Petrol stations with self-service fuel pumps will now check that you have the funds to pay for your fuel before you fill up.
What’s changed?
Previously a £1 pre-authorisation was taken from your account to confirm that your debit or credit card was valid before you began to fill up. The exact cost of the fuel would then appear on your account, typically one or two days after the transaction.
Under new industry requirements, self-service pumps will now temporarily reserve up to £130 (some retailers may ask for a lower amount) on your account before you begin filling up. There’s no charge to use pay at pump.
The new pay at pump process is being rolled out across petrol stations and supermarket service stations across the UK and is already used in most petrol stations across Europe.
The pre-authorisation card check only happens when you pay by card at the pay-at-pump service. If you don’t want to buy petrol in this way, you can just fill up and pay at the till.
How does it work?
Step 1
When you insert or tap your Santander debit or credit card at a self-service pump, it will check you have enough money in your account to cover your fuel cost.
Step 2
On receipt of this check and, depending on the funds available in your account, we’ll either accept the full amount or suggest a lower amount. This means the pump will automatically cut out once you reach the approved amount or before if you dispense less than the approved amount.
Step 3
As soon as you’ve finished filling up, the fuel pump will tell us how much petrol you bought. The correct amount will be posted to the account straight away, so you should see an accurate balance on your account once you’ve finished filling up and paid the correct amount.
Does it work for all Santander cards?
All Santander debit and credit cards and Santander Business debit and credit cards can be used except for the following.
- Santander basic cash card (ATM only).
- Santander top-up debit card.
- Santander basic debit card.