Send money from the UK to the UAE
Moving to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, buying property or supporting family in the UAE? See the GBP to AED exchange rate available for your transfer upfront, understand the margin you're paying and get personal support when you want it.
- See your GBP to AED exchange rate instantly
- Transparent 0.25%-0.40% margin, depending on transfer size
- No Currencyflow payment transfer fees
- Personal support, including direct access to our founder
Send, save... & relax.
Transparent pricing, always shown upfront.
Your funds are safeguarded and kept separate from Currencyflow's operational funds. They are held in segregated safeguarded accounts through our FCA-authorised payment institution partner, Sciopay Ltd (FRN 927951).
By Freddie Smith, Founder & CEO, Currencyflow · Updated 29 October 2026
Sending money from the UK to the UAE? Here's what to know
A UK to UAE transfer may be part of a relocation, property purchase or another significant payment priced in dirhams. If you know the AED amount required, movements in GBP to AED can change how many pounds you'll need to convert.
It can help to plan the currency exchange around the payment date rather than treating both as the same decision. Currencyflow shows you the exchange rate available upfront, so you can assess the sterling cost before committing.
Why people send money from the UK to the UAE
The UAE's finance, property, and expat sectors draw UK professionals, and the money follows for salaries, family, and investment.
Relocating for work
Family support
Property investment in the UAE
Business and supplier payments
Why send money to the UAE with Currencyflow
| Feature | Currencyflow | High Street Banks |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | Fixed, transparent, competitive | Often wider and less transparent |
| Transfer fees | No payment transfer fees | Often charged |
| Speed | Same-day (most cases) | Several days |
| Support | Dedicated account manager | Call centre/branch |
| Rate lock | Forward contracts available | Rarely offered |
| Account setup | Free, no ongoing fees | Sometimes charged |
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Currencyflow indicative GBP to AED rate
1 GBP = 4.8768 AED
As of , the Currencyflow indicative GBP to AED rate is 1 GBP = 4.8768 AED, based on a £50,000 transfer with a 0.30% margin.
Your actual exchange rate may vary depending on the amount you send because our margin varies by transfer size. See our rates, margins and fees →
Currencyflow rates are indicative and confirmed when you book. No payment transfer fees.
Get a personalised GBP to AED quote →Currencyflow GBP to AED rates by transfer amount
Currencyflow exchange rates vary according to the amount you send.
| You send (GBP) | You receive (AED) | Currencyflow rate | Margin | Payment transfer fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £5,000 | AED 24,359 | 1 GBP = 4.8719 AED | 0.40% | None |
| £10,000 | AED 48,719 | 1 GBP = 4.8719 AED | 0.40% | None |
| £20,000 | AED 97,438 | 1 GBP = 4.8719 AED | 0.40% | None |
| £50,000 | AED 243,839 | 1 GBP = 4.8768 AED | 0.30% | None |
| £75,000 | AED 365,831 | 1 GBP = 4.8778 AED | 0.28% | None |
| £100,000 | AED 487,775 | 1 GBP = 4.8778 AED | 0.28% | None |
| £200,000 | AED 975,844 | 1 GBP = 4.8792 AED | 0.25% | None |
| £300,000 | AED 1,463,766 | 1 GBP = 4.8792 AED | 0.25% | None |
| £500,000 | AED 2,439,610 | 1 GBP = 4.8792 AED | 0.25% | None |
| £1,000,000 | AED 4,879,220 | 1 GBP = 4.8792 AED | 0.25% | None |
| £2,000,000 | AED 9,758,440 | 1 GBP = 4.8792 AED | 0.25% | None |
| £5,000,000 | AED 24,396,101 | 1 GBP = 4.8792 AED | 0.25% | None |
Currencyflow rates are indicative, updated hourly, and confirmed when you book. No payment transfer fees.
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How to transfer money to the UAE from the UK
See your exchange rate
Open your account
Send your funds
We make your international payment
Planning your GBP to AED transfer
Work back from the dirham amount
Fix a rate for a future transfer
Set a target rate if your timing is flexible
See GBP to AED rates and history
Sending pounds to a UAE bank account
If you’re sending money to the UAE, the recipient may hold an account with a major bank such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) or Dubai Islamic Bank.
Once you’ve agreed your GBP to AED exchange rate, you send the pounds to Currencyflow using the payment details provided for your transfer. We convert the GBP into UAE dirhams at the agreed rate and send the AED to the recipient account you’ve specified.
UAE bank accounts use IBANs beginning AE, with SWIFT/BIC details commonly used for international payments. Check the beneficiary name and IBAN carefully against the recipient’s bank details before sending the funds.
Customers use this route for relocation, property purchases, business payments and supporting family, and the beneficiary may be your own account, a company or another third party.
How long does a transfer from the UK to the UAE take?
Most transfers arrive the same working day or the next.
- When you fund the transfer. Paying us by Faster Payments early in the UK day, and remembering the UAE is four hours ahead, gives your dirhams the best chance of arriving the same working day.
- First-transfer verification. Your first payment can take a little longer while your account is verified, then later transfers are quicker.
- Compliance checks on larger amounts. A big relocation or property payment may need source-of-funds evidence, so having it ready avoids a pause.
- Aligned weekends. The UAE keeps a Saturday-to-Sunday weekend like the UK, so there's no working-week mismatch to add delay, unlike some other Gulf routes.
- Receiving bank processing. Once we release the dirhams, the UAE bank's own processing usually completes same or next working day.
A bank on this route can take two to four working days. With us, most GBP to AED transfers land same or next working day, with a few factors affecting the exact timing.
What do you need to send money to the UAE?
To send money to a UAE bank account, you'll need:
- Photo ID, either a passport or a driving licence.
- Proof of address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement.
- The recipient's full name as it appears on their UAE account.
- The recipient's full UAE IBAN.
- The purpose of the transfer, which we'll ask about for larger amounts.
- Source-of-funds evidence for a large transfer, for example a payslip, an employment contract, or a property document.
For a property purchase, the recipient may be a developer or a lawyer's account, so confirm the IBAN and reference before you send.
Legal and tax notes for UK to UAE transfers
- On the UK side, sending the money isn't a taxable event in itself. If you're making a large lifetime gift and you're UK-domiciled, it can fall under inheritance tax's seven-year rule: amounts over the £3,000 annual exemption are potentially exempt transfers and only fully leave your estate if you survive seven years.
- On the UAE side, there's no personal income tax and no gift or inheritance tax on individuals, so money you send to family or into your own account there isn't taxed as income. The UAE does levy a 9% corporate tax on business profits above AED 375,000, introduced in 2023, but that applies to businesses, not to personal transfers or salary.
- The UK and UAE have a double taxation agreement, so income such as a pension isn't taxed twice across the two countries. In practice, because the UAE doesn't tax personal income, double taxation of a UK pension rarely arises, but the treaty governs how cross-border income is treated.
- Cash declarations are separate from electronic transfers. Travellers physically carrying cash or valuables into the UAE must declare AED 60,000 or more (declared online through the Afseh platform), and Great Britain has its own £10,000 threshold for cash carried across its border. Both are customs rules for cash in person, not taxes, and neither applies to a bank transfer. Note there's no fixed sterling threshold that triggers a check on an electronic transfer, those checks are risk-based.
- These notes are general information, not tax advice. For a large gift, a relocation, or a property purchase in the UAE, it's worth taking professional advice on your own situation.
Why trust Currencyflow
Your funds are safeguarded
Client funds are held in segregated safeguarded accounts through our FCA-authorised payment institution partner, Sciopay Ltd (FRN 927951), separate from Currencyflow's operational funds.
Personal support when you want it
Speak with us by phone, WhatsApp or email, including direct access to our founder, Freddie, when you want to talk through your transfer.
Secure account and payment processes
Currencyflow uses security measures including two-factor authentication and transaction monitoring to help protect accounts and payments.
Frequently asked questions
Written by
Freddie SmithFounder & CEO, Currencyflow
Freddie Smith is the Founder and CEO of Currencyflow, an international foreign exchange and payments specialist focused on high-value transfers for individuals and businesses worldwide. With over 12 years of commercial experience across financial services and digital media, including several years working with financial services comparison platforms, Freddie has spent his career at the intersection of partnerships, growth strategy, and money movement. He founded Currencyflow to bring transparent, fixed-margin pricing and personal relationship management to clients making significant international transfers.
Last updated 29 October 2026
