Contactless payment limit increased to £45

Jersey banks have now increased their contactless payment limits to minimise the shared handling of card readers and help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds International, NatWest International and Santander International have all  increased their limit from £30 to £45. Islanders will now be able to use contactless payments for payments up to £45 at a range of retailers, including Alliance, Co-Op, Sandpiper and Waitrose supermarkets.

Contactless payments are payments made by tapping a device such as a debit or credit card, or smartphone, over a card reader, without needing to touch the card reader to enter a pin number. 

Contactless payments can help to minimise contact with people outside of the household in line with Stay at Home and social distancing, by reducing the number of people who handle card readers. 

Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources, Senator Ian Gorst, said: “This is a sensible move by banks, payment providers and retailers. People should only leave their homes for essential reasons, for a maximum of 2 hours a day. Increasing the contactless payments limit to £45 will help prevent the spread of Covid-19 as people carry out these essential activities.”