UK raises contactless payment limit to £45 amid coronavirus spread
The move has been prompted by hygiene concerns.
The limit for contactless card payments in the UK will be increased to £45 from April 1st. According to UK Finance, the decision was already under consideration by those in the industry, but the process has been sped up to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, and to support consumers that would rather pay by contactless at this time. It's important to clarify, however, that the World Health Organization has not warned people against using paper money and coins, but it does advise thorough handwashing after handling it.
This is the second time the contactless payment limit has been bumped up -- it was increased from £20 to £30 back in 2015. Given the circumstances, however, the new limit may take a while to reach all retailers. In the meantime, if you're concerned about using physical cash, there are always mobile payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay, which don't have an upper limit once they've been authenticated with a fingerprint.
