Contactless limit is set to rise to £45 to help fight Covid-19

From 1 April 2020, consumers will be able to use contactless payments on amounts of up to £45, as concerns about hygiene when shopping continues.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today made the announcement that the limit on contactless payments was being increased from £30 to £45. It stated that while this increase had been considered for a while, the FCA, along with retailers, decided to bring the decision forward in response to the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent rise in consumers wanting to use contactless for making payments.

Stephen Jones, CEO of UK Finance, said: “The payments industry has been working closely with retailers to be able to increase the contactless payment limit to help customers with their shopping at this critical time for the country.

“This will give more people the choice to opt for the speed and convenience of purchasing goods using their contactless card, helping to cut queues at the checkout.

“The industry continues to work closely with the government and regulators to support customers impacted by Covid-19 and ensure that they can pay in a way that suits them.”

While using contactless payment is considered more hygienic during the Covid-19 outbreak compared to using a chip and pin or cash, all forms of payment are still available. Consumers should always keep in mind when using chip and pin or handling cash that germs can remain on cash and pin pads and, as such, they should follow the Government’s guidelines and wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds afterwards.