The UK's Payments Council has extended its online tool for helping customers check their payment options to cover Bacs, Chaps, cheques and paper credits.
The sort code checker tool was initially introduced for the launch of Faster Payments in 2008, enabling customers to determine whether accounts could receive payments through the new service.
The checker, at the UK Payments Web site, stores all of the country's 20,000 sort codes and claims over 4000 hits a day.
Now, users can also enter the sort code of an account to see whether it can receive a Bacs credit or Chaps payment. They are also able to check if an account allows a direct debit instruction to be set up and if a cheque or paper credit can be paid through the clearings.
The Council says its expanded checker will particularly benefit businesses who want to prevent any possible delays to a payment or the registration of new customers' direct debit details.
Gary Cook, payments integrity executive, Payments Council, says: "As more of us are making payments online or on the phone it provides a very easy way of avoiding unnecessary delays. The Sort Code Checker strips out the element of chance because it quickly confirms to users what forms of payment are at their disposal."