direct debit

British

noun

an order given to a bank or building society by a holder of an account, instructing it to pay to a specified person or organization any sum demanded by that person or organization Compare standing order

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Others have simply cancelled the direct debit with their bank, but this can impact your credit score – and it doesn't cancel your contract with the company.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Then in July electricity customers paying by direct debit monthly or quarterly will have £30 credited to their accounts, and pay-as-you-go customers will have £30 credited to their keycard card.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Between 1 April and 30 June 2026, the annual bill for dual-fuel direct debit households in Great Britain using a typical amount of energy will be £1,641.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Between 1 January and 31 March 2026, the energy price cap is set at £1,758 per year for a typical household which uses electricity and pays by direct debit.

From BBC • Jan. 3, 2026

It fixes the maximum amount customers can be charged for each unit of gas and electricity on a standard - or default - variable tariff for a typical dual-fuel household which pays by direct debit.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023