How to find all your direct debits and standing orders

Direct debits and standing orders

A direct debit is collected by the company you pay, and the amount can change. A standing order is set up by you, for a fixed amount on a schedule. Card subscriptions, where a company charges your debit card each month, are a third kind, and don’t appear in your bank’s list of direct debits at all, which is why statements are the best place to look.

Many statements mark each transaction with a code, such as DD for direct debit and SO for standing order, while some digital banks spell it out. The converter keeps those codes in the description.

Step by step

1. Convert three months or moreUse “Several statements” to combine at least three months, so regular payments show up repeatedly.
2. Open the CSV in ExcelTurn it into a table with Ctrl+T.
3. Filter for codesFilter Description with “Contains” DD, then SO, or words like “DIRECT DEBIT” and “STANDING ORDER”.
4. Find repeating card paymentsInsert a PivotTable with Description in Rows and Count of Paid out in Values. Anything appearing every month is a regular payment.
5. Review each oneMark which you still need. Cancel unwanted direct debits with your bank or the company; card subscriptions must be cancelled with the company.

Under the Direct Debit Guarantee, if an incorrect direct debit is taken, you can claim an immediate refund from your bank.

Annual payments

Some regular payments come round once a year: insurance, breakdown cover, software licences, memberships. Combine twelve months of statements to see them, then filter Paid out for amounts larger than usual. Note their renewal dates so you can shop around before they renew.

Price rises

Sort the direct debits by payee and then by date to see whether the same company has been taking more over time. Direct debit amounts can change, and a slow creep is easy to miss.