Does NatWest Have a Roll Number?
Short answer: no — NatWest does not use roll numbers. NatWest is a bank, not a building society, so your account is identified by a sort code and an 8-digit account number.
If a form has asked for a "NatWest roll number", here's why there isn't one and which details to use instead.
At a glance
- Does NatWest use roll numbers?
- No
- How NatWest identifies accounts
- Sort code + account number
- Sort code
- 6 digits (e.g. 60-00-01)
- Roll numbers are used by
- Some building societies
🏦 Paying into a building society · pick your provider
NatWest doesn’t use roll numbers. It’s a bank, not a building society, so every account has a standard 6-digit sort code and 8-digit account number. If a form has a roll-number box, leave it blank — the sort code and account number are all you need.
Details verified against each provider’s official “paying in” page in 2026. Always double-check the current sort code, account number and reference in your provider’s app, passbook or latest statement before sending money — collecting accounts can change, and the reference must be exact or the payment may be returned.
Key Takeaways
- NatWest does not issue roll numbers. Accounts are identified by a 6-digit sort code and an 8-digit account number.
- Roll numbers are a legacy building-society reference. NatWest has always been a bank, so it never used them.
- If a form has a roll number field and you bank with NatWest, leave it blank — the sort code and account number are all that's needed.
- If you're paying into someone's building society account, it's the recipient who may need a roll number, not you.
Does NatWest have a roll number?
No. NatWest accounts do not have roll numbers. As a high-street bank, NatWest has always used the standard UK system of a sort code and account number. There is no separate roll or reference number to look for.
So to receive a payment or fill in a "roll number" box, you only need:
- your sort code (6 digits, shown as three pairs), and
- your account number (8 digits).
You can safely ignore any roll number field.
What is a roll number, and why doesn't NatWest use one?
A roll number is a reference that building societies historically used to identify member accounts, before sort codes and account numbers became standard. It often looked like 1234/123456789 and was printed inside a passbook.
Banks — including NatWest — never used them. NatWest has no building-society heritage, so unlike Halifax or Santander, there aren't even legacy accounts to worry about.
There simply is no roll number.
Why you might have been asked for a NatWest roll number
A few common reasons:
- A payment form with a roll number field. Older direct debit or transfer forms include a "building society roll number (if applicable)" box. It doesn't apply to NatWest — leave it blank.
- Mixing NatWest up with a building society. Yorkshire, Coventry, Leeds and Skipton are building societies. NatWest, Barclays and HSBC are banks.
- Paying into a building society from NatWest. If you're sending money to someone's building society account, it's the recipient's society that may need a roll number as a reference — not NatWest. Ask them for it.
How to find your NatWest sort code and account number
Whichever detail you need:
- Debit card — sort code and account number are printed on it.
- NatWest app — open the account and tap "Account details".
- Online Banking — shown on the account summary.
- Statements — printed at the top of every statement.
- Chequebook — shown on each cheque.
If you're not sure what to hand over, see what the account name is for a bank account and whether Bacs is the same as a bank transfer.
Frequently asked questions
Does NatWest have a roll number?
No. NatWest uses a sort code and 8-digit account number, like all UK banks. It has never used roll numbers, which were a building-society feature.
What do I put in a roll number field if I bank with NatWest?
Leave it blank. A roll number field only applies to certain building society accounts. Your NatWest sort code and account number are all that's required.
Is a roll number the same as an account number?
Not quite. A roll number was a building society's own reference, used before sort codes and account numbers became universal. NatWest uses the standard 8-digit account number.
Where do I find my NatWest account number and sort code?
On your debit card, in the NatWest app under "Account details", on your statements, or via Online Banking.
General information only, not financial advice. Check with your bank or building society for your exact details.
