Has the contactless limit increased in the UK?

Banks have been free to raise or remove the £100 limit since 19 March 2026, but most major UK banks have not changed their limit. Check with your bank directly.

What is the contactless limit in the UK in 2026?

The contactless limit remains £100 at most UK banks as of April 2026, unchanged since 2021.

News & Guides ⏱ 2 min read min read 📅 Updated Apr 2026

Banks Can Now Remove the £100 Contactless Limit — But Most Aren't Doing It

Banks have been free to raise or remove the £100 contactless limit since March 2026 — but most haven't. Here's which banks have changed it and what to do.

Chandraketu Tripathi

Finance Editor, Kaeltripton

Published 3 Apr 2026

Last reviewed 3 Apr 2026

✓ Fact-checked

Banks Can Now Remove the £100 Contactless Limit — But Most Aren't Doing It

Banking — April 2026

April 3, 2026 — London

Since 19 March 2026, UK banks have been free to raise or completely remove the £100 contactless payment limit that has been in place since 2021. But most banks are not changing it — and the limit remains £100 at the majority of high street banks unless you've been specifically told otherwise.

Which Banks Have Changed the Limit?

As of April 3, 2026, very few banks have announced changes to the contactless limit. Unless your bank has contacted you directly to notify you of a change, assume your limit is still £100.

Bank	Contactless Limit (April 2026)	Changed?
Barclays	£100	No change announced
HSBC	£100	No change announced
NatWest	£100	No change announced
Lloyds	£100	No change announced
Monzo	£100	No change announced
Starling	£100	No change announced
Chase	£100	No change announced

Check with your bank directly — if they have raised your limit, they will have sent you a notification by app, email or letter. Don't assume the limit has changed.

Why Are Banks Being Slow to Change?

Fraud concerns — higher limits increase the potential loss from a stolen card
Technical updates required to POS terminals — not all retailers are ready
Consumer demand is lower than expected — most payments under £100
Liability issues — banks are cautious about increasing theft exposure

What Are Your Alternatives for Payments Above £100?

Use chip and PIN — no limit on chip and PIN transactions
Use Apple Pay or Google Pay — these have higher or no limits depending on the bank
Set up a standing order or bank transfer for regular large payments
Use a credit card for larger purchases — also covers Section 75 protection

Bottom line: Despite banks being free to remove the £100 limit since March 2026, most have not changed it. The contactless limit at your bank is almost certainly still £100 unless you've been told otherwise. For payments above £100, use chip and PIN or mobile pay.