With the confirmation of the new contactless limit being implemented from Friday 15th October 2021, we have put together a quick and easy guide for you to stay up to date.

Why is there a new contactless limit?

The new contactless limit has been introduced to allow consumers to buy their more expensive purchases that may cost more than £45, such as a weekly food shop or petrol.

How is it being implemented?

The update to card terminal rolls out on Friday 15th October, but with thousands of card terminals needing to be updated the process will happen gradually, so there’s no need to worry if your terminal isn’t updated straight away.

Do I need to be aware of anything when waiting for the new limit?

If a purchase costs more than £45 and the machine has not yet been updated to accept £100 transactions, then contactless card payments will not be an available option. You will still be able to pay through chip & pin, cash, Apply Pay and Google Pay.

Has the method we pay on contactless changed?

The method to pay on contactless has remained the same.

  1. Look out for the contactless symbol when shopping.
  2. Tell the retailer you’d like to use your contactless card and simply touch it directly onto the card reader.
  3. The card reader will indicate when your card has been recognised, typically with a beep or green light.
  4. Follow the instructions on the card reader and terminal display to confirm when your payment has been success or whether you need to complete a chip and PIN payment instead.

    For extra security you may occasionally be asked to enter your PIN.


For more information and FAQs visit our Contactless Payments page

Further guidance and resources: