Do banks ever duplicate account numbers, but with different sort codes?

I just noticed that my bank has slightly different sort codes depending on the type of account eg. current, savings and so on.

So could one person have 01-02-03 12345678 while another has 01-02-04 12345678 with the same bank, as an example?

Well, an eight figure account number gives a maximum of 10,000,000 accounts. What do you think? 🙂

There are probably algorithms out there that prevent two almost identical account numbers happening.

Sort code identifies the bank and the branch (HSBC start with 40, Barclays with 20, for example) think account numbers are unique.

I think they probably don’t.

But I don’t know for certain, and there’s not much someone on here doesn’t know!

Thanks Lifer.

Do banks ever duplicate account numbers, but with different sort codes?

In my experience, yes. I once had a large sum credited to my account in error for precisely this reason. I was a bit disappointed when they realised…

Shirley they have to don’t they?

All account numbers I’ve ever seen are eight figured.

So…think about all the savings, current and business accounts in the UK. That’s got to be more than 10,000,000 hasn’t it?

I think it’s 100,000,000 combinations

It’s complicated…

Where I worked, only certain combinations of sort code and account number were valid.

I think it’s 100,000,000 combinations

****.

Maths FAIL 😳

[clutching at straws]I reckon there still might be more than 100,000,000[/clutching at straws] 🙂

Yes account numbers are duplicated, but they tend to keep neighbouring branches numbers away from each other, so your account number may be duplicated in branches in different parts of the country, but not normally the ones in the next town etc.

Sort codes are specific Bank identifiers (by Type and location), Account Numbers are client identifiers, underneath that there are client product identifiers and client application identifiers.
So, yes, unfortunatly there is a possibility of client identifier duplication, but this is normally when manual intervention has taken place. You’re right in that Banks use an algorythum for identifier production. Sort Codes on the other hand are created by the Bank in question via the BoE.

I use smile so no branches (well not in the traditional sense anyway), I wonder what difference that makes?

****.

Maths FAIL

It’s early. And I googled…