making transactions.
- Load the transfer amount to your Wise GBP account.
- Enter the details of the recipient and verify.
- Send the amount to the recipient upon confirmation.
Wise usually transfers the amount within a few minutes, but it can take up to two working days.
5. Payoneer
Payoneer is a financial services company based in New York, United States, and provides digital payments and online money transfer services to its users.
The service allows individuals to open accounts in currencies including USD, EUR, and GBP.
You can easily send money from your Payoneer account to the other party’s account with no fee.
Payoneer users can also transfer funds from their account to a Pakistani bank account or mobile wallet via international money transfer.
The exchange rates provided by Payoneer are lower than market rates, but the platform charges a 2% withdrawal fee from its users.
The recipient can instantly receive the money in their Payoneer GBP account and transfer it to their local bank or mobile wallet.
Thanks to the integration of JazzCash with Payoneer, users can now share their funds to their digital wallet in real-time.
You can also send money to the recipient’s local bank account, but a minimum amount limit may apply. I have used Payoneer to send and receive money in various accounts and have always loved the efficiency.
6. MoneyGram
MoneyGram is a cross-border money transfer service present in over 200 countries. It is one of the world’s largest providers of foreign exchange transfers.
MoneyGram provides mid-market exchange rates to its users, who are better than the rates provided by most of the listed platforms. The service also charges relatively lower fees than Wise but more than Western Union and WorldRemit.
Users in the United Kingdom can send money to Pakistan via the MoneyGram app, website, or by visiting a physical location.
- Register an account with MoneyGram and log in.
- Select the recipient’s country and enter the amount you wish to send.
- You will be able to see the fee and the exchange rates available. Choose the delivery option suited to your needs (cash pickup, bank transfer).
- Perform the transfer.
Users can also visit a MoneyGram agent and follow the agent’s direct procedure.
The money will be delivered to the user within a few minutes in case of a cash pickup or up to three business days in case of a bank transfer.
7. WordlRemit
WorldRemit is one of the leading online money transfer services in the world. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in the United Kingdom. WorldRemit currently serves more than 130 countries and provides some of the best exchange rates I have ever got online.
The service uses a fixed exchange rate close to the mid-market range and charges little to no transfer fees. Users in the UK can easily send money to Pakistan via this platform by following these steps:
- Register an account with WorldRemit and verify your details.
- Your details will be confirmed within a few minutes.
- Select the recipient country and enter the amount you wish to send.
- You will be able to see the fee and exchange rates depending on the nature of the transfer (bank transfer, mobile wallet, or cash pickup).
- Enter the recipient’s details.
- Pay for the transfer, and you will be verified with a notification.
The funds will be available to the user within one to two working days.
8. Skrill
Skrill is a digital wallet founded in 2001 and based in the United States. The service is available in around 131 countries and more than 40 currencies. I have used Skrill to receive payments from clients in London and Glasgow, and the experience has been smooth so far.
Users can easily create a Skrill account and send their money to the recipient’s local bank account in a few steps.
- Register an account with Skrill via their website or application.
- Choose Skrill to Skrill transfer or Skrill to bank account transfer, depending on your preference.
- Specify the recipient details and the amount you want to send.
- Enter your payment details and make the payment. You can make payments via debit card, credit card, bank account, or cash.
- Review and transfer the payment.
Skrill provides reasonable exchange rates with low fees, making it an excellent option for users who wish to send money from the UK to Pakistan. The money is usually credited to the recipient’s account within one to three days.
9. PassTo
PassTo is a relatively new mobile money transfer application that allows users in the United Kingdom to send money to more than 60 countries globally. The service offers great exchange rates and nominal fees, making it an excellent option for international transfers.
Users in the UK can send money to Pakistan by following these simple steps:
- Register an account with PassTo mobile application.
- Verify your account by providing the relevant details.
- Set up your payment method for the transfers (bank account, debit/credit card).
- Enter the recipient’s details (bank account, name, and account number).
- Review the information and complete the transfer once satisfied.
PassTo generally completes the transfers within a few minutes but can take up to one day. The service does not allow cash pickups; only bank and mobile wallet transfers are applicable.
10. Remit Union
Remit Union is one of the latest entrants to the international money transfer sector. The company was founded in 2020 and provides online remittance services to its users.
With Remit Union, individuals in the United Kingdom can send money to Pakistan by visiting the company website or mobile application and registering. The platform charges little to no fees but offers lower than market exchange rates.
Users can choose the delivery method, i.e., bank transfer, mobile wallet, or cash pickup (from some registered banks).
Debit card transactions are completed within minutes, while bank transfers take 1-2 business days.
11. UBL UK NetRemit
UBL is one of the biggest banks in Pakistan.
The UBL UK NetRemit is one of the most reliable ways to send money to the country from the United Kingdom. Since the bank is based in Pakistan, transferring money is almost instantaneous.
Several non-resident Pakistanis send money to their families in Pakistan via UBL UK NetRemit due to the significant presence of bank branches all across the country.
The service offers reasonable exchange rates with little to no fee for sending money to Pakistan, making it an ideal choice for overseas Pakistanis.
Users can visit the UBL UK bank branch or register an account via the UBL UK NetRemit mobile application to send money to Pakistan.
It is important to note that the bank, in case of a remittance transfer, will require the recipient’s CNIC.
Other Options for Sending GBP to Pakistan
Xoom and OFX are other well-known methods of sending money from the UK to Pakistan. Other new players are constantly emerging that allow money transfer services across the globe.
I have already discussed the 11 most effective ways to send money to Pakistan.
However, if you want more options, below are the details of other less common money transfer methods from the UK to Pakistan.
Xoom
Xoom is a service of PayPal that allows users in major markets to send money to multiple countries.
Individuals in the UK can use Xoom to transfer money to Pakistan.
The recipient will receive the money in their bank account or via cash pickup. Xoom provides lower interchange rates but minimum transfer fees.
OFX
OFX is an online foreign exchange company based in Sydney. The service provides international money transfers to over 170 countries, including Pakistan.
Users can register an account with the platform and verify their details to start sending money.
OFX also provides some of the lowest exchange rates and high exchange fees among all the listed services.
Paysend
Paysend is an emerging player in the industry based in London, United Kingdom. Users can send money via this platform to Pakistani bank accounts by registering their accounts.
Paysend also charges low fees and offers lower than mid-market rates than other platforms on this list. The transfer amount can be deposited to the recipient’s account within a few minutes.
TransferGo
TransferGo is a financial services company based in the United Kingdom.
The service allows customers to send money to 63 countries, including Pakistan.
TransferGo provides relatively reasonable exchange rates to its users and low fees on international transfers.
Though not a famous platform, it is another option for Brits to consider when sending money to Pakistan.s
Types of Money Transfer From the UK to Pakistan
There are multiple modes of transfer from the UK to Pakistan. The recipients can receive money transfers via the following methods.
Bank Transfer
Bank transfer is the traditional method of international transfers.
Direct bank debits are slower and can take up to a week to deliver funds successfully.
Banks also charge a hefty transaction fee of between 3% to 6% and provide lower exchange rates than the market, which is why they are not the ideal mode of international money transfer.
Mobile Wallet
Mobile wallets are a rising trend worldwide, especially in Pakistan.
With Easypaisa, JazzCash, and other minor players entering the sector, mobile wallets are increasingly becoming popular nationwide.
Users in Pakistan can receive funds in their mobile wallets via Remitly, Payoneer, and other online transfer services.
Cash Pickup
Cash pickup is one of the most preferred money transfer methods among Pakistanis.
Non-resident Pakistanis living in the UK actively send remittances to their families via wire transfers.
These remittances are usually collected as cash pickups from various bank branches and Western Union agents.
Cash Delivery
Some services in Pakistan also allow users to get their funds delivered to their homes by the sender, such as WorldRemit.
GBP Transfer to Pakistan
Several central banks in Pakistan allow residents to open Foreign Currency (FCY) bank accounts in multiple currencies, including the British Pound Sterling (GBP).
Users in Pakistan can open these bank accounts and receive GBP directly, minimizing the transfer and exchange costs.
The Bottom Line
With the rise of digital money apps and transfer services, sending money to developing countries has become much more manageable.
UK residents can send money to Pakistan and other countries via various platforms and money transfer agencies.
I have found WorldRemit and Wise to provide some of the best rates and quick transaction times among all the listed services.
PayPal could have been a valuable option if it was available in the country. However, other online money platforms such as Payoneer, Xe, and Skrill have taken their place as some of the most reliable ways of sending money from the UK to Pakistan.
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