UK Finance, the body representing banks, have announced that from 15 October 2021, shoppers in the UK will have the spending limit of up to £100 on each use of a contactless card payment, more than doubling its current threshold of £45 per transaction.
While Google Pay and Apple Pay users can already make contactless payments without a limit, contactless card users are restricted to the £45 maximum cap. When the pandemic started last year, this cap on “tap-and-go” payments was raised from £30 to £45 in an effort to encourage contactless spending and reduce close contact between customers and staff. The move led to a significant switch to contactless – according to UK Finance’s Card Spending Update in May this year, contactless payments accounted for 49 per cent of all credit card and 65 per cent of all debit card transactions in the UK.
This increase in contactless card limit will bring more flexibility for customers, allowing them to pay safely and securely while also leading to faster checkout at retail and hospitality venues.
At Uniware, we are working closely with our PED (PIN Entry Device) suppliers to make sure the new threshold will apply for our clients by the time it takes effect in October.
Are you getting an optimal rate for card payments?
Accepting card payments can be costly with the fee per each transaction, so it’s important to get an optimal rate. With Uniware’s merchant services partner, our clients can now save money thanks to the most competitive merchant acquirer rates in the market. Contact us today at info@uniware.co.uk for more information on how we can help you.