Available balance

Available balance is the amount in your bank account you can use right now. It reflects processed transactions and any holds or pending payments. It differs from the account/ledger balance, which shows posted entries and can ignore items that are still pending.

What “available balance” does and doesn’t include:

• Includes payments and deposits that have cleared.
• Deducts pending card payments, cash withdrawals and merchant holds (for example, hotels or fuel stations).
• Excludes money that has not cleared yet, such as cheques or incoming transfers still being processed.
• May include your arranged overdraft, depending on your bank’s display.
• Can change during the day as merchants claim or release holds.

For day‑to‑day decisions (paying suppliers, payroll or tax), look at the available balance to avoid failed payments or charges. For bookkeeping, reconcile to the statement or ledger balance, but keep an eye on the available figure so cash flow stays realistic. If you use an authorised overdraft, confirm whether your bank includes it in the available amount.