Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Barclays Bank has finally switched on Apple Pay support in the U.K.

apple pay goes live in the u k version 1441936937 uk  available at 250 000 locations
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Apple flicked the switch on Apple Pay for U.K. shoppers in 2015, taking the tech company’s contactless payment service outside of the U.S. for the first time since its launch. The widespread use of contactless payment cards eased its introduction, with people familiar with the process already. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple Pay in the U.K..

Which banks support Apple Pay?

When Apple Pay went live on July 14 2015, the following banks supported the system immediately: Nationwide, Royal Bank of Scotland, Santander, Ulster Bank, and NatWest, plus American Express and MBNA cards. Two weeks later, First Direct and HSBC switched on Apple Pay, after mysteriously missing the launch.

Recommended Videos

On September 11, shortly after the launch of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, Halifax and Lloyds Bank both joined the Apple Pay family. Since then, Bank of Scotland, TSB, HSBC, Tesco Bank, and M&S Bank have all announced compatibility.

Always missing from the list was Barclays, but this changed in April 2016. Although it had always stated Apple Pay would arrive eventually, the delay has frustrated customers of the U.K.’s second largest bank. Apple Pay is now available to Personal, Premier, and Wealth account holders, and instructions on how to set up the service can be found here. Barclays also backs its own contactless payment system, has t it will bring Apple Pay to its customers in the future.

Where can Apple Pay be used?

More than a quarter of a million locations across the country will accept Apple Pay, among them M&S, Boots, Lidl, Waitrose, Starbucks and, of course, the Apple Store. Other high street stores include McDonalds, Wilko, KFC, Costa Coffee, the Post Office, BP gas stations, and with Transport for London. Apple Pay users can use the contactless system on the London Underground and other transportation around the city, instead of a physical ticket, or the existing contactless Oyster Card method.

Apple-Pay-goes-live-in-the-UK,-Available-at-250,000-locations---
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple Pay can also be used in certain apps. Apple’s website details them here, and the names include Etsy, JD Sports, Topshop, Zara, Addison Lee, and LastMinute.

How to use Apple Pay in the UK

The payment procedure is simple enough – pretty much a case of pressing your finger on your iPhone’s home button and holding the device close to the card reader. Apple Watch owners need to double tap the side button to access a card, then hold the smartwatch near the reader whereupon the transaction should go through. For a more detailed look at how to set up and use the service, as well as information on the different kinds of transactions you can make, be sure to check out DT’s comprehensive guide here.

When Apple Pay launched, transactions were limited to £20 ($31). On August 31, the limit was increased to £30 ($46). It’s a security measure — contactless payment technology has been used in the U.K. for quite a few years, and the cap is geared toward preventing stolen cards from being used in stores for large purchases.

Apple-Pay-goes-live-in-the-UK,-Available-at-250,000-locations-
Image used with permission by copyright holder

However, as Apple Pay transactions can only take place after the user’s fingerprint has been recognized by the iPhone’s Touch ID sensor, the limit seems unnecessary for Apple’s payment system. As a result, the Cupertino company is nudging U.K. retailers to update their systems to open up Apple Pay to pricier purchases.

Apple is planning to take its contactless payment service to more countries over time.

Previous updates:

Updated on 04-05-2016 by Andy Boxall: Added in news of Barclays support for Apple Pay

Updated in 09-11-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added in two new banks that now support Apple Pay in the UK.

Updated in 07-28-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added in details of further bank support for Apple Pay in the UK.

Article originally published on 07-14-2015

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
U.K. to double Apple Pay and Google Pay contactless payment limit
magsafe wallet is actually good apple 1

The U.K. is set to double the existing contactless payment limit, taking it to 100 British pounds, or about $140, over the summer, the BBC reported on Wednesday. Contactless payment is widespread in the U.K., not just through physical credit and debit cards, but by using mobile payment systems like Apple Pay and Google Pay too.

The previous limit was established as 45 pounds/$62 in 2020, a small rise from the prior 30/$42 pounds limit. Contactless payments have seen an increase in utility over the pandemic as cash has been downplayed due to fears of viral transmission. Contactless payments have also been adopted by new-style online, app-based banks such as Monzo, where payment can be made instantly from phones, even without having a corresponding physical card.

Read more
U.K.: Google and Apple’s billion-dollar search engine deal stifles competition
Google Logo

Google and Apple’s billion-dollar search engine deal is under fire in the United Kingdom. The country’s competition watchdog is investigating the exuberant sum Google pays Apple every year to be the default search engine on Safari -- which the regulators say creates “a significant barrier to entry and expansion” for rivals.

According to an updated study on online platforms and digital advertising filed by the U.K. government’s Competition and Markets Authority (via Reuters), Google shelled out 1.2 billion British pounds (about $1.5 billion) last year to be the go-to search engine on browsers across a range of devices in the U.K., the “substantial majority” of which went to Apple.

Read more
Best iPhone 15 deals: How to get Apple’s latest iPhone for free
The display on a green iPhone 15.

The iPhone 15 has been one of the most popular iPhones Apple has released, and even with the recently released iPhone 16 shaking up the lineup it could still be considered among the best phones on the market. It can be difficult to find Apple deals on newer Apple products but the iPhone 15 is also one of the best phone deals you can shop. With up to $730 in savings available at multiple carriers right now, you can walk away with a free iPhone 15. We’ve rounded up all of those details below, but if the Apple software ecosystem isn’t of particular interest to you there are plenty of Samsung Galaxy S24 deals, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deals, and Google Pixel 8 deals available as well.
Today's best iPhone 15 deals

: Get the iPhone 15 for $580, down from its regular price of $730, with three free months of Apple TV+ included.
: Get the iPhone 15 128GB model for free with a new line and 36 months of bill credits.
: Get the iPhone 15 128GB model for free via 24 monthly bill credits when you trade-in an eligible device on a Go5G Next plan.
: Get the iPhone 15 128GB model for just $6 per month for 36 months (regularly $21 per month).

Read more