Pay at Pump is Changing

Visa and Mastercard are changing the way that pay-at-pump transactions are managed at all fuel retailers in the UK.

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What is changing?

In the past, all pay-at-pump transactions would check that a customer’s bank account had at least £1 available before filling up. This then allowed customers to fill up to £99, with the final amount charged to their account (normally the day after) and the £1 pre-authorisation fee returned.

Under the new rules imposed by Visa and Mastercard last year, the pre-authorisation amount is changing from £1 to £99. Eventually, every pay-at-pump filling station in the UK will adopt the new system where, instead of £1, up to £99 will be temporarily held while you fill up your car. Once you’ve finished refuelling, the remainder of the unused funds will be released back to your account straight away, and you’ll only be charged for the value of the fuel you have taken.

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Why is this happening?

These rules are being introduced by Visa and Mastercard to ensure that customers are protected from going overdrawn when purchasing fuel at the pump – also helping you keep track of your spending in real time.

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What happens if I don’t have £99 in my account?

Don’t worry if you don’t have £99 available in your account. With the new approach, your card issuer will tell us the maximum amount you can spend during the pre-authorisation process. This amount will then be the maximum you can spend on fuel, so you’ll never go overdrawn.

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How long will the money be held for?

Once the transaction is complete and you’ve finished filling up your car, your card issuer should release any unused money almost immediately. However, it’s been reported that in some instances it may take longer for the amount to reappear on your banking app. If this is the case, we first recommend refreshing your banking app. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, and you’re concerned that the held money isn’t reappearing in your account, you should contact your issuing bank for guidance. They’ll be aware of these changes and will be able to advise you. Asda will only charge you for the value of the fuel.