Guides › Banking Scams and Fraud › Stop a Recurring Card Payment
Stop a Recurring Card Payment
Recurring card payments, also called continuous payment authorities, let a business take money from your card without asking each time. You can ask your card issuer to stop them, and it must. It cannot insist you contact the business first. Payments taken after that must be refunded immediately.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Your Rights
Stopping Payments
Ask your card issuer to stop the payments; once you have, it must. It can't insist that you contact the business first. Ask by the end of the business day before the next payment is due. Payments taken after you cancel are unauthorised and must be refunded immediately with related charges. Cancelling does not end your contract, so you may still owe money. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- Next business dayUnauthorised payment refundBy the end of the next business day
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Contact your bank or card issuer and ask it to stop the recurring payment.
Step 2 of 5
Do it before the end of the business day before the next payment.
Step 3 of 5
Also tell the business you are cancelling. Our free letter templates can write it for you.
Step 4 of 5
If a payment still goes out, ask for an immediate refund.
Step 5 of 5
If refused, complain, then go to the Financial Ombudsman.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Your Bank's Complaints Team
Always start here, in writing, once your bank has refused or not replied.
Financial Ombudsman Service
You are unhappy with your bank's final response. It is free, and its limit is 430,000 pounds.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Cancelling the payment does not cancel the contract: check what you still owe.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- fca.org.uk/consumers/recurring-card-payments Checked 13 October 2026
- psr.org.uk/information-for-consumers/app-fraud-reimbursement-protections Checked 13 October 2026