How to get up to £70 compensation from Mastercard – even if you've never paid with one
We've explained exactly who is eligible
BANK ON IT How to get up to £70 compensation from Mastercard – even if you've never paid with one
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
MILLIONS of Brits could be in line for compensation from Mastercard, even if they've never paid with or owned one.
A £200million settlement means you might be owed money for purchases made years ago.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
1
Here's how to check if you're eligible and claim your share
Credit: AP:Associated Press
Around 47million customers could receive compensation of up to £70 each following a landmark legal victory in May.
Walter Merricks, a former financial ombudsman, first launched the legal claim back in 2016.
He alleged that 46million shoppers in Britain were ripped off after fees were wrongly levied on transactions made over a 15-year period between 1992 and 2008.
Here's how to check if you're eligible and claim your share.
Why is Mastercard paying out?
The payout stems from a group legal claim, initiated by former financial ombudsman Walter Merricks back in 2016.
Merricks argued that between 1992 and 2008, Mastercard's high transaction fees unfairly burdened shoppers.
Retailers charged fees by Mastercard to process card payments, and allegedly passed those costs onto consumers through inflated prices.
While Mastercard provides the technology for card payments, this case argued that their fees led to overcharging of consumers.
The settlement, approved in May, is a significant victory for consumer rights, but it falls short of the initial £10-17billion Merricks originally sought.
Americans to receive one-time payment from $5.6 billion Visa Mastercard settlement – and the deadline has been extended
How much could you get?
The amount of compensation depends you get will depend on how many people file a claim.
Of the £200million settlement, £100million is earmarked for consumer payouts.
Experts from MoneySavingExpert.com predict that if only a small percentage (around 5%) of eligible individuals claim, payouts could reach up to £70.
However, if more people apply, the payout will likely be around £45.
The remaining £100million will cover legal costs and other expenses.
Am I eligible?
You do not need to have ever used a Mastercard to qualify for compensation.
The claim argues that all shoppers were affected by the inflated prices, regardless of their payment method.
To qualify for compensation, you must meet all of the following criteria:
You lived in the UK (England, Wales or Northern Ireland) for at least three consecutive months between June 20, 1997, and June 21, 2008. For those who lived in Scotland, the period extends from May 22, 1992, to June 21, 2008.
You were aged 16 or over during the relevant period.
You purchased goods or services in the UK during this time for non-business purposes. You won't need to provide proof of purchase.
You were still living in the UK on September 6, 2016 (when the claim was filed).
How do I make a claim and when will I be paid?
An online claims portal is expected to launch in the coming weeks on the Mastercard Consumer Claim website, managed by legal services firm Epiq.
Those who think they've been affected will have several months to submit their claims online.
The process will be straightforward, requiring you to confirm your eligibility and provide basic information like your date of birth, address, and bank details for payment.
No supporting documentation will be required.
If deemed eligible, Mastercard is expected to issue payments within 28 days, with individuals having until the end of 2025 to submit their claims.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Spectator
38 minutes ago
- Spectator
Why the Israel-Iran war could raise your taxes
If Rachel Reeves is to have any chance of making it to her autumn budget without U-turns or raising taxes, the improved economic forecasts of recent months need to come true. Missiles flying between Israel and Iran may destroy that hope. Things had been getting better for the Chancellor. Look at economic forecasts from the aftermath of Trump's 'liberation day', and there was a common theme when it came to Britain. Because of the nature of our economic relationship with America – as a massive exporter in services (we're their call centre) and with more or less balanced trade in goods – we would be shielded against the worst impacts of a trade slowdown. Global GDP growth would suffer, but the effects would not come to Britain. The real boon, if one was being positive, though was what effect these tariffs might have on inflation. While raising prices in the shops for American consumers, the view of the economic world was that for the UK they may in fact be disinflationary. That's because, as the consultancy firm Oxford Economics explained to their clients last month, dampening demand for commodities such as oil and gas would reduce the cost of products consumed in Britain. But all that was before the first Israeli missiles landed in Iran. A barrel of Brent crude now goes for over $70. On Monday it went for $65 – so there has been a 9 per cent in just five days. On Friday morning, it briefly spiked to nearly $80 in what was the sharpest price spike since Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago. Within hours of Reeves delivering what director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson yesterday called an 'incomprehensible' spending review speech, economists were warning that tax rises in the autumn were becoming likely. Just a day later, a worse-than-expected GDP contraction turned likely into very likely. If oil prices continue climbing as the war escalates, tax rises could become certain. Some 20 billion barrels of oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz, or about 30 per cent of total global trade. So it's easy to see how if Tehran tried to attempt to close the Strait – as Iranian news reports it is considering – or even attacked a few tankers, the oil price would quickly head northwards again. Indeed the FT reported yesterday that the world's largest oil tanker company has stopped accepting new contracts to sail through the Strait. If oil prices do continue to rise – and some say disruption in the Strait could send the price over $100 a barrel – it would be mere days before Brits start paying the cost at the petrol forecourt. But oil supplies are crucial to much more than petrol and diesel and taken together, it's easy to see how the rate of inflation remains sticky or even begins to rise again. Given that the bond markets are keeping the cost of UK debt far higher than the Treasury has been used to – much more because of inflation worries and the after effects of money printing than is understood in Westminster – any signal that prices were rising again are not going to give them faith in Britain as a debtor. If that were to happen and gilt yields remain high, or even climb further, then Reeves could find herself in heaps of trouble. It surprises many City economists just how unequivocal the government has been about sticking to fiscal rules and indeed keeping Labour's manifesto promise not to 'raise taxes on working people' given how hard that is when Reeves only has £9.9 billion of headroom. Before her Spring Statement the chancellor talked of the economic challenges posed by a 'changing world'. Things in the middle east have a habit of spilling over and the world seems to be changing again. Could this once more be the excuse the chancellor has to reach for?
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Britain will pay with blood of its people if it doesn't wake up now – world must fear us, Penny Mordaunt warns
A second ex-defence secretary warned Putin will not be 'deterred by ambition' READY TO FIGHT Britain will pay with blood of its people if it doesn't wake up now – world must fear us, Penny Mordaunt warns Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRITAIN will pay with the blood of its people if more money isn't spent to bolster the UK's defence, Penny Mordaunt has warned. The ex-defence secretary has urged the government to "wake up" and fund the UK's security properly before it's too late. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 British Army M270B1 Multiple Launch Rocket System firing the M31 GMLRS munition at a training drill in Lapland Credit: Ian Whittaker 6 British servicemen at the Steadfast Dart 2025 exercise, involving some 10,000 troops in three different countries from nine nations Credit: AP 6 Penny Mordaunt has urged the government to up its spending on defence Credit: PA Former Navy reservist Mordaunt argued that Britain is "emboldening our enemies" if we fail to invest in other forms of deterrence. She warned the consequences with be "incalculably grave" if the government does not open up the treasury purse. Ms Mordaunt told The Sun: "I'm confident that if you prepare for war, you invest in it, you train for it, then conflicts don't start. "Because your foes know it is not worth them doing that. They're going to lose. "The consequences of retaliation against them are too great." Ms Mordaunt's call was echoed by Sir Liam Fox - defence secretary from 2010 to 2011 - who warned the greatest threat to the UK right now comes from Russia. "Frankly, Putin is not going to be deterred by ambition," he told The Sun. "He's deterred by hard power." It comes as the government this month released its much-anticipated Defence Review, which provided a catalogue of recommendations on how to respond to external threats. The review - led by ex-Nato chief Lord Robertson - urges the UK to move to a position of "war-readiness". Britain is our enemy number one, Russians say as new poll puts UK above even Ukraine as Moscow's top foe This could be achieved through numerous commitments to scale up defence capabilities - including a £1.5 billion investment in an "always on" pipeline for munitions, the review said. But the Spending Review this week failed to fulfil the suggestions made by Lord Robertson - including to agree to Nato calls to ramp up investment to 3.5 per cent of GDP. US president Donald Trump previously demanded the UK boost defence spending to five per cent of GDP. It comes after Keir Starmer last week vowed to make Britain "battle-ready" and insisted the threat from Russia could not be ignored. Ms Mordaunt said: "The US President pressed us to go further. The Prime Minister said we needed to deliver on all fronts to keep Britian's people safe and their interests secure. "Not to do so would be a dereliction of his first duty. I was hopeful. "This week we discovered that, behind Treasury smoke and mirrors, defence will received nothing. "No extra funds, no plan to reach Nato's ask, no assurance to unlock industrial investment, no reassurance to donor allies like the US, or recipient allies such as Ukraine, that we are a serious partner. "The consequences of this are incalculably grave. High tax, high borrowing Labour is back By Jack Elsom, Political Editor ONE phrase that Rachel Reeves repeated four times cuts to the nub of her economic plans: 'These are Labour choices'. But not the cuddly, business-friendly Labour that we were promised before the election - instead the old-school variety of high taxes and high borrowing. Her £300billion spending hike means she can point to shiny news infrastructure projects and talk the language of 'renewal'. It is a high-stakes strategy designed to win over working class voters that Labour is bleeding to Reform, who Ms Reeves devoted time in her statement to attack. Many of those flocking to Nigel Farage do so out of growing despair that - in his words - 'Britain is broken'. It is why she made big plays on ploughing money into defence, the NHS and ending migrant hotels. But they won't thank the Chancellor if she is forced to put their taxes up even more in the Autumn… "If the Prime minister believed what he told us about the threats we face then government must alter its plans." It comes as threats to the UK's security loom large from rogue nations such as Russia. And meanwhile the Middle East sits on the brink of war, with Starmer moving military assets in after Israel and Iran fiercely clashed. Vladimir Putin continues to throw soldiers into his meatgrinder war in Ukraine which shows no sign of stopping after more than three years. The bloodthirsty tyrant has repeatedly threatened Western nations - including Britain - over their support of Kyiv. A series of suspicious incidents including undersea cables being cut in suspected sabotage attacks are also a real cause for concern. And this week, Britain was declared as Russia's enemy number one - even above Ukraine and the United States. Ms Mordaunt warned: "We need to wake up Europe and we need to wake up in Britain. "If we don't start funding these foundational capabilities, we are going to end up having to spend more money in the future. "And it won't just be money we're spending. It will be the blood of our own citizens because we'll be in a conflict somewhere." 6 Putin has repeatedly threatened the West Credit: Getty 6 Ukrainian servicemen of Khartya brigade operate a D-30 howitzer Credit: Getty Sir Fox - who praised Lord Robertson's "sensible" defence review - insisted defence is the "number one" job of the government. He added: "The problem is the same problem we've had for a long time, which is that the governments like to make a lot of noise about defence - but the treasuries don't open the cheque books. "There's a real problem in European governments in particular, which includes outs, that we enjoyed the peace dividend after the Cold War and thought it would last forever. "And therefore we could increase our domestic spending on welfare and everything else. And that's fine because the defence budget could stay much lower. "Well, defence is not a discretionary spend. "If they were useless at anything else, the one thing they have to be good at is protecting British citizens from outside threats. "And that means they have to spend whatever is necessary in response to that threat, not what they would like to spend in a perfect world." Putin's Ukraine war toll tops 1MILLION by Patrick Harrington and Sayan Bose PUTIN's battlefield casualties have soared past the bloody one million milestone after 40 months of a war he expected to win within days. Ukraine's fierce resistance has ensured Russia has paid a mighty toll for every inch of land it has taken, and its advances remain painfully slow. The staggering milestone includes troops who have been killed or wounded so severely that they cannot fight on. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, one million Russian military troops have been put out of action since February 24, 2022, with 628,000 of those casualties occurring in the last six months. Burning through a million troops has won Putin just 20 per cent of Ukraine's total territory - mainly in southern and eastern areas - which is a humiliating conversion rate. Despite the devastating losses which have already ripped a scar in Russian society, experts fear that Putin is likely unaffected by the numbers, because mass sacrifice is ingrained in his battle plan. READ MORE HERE
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
I tested out ‘the best ChatGPT hack' after fashion fans reveal how they can always get discount on their clothes
QUICK CHAT I tested out 'the best ChatGPT hack' after fashion fans reveal how they can always get discount on their clothes Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE cost of living crisis has everyone keeping a close eye on their spending, especially when it comes to life's little luxuries. But every now and then, you might need to treat yourself or buy something new, and with prices as they are, it can be a bit daunting. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Shoppers claim that a ChatGPT hack can provide an instant discount Credit: Alamy Savvy shoppers, however, have discovered a clever way to snag discounts every time they shop - and it couldn't be easier. While many people rely on Googling discount codes, this often means wading through endless websites, squinting at the fine print, and sharing your personal details, only to find the code doesn't even work. But some deal hunters have uncovered a much simpler trick. One shopper, known as 'linzooutloud' on TikTok, shared a clever money-saving tip that's taking the internet by storm. The secret? Using ChatGPT. She claimed it was 'the best ChatGPT hack.' ChatGPT is an AI tool designed to help with all sorts of tasks, from answering questions to offering suggestions. It's like having your own virtual assistant that understands your queries and provides helpful responses - perfect for making shopping easier and potentially cheaper. According to shoppers, all you need to do is type in the company or retailer's name, the month and year, and ask for an active discount code. They claim it scans the internet for you, finding codes in seconds. Many users are calling the hack 'life-changing' and a 'game changer' for their shopping experience. So, naturally, I decided to put it to the test. I asked ChatGPT to help me glow up for summer - I did all the tweaks at home myself Trying out a range of shops and sites, I found it's definitely worth a go - even if it doesn't always work. Since it's so quick to search, it only takes a few seconds. First, I searched for general discount codes, simply entering 'activated discount codes for June 2025,' and the results were impressive. ChatGPT provided a wide variety of codes across fashion brands like Next, BloomChic, and True Classic; technology and electronics, including Temu and HP; and home and lifestyle options for sites like eBay and AliExpress. When I narrowed down my search to clothing, it got even more specific, offering codes for ASOS, JD Sports, Boohoo, River Island, M&S, and Fashion Nova. 2 Yasmin was pleasantly surprised with the extra discounts she managed to get her hands on Credit: David Cummings But it didn't stop there. I tested discount codes for medical items, including weight loss jabs like Ozempic and Monjaro, and found plenty of options from reputable online pharmacies. After trying out a few, they worked seamlessly. As for fashion codes, the success rate was more mixed. While many worked well, codes for Marks & Spencer, Next, and River Island weren't recognised. It's easy to see why this trend is going viral on TikTok – it's a quick and simple way to potentially save a few extra quid on your purchases. Even if it doesn't work every time, it's worth a shot for the chance to avoid paying full price.
