Paymaster’s Office

Paymaster’s Office: Organization Chart

Paymaster’s Office: Role

The Paymaster is the representative in the United Kingdom of the public accounts directorate of the Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industry.

It maintains the French Embassy’s general accounts, is responsible for settling the bills of the British and French suppliers of its various departments and recovering debts owed to it.

The Paymaster’s office is responsible for disbursing French State pensions (retirement, disability, war veterans’ pensions, etc.) monthly, six-monthly or annually (depending on the pension category) to French nationals living in the United Kingdom. The amounts are calculated in Euro and paid in pounds sterling according to the official exchange rate on the payment date.

The Paymaster’s office is also responsible for the income, expenditure and accounts of the three official French cultural organizations: the Institut Français du Royaume-Uni (IFRU), Maison Française d’Oxford (MFO) and Institut Français d’Ecosse (IFE).

Suppliers

- Local suppliers: all suppliers’ invoices are settled by bank transfer. It is therefore important to ensure that your invoice shows all bank details (bank name, branch sort code and account number). Suppliers may be paid either in euro, pound sterling, US dollars or any other currency.

- French suppliers: for all questions regarding VAT payable to the British tax authorities, please refer to the tax attaché’s website. Debtors

The Paymaster General’s office is also responsible for the recovery of money owed by United Kingdom residents to the French government, for example income tax and hospital bills. The amounts are expressed in euro and may be settled in euro or pounds sterling. The amount in sterling is calculated at the official exchange rate in force on the payment date.

Official exchange rate

The chancery rate is the official exchange rate used by the French government for all its foreign transactions. It is very close to the market exchange rate, the only difference being that is modifed only twice a month (1st and 16th day of the month). The rate is set by the Treasury and Economic Policy General Directorate (DGTPE) of the French Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industry in Paris.

Contact the Paymaster’s Office

- 30 Queen’s Gate Terrace, London SW7 5PH.

- Email : -