The DRIP is provided by Equiniti Financial Services Limited (’Equiniti FS’), and is a convenient, easy and cost effective way to build a shareholding by using cash dividends to buy additional shares. Rather than receiving a dividend cheque or having a bank account credited with a cash dividend, Equiniti FS will use the dividends payable to DRIP participants to purchase shares on their behalf in the market.
Whole shares are purchased with any residual money being carried forward and added to the next dividend. However, if the amount of the dividend, less any dealing costs incurred in completing the purchase, is insufficient to buy a single share no charge is made and the dividend is carried forward.