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Small Business Strategy Inquiry 2025 - ACT and Bira call for members to share their voice

20 Jun 2025

The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the ACT, and its parent company Bira, to help them reach out to small business retailers across the country, for their quick input on... Read more…

Beyond the discount: Restoring integrity to the cycle supply chain

18 Jun 2025

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain, writes ACT Director Jonathan Harrison in an article published for BikeBiz.
Read more…

Bira welcomes Wales' business rates proposals but calls for key improvements

11 Jun 2025

Bira has welcomed the Welsh Government's consultation on business rate reforms for retail shops, whilst calling for significant improvements to ensure the proposals truly support high street... Read more…

New awards launch to champion Britain's independent high street heroes

9 Jun 2025

Retailers on Britain's high streets are being encouraged to put themselves forward for the first-ever Love Your High Street Awards, designed to celebrate the small businesses that bring... Read more…

"Tectonic shift" in employment law threatens independent retailer viability, warns Bira podcast

6 Jun 2025

Independent retailers are facing a "generational" transformation of employment law that could fundamentally change how small businesses operate, according to the final episode of Bira's first... Read more…

Retailers hope warm weather and bank holidays will boost high street sales

16 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said that members are hopeful the warm weather, Easter weekend and upcoming bank holidays will provide a much-needed boost to high street sales.
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Economic growth surges to 0.7%, but "April reality check" looms for high street retailers

15 May 2025

UK economy delivers strongest quarterly performance in a year despite forecasts of business downturn.
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Communities come together for Local Bike Shop Day 2025 celebrations

13 May 2025

Local Bike Shop Day 2025 brought a wave of... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira welcomes Bank of England's latest interest rate cut

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to reduce interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%, calling it a "much-needed boost" for the retail sector, including for cycling... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira responds to Beales' "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" as iconic store makes final protest

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the news that the 144-year-old Beales department store is staging a "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" in its final weeks of trading, with giant yellow... Read more…

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Contactless Payments Increase to ?100 on Friday 15th October 2021

Posted on in Business News, Brands & Products News, Cycles News, Political News

According credit-cardto UK Finance, 'The new £100 limit is designed to balance security, convenience and consumer demand. The higher limit will mean you can now use your contactless card to pay for more expensive purchases such as your weekly shop or a tank of petrol.'

What you need to know:

  • The update will be rolled out from Friday 15th October 2021, but the process will happen gradually across all terminals in the UK.
  • Consumers can still opt to pay using chip & PIN or use a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay to authenticate the transaction.
  • If a purchase costs more than £45 and the machine has not yet been updated to accept £100 transactions, then contactless card payments will not be an available option.

Stay up to date with all information regarding contactless limits and payments with the UK Finance Guide for Retailers. Below are some FAQs from UK Finance.

How do I know if my contactless transaction was successful?

When you present your card you will typically hear a beep, this indicates that your card has been recognised by the terminal. In order to confirm that the payment has been successful, please follow the instructions on the card reader.

Why is the new limit £100?

The new £100 limit is designed to balance security, convenience and consumer demand. The higher limit will mean you can now use your contactless card to pay for more expensive purchases such as your weekly shop or a tank of petrol. It aims to provide consumers with greater choice, depending on their circumstances and needs. You may wish to pay using contactless for amounts exceeding £45, or alternatively, you can opt to pay using chip & PIN, or use a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay, or Google Pay to authenticate the transaction.

How will the limit change work?

The software on card payment machines will be updated to accept the new £100 limit. The software will be rolled out from 15 October 2021 but with hundreds of thousands of terminals in the UK, the updating process will happen gradually. If a purchase costs more than £45 and the machine has not yet been updated to accept £100 transactions, then contactless card payments will not be an available option. There are alternative ways to pay, for example through Chip & PIN, cash and mobile payments like Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Do I have to use contactless for higher amounts?

No, the change is aimed at providing people with additional choices when they pay. You are still able to use a chip & PIN or a mobile wallet such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.

What happens if I lose my card, am I liable for any fraudulent payments?

No, you are fully protected against unauthorised card fraud, so you will get all of your money back. Every card has an in-built security check which means from time to time you have to enter your PIN to verify that you are the genuine cardholder. However, if you lose your card or think it might have been stolen, then you should contact your bank straight away. If you notice any suspicious activity on your account, contact your bank immediately.

What is contactless?

Contactless is a way for cardholders to pay for purchases using a card without having to enter their PIN. The maximum value for this kind of purchase is known as the contactless limit. If the value is above the limit, the payment will default to a chip & PIN payment for card, or, if available, payment via mobile phone. Every card has an in-built security check which means from time to time you have to enter your PIN to verify that you are the genuine cardholder. This cumulative limit has been increased to a maximum amount of £300. Your bank will set its own limit, but these will not be published for security reasons.

How do you use a contactless card?

  1. Look out for the contactless symbol when shopping.
  2. Tell the retailer you'd like to use your contactless card and simply touch it directly onto the card reader.
  3. The card reader will indicate when your card has been recognised, typically with a beep or green light.
  4. Follow the instructions on the card reader and terminal display to confirm when your payment has been successful or whether you need to complete a chip and PIN payment instead. For extra security, you may occasionally be asked to enter your PIN.

How close does the card need to be to the reader to pay?

To make a payment, hold a contactless card within a few centimetres of the reader.

Looking for a Card Processing Solution?

Over the past few years not only has the importance of being able to accept card payments risen but the services and solutions offered by different card processing providers have also changed.

To provide the best solution for all business the ACT and ActSmart (members of the Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC)) have two card processing partners; Global Payments for established businesses with medium to high card turnover and Paya Card Services for new and smaller businesses with lower card volumes.

Find out more

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