Receiving money from your family back home is often more complicated than it sounds. Different countries have different limits and methods. Here is what actually works for getting money into your UK bank account.
Your parents transfer CNY to Wise, you receive GBP in your UK bank account. Low fees (typically 0.4–0.8%), real exchange rate, no hidden charges. Set up a Wise account and share your GBP account details with your family. Money arrives in 1–2 business days.
Available at many UK post offices and shops. Your family sends cash in China, you collect GBP in the UK. Useful if you need cash urgently before your UK bank account is open.
Traditional international bank transfer. Your family sends from their bank to your UK bank account using your IBAN/SWIFT code. Fees are higher (£10–25 per transfer) and it can take 3–5 days.
WeChat Pay and Alipay cannot send money directly to a UK bank account. Some students link Wise to WeChat — your family tops up your Wise CNY wallet via WeChat Pay. Also note: Chinese residents can only transfer the equivalent of $50,000 USD per year per person. If you need more, multiple family members may need to send separately.
Do not wait until you are short of money to set this up. Create your Wise account, verify your identity, and share your GBP account details with your family before you need a transfer.