Frequently Asked Questions
The last dividend BT paid to shareholders was on 3 February 2020 at a rate of 4.62 pence per share.
As communicated in May 2020, the Board concluded that the prudent decision was to suspend the 2019/20 final dividend and dividends for 2020/21 in order to create capacity for BT’s value-enhancing investments and navigate the unprecedented uncertainties caused by Covid-19.
To continue to receive BT dividends and any other money payable to you in connection with your BT shares, you must take action and provide your bank or building society account details so that payments can be made directly to your account by direct credit.
Online
You can provide your nominated account details via your Shareview Portfolio. Please see below for details on how to register.
Post
Complete the payment instruction form attached to your dividend cheque and return it in the reply paid envelope provided.
Telephone
If you are a sole shareholder with 2,500 shares or fewer you can provide your nominated account details by contacting Equiniti on +44 (0) 808 100 4141 (please use the country code when contacting from outside the UK. Lines open 8:30am to 5:30pm (UK time) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales). Calls outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate.)1. Go to www.shareview.co.uk/register
2. Select 'BT Group plc' for 'The company you hold shares in'.
3. Enter your Shareholder Reference Number, personal details and contact preferences.
4. Create a password (consisting of 8-15 characters using upper and lower case letters and at least one number). Also set-up three security questions that we will use to identify you if you have forgotten your details at a later date and to keep your account safe.
5. Read and accept our Terms and Conditions and then you will be able to view your shares online.
In order to gain full access to all the services the portfolio offers, you’ll need to enter an activation code, once you’ve completed the registration this will automatically be sent your registered home address. Once you have received your activation code, simply log back in and enter the activation code when prompted to do so.
For many years BT has encouraged shareholders to have their dividends paid by direct credit rather than cheque as it is a more efficient, secure, and environmentally friendly method of payment.
Dividends will be paid into your nominated account as cleared funds on the dividend payment date.
You can nominate any UK bank or building society account.
If you do not have a UK bank or building society account, you may be able to arrange for payments to be converted and paid in your local currency using the Equiniti Overseas Payment Service. This service pays in over 83 currencies to over 90 different countries.
If you do not provide this information, you will not receive the money until your bank details are received, after which payment will be credited to your account as soon as possible. Your dividends will not accrue interest while they are being held for you and there may be a fee for Equiniti to reissue payments.
By registering for a Shareview Portfolio at shareview.co.uk you can manage many aspects of your shareholding online, including updating your bank details.
If you are a sole shareholder with 2,500 shares or fewer you can also update your bank details by calling Equiniti on +44 (0) 808 100 4141 (please use the country code when contacting from outside the UK. Lines open 8:30am to 5:30pm (UK time) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays in England and Wales). Calls outside the UK will be charged at the applicable international rate.)
February 2022 will be the last dividend for which you will be able to receive a cheque. From September 2022, any monies payable in connection with your shares will only be able to be paid by direct credit. You must take action as soon as possible to make sure you receive your dividend funds.
Yes. BT has a dividend investment plan that allows shareholders to obtain additional BT shares instead of receiving cash dividends. Since shares are bought in the market, rather than issued from unissued share capital, there is a charge of 1% (minimum £2.00) of the amount used to buy the shares. This charge includes 0.5% stamp duty.
Full details of how you can elect to receive shares instead of cash dividends are given in the explanatory booklet on the dividend investment plan.
If you have a shareview portfolio you can login and update your address online, via the change of address form, or if you hold less than 2500 shares you can complete a contact form and we’ll get back to you.
We can certainly update your name, we will require to sight of the relevant documentation before we can do so. Please let us know how you’ve updated your name via a contact form and we’ll get back to you.
We’re sorry to learn about the passing of the shareholder, you can notify us via the contact forms available in the contact section or you can view our dedicated bereavement section on our shareview website here.
We can certainly assist you with the next steps you can take, please complete a contact form and we’ll contact you back with the next steps in the process.
To transfer Certificated shares, the completion of an Ordinary Stock Transfer form and the surrendering of your share certificates would be required. The stock transfer form you can download and print from here, if you hold your shares in the BT Group Plc Easyshare it will be via the completion of transfer form A. If you require a transfer form A, please complete a contact form in the contact section to request one.
You can find the dealing services we offer at Equiniti here, if you’re looking to sell your certificated shares, you can also do this by contacting a stock broker of your choice.
You can view the latest investor news on the Investors section of the BT website.