Information about Switching Bank Accounts and directi debits

jnorab

Hi everyone,

I am doing a research paper about Banking mobility in different european countries. Part of my study is focusing on the way banks deal with switching bank accounts and direct debits transfer, a matter that usually prevents clients from switching to another bank as it's too much hassle to make transfers.

I know that Banks provide today an "automatic switch service to their clients, more or less efficient. As far as I know it's also the case in France and Spain. I happen to have discovered that in Spain, those switching services are provided by an outsourced company working for the banks. So the switching division is not part of the Bank institution, but is outsourced.
Now, I am desperately trying to find if in England, this transfer service provided by the banks is outsourced or not ? And if it is outsourced, what is the name of the company (companies ?) offering this kind of services to the banks.

If anyone has the slightest idea, it culd be very very helpful.

Thank you very much for anyone's help !

Regards

Jnorab