Help with paying BT by Direct Debit

A Whole Bill Direct Debit lets you automatically pay your whole bill when it's due by Direct Debit. Your bill will include the date when we plan to take payment, which will be at least 8 days after the bill date.

2. Monthly Payment Plan

A Monthly Payment Plan lets you spread the cost of your quarterly bill by making fixed monthly payments by Direct Debit, based on an estimate. Each quarter we review your payments. If you’re paying more or less than you’ve used, we’ll let you know through your quarterly statement and automatically adjust your payments.

To set up a Direct Debit, log into your My BT account at www.bt.com/managepayment or call 0800 44 33 11.

You’ll need your bank account details to hand if you do it online, or your bank details and home phone number if you call us.

If you pay your bill every month or quarter by Direct Debit, and you're not a BT Mobile customer*, you can change the date of your payment online at My BT. Just log on at www.bt.com/managepayment and go to Change When You Pay.

If you pay by Whole Bill Direct Debit, be aware that when you change your payment date, your bill may look a bit more complicated than usual. This is because we'll have to change the date your bill is generated, and adjust your charges so you’re still paying the right amount. For example, if you extend your payment date we'll charge you for the period between the end of your previous bill, and the start of your new bill period. This will result in an additional item on your bill.

*Unfortunately, BT Mobile customers can't change the date of their Direct Debit.

We'll do everything we can to help. The sooner you get in touch with us the better, so we can work out how best to help. Speaking to us early will help prevent late payment charges and possible restrictions to your account.

If you owe money now you'll probably have to pay part of your bill first. You can pay your bill immediately online with a credit or debit card. It's secure, quick and easy. Pay your bill now >

You can contact us on 0330 123 4150 to discuss your options.

Your bill may be higher than expected because:

• You're making more calls outside of your plan than you were before
• A discount on your account has come to an end
• You’ve changed calling plan or broadband package and we’ve had to adjust your monthly amounts
• You’ve incurred a one-off charge which means that your monthly payments aren't enough to cover your charges for the quarter

You can get a full breakdown of your charges at My BT.

Whole Bill Direct Debit

If you pay your bills by Whole Bill Direct Debit we'll collect the whole amount owed for that bill by Direct Debit. This means the amount you pay will be different each time, as your usage will vary from one bill to the next. How much we'll take and when will be shown on the front of your most recent bill.

Monthly Payment Plan

We may have to increase your monthly payments if they're no longer covering the charges you are incurring. If your amounts have been increased you have a few options:

Option 1: Wait until they go back down

If you expect your usage to reduce you can just wait one quarter.

Option 2: Make a one-off payment

If you have some debt on your account that's increasing your monthly payments, you can make a one-off payment into your plan with a debit or credit card:

Option 3: Change your billing option

Some customers don't think Monthly Payment Plan is for them anymore, or disagree with the amount we request monthly. If this is you, you can change your account to Whole Bill Direct Debit and pay your whole bill each month or quarter. This can also be better for customers whose charges vary. Just log into your My BT account at www.bt.com/managepayment and go to Change When You Pay.

If you're sufficiently in credit we may not take money from your account.

You can log into your account at My BT to check this.

Otherwise this means that we've applied to take your payment, but it was refused by your bank. You should have received a letter from us telling you we couldn't take the payment and that you may have to pay a late payment charge.

You can log into your account at My BT to check your Direct Debit details or pay your unpaid bill.

There are number of possible reasons your bank wouldn't let us take your payment:

• The bank account details we used didn't match with the bank
• There's not enough money in your account
• The payment was higher than a Direct Debit limit that you've set with your bank
• The bank has received a request to cancel the Direct Debit
• The bank account has been closed or transferred to another bank

Please contact your bank if you need more help with this.

You can update your Direct Debit details easily online by logging into your My BT account at www.bt.com/managepayment and clicking on Edit bank details.

You'll need your:

• Bank details (account number and sort code)
• BT account number, which you'll find at the top of your latest bill

Alternatively, you can call us on 0800 44 33 11.

This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.

• If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit, BT will notify you six working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed
• If you request BT to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request
• If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by BT or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society. If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when BT asks you to
• You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us

Before you cancel your Direct Debit it's worth taking a look at the benefits of paying your bill this way;

• You can choose our cheapest line rental options: Standard Line Rental (pay monthly or quarterly) or Line Rental Saver (get one month's Line Rental free by paying in one advanced payment)
• Your bill will always be paid on time, automatically
• You are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee for added security
• You have six working days to query your bill before payment is taken
• You can choose to pay by a Monthly Payment Plan or Whole Bill Direct Debit >

It takes five working days to cancel this for you, so if your current payment is due to be taken within this time we may still take it. We'll send you a letter to confirm the cancellation and tell you if there's anything left to pay.