Apple Pay set to launch on 14th July 2015


It has been announced that Apple Pay, which lets consumers buy goods using their iPhone6 or Apple Watch, will be launched in UK stores on the 14th July 2015.

Apple Pay is a contactless payment system which uses near-field communication (NFC) to make payments by holding the device up to a contactless card machine. Handepay are ready to support the launch and our contactless enabled card machines are already able to accept Apple Pay payments. In the same way as contactless cards, consumers will be limited to spending £20 or less via this new payment method.

250,000 UK retailers will accept Apple Pay as of 14th July, including Boots, Costa Coffee, Greggs, KFC, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, McDonalds, New Look, Nando’s, Spar, Starbucks and Subway.

Major British banks including HSBC, RBS, Santander and Nationwide will support the launch, with Bank of Scotland, Halifax, Lloyds, MBNA, Coutts and TSB Bank following in autumn.

How does it work?

Businesses who currently accept contactless payments may already be set up to accept Apple Pay. To verify – simply contact your payment provider.

Consumers will need to register their debit and credit cards on Apple Pay using the Passbook app.

How to pay with Apple Pay in-store

  • iPhone6 – hold your iPhone6 near the contactless card machine with your finger on TouchID. The phone will “wake up” and a beep, together with a vibration, will let you know the payment was successful.

  • Apple Watch – simply double click the side button on your Apple Watch and hold the display up to the contactless card machine. A subtle beep confirms that your payment was successful.


The adoption of contactless technology has grown rapidly and the UK is currently the global leader in contactless payments. With over 400,000 contactless-enabled card machines and 319 million contactless transactions performed in 2014, expectations are high for the growth of Apple Pay in the UK.

To find out more visit https://www.apple.com/uk/apple-pay/

Financial disclaimer:

Handepay Ltd is authorised and regulated by the FCA for consumer credit under FRN 673564. Handepay is a credit broker not a lender. Handepay receives commission from the credit provider for each successful introduction it conducts.

Terminal hire contracts are provided by Merchant Rentals Limited, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for Consumer Hire under FRN 720500. Terminal hire can be for consumer hire and non-regulated hire contracts. Please check your contract carefully for details. Regulation of all consumer hire fall under the control of the FCA.

Handepay is not an acquirer. Your acquiring service provider will depend on the service package you choose to receive through Handepay. Handepay acts as an introducer of card acquiring services on behalf of the card acquiring service providers which include Lloyds Bank plc trading as Cardnet and EVO Payments UK.

Lloyds Bank are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 119278. Cardnet is a registered trademark of Lloyds Bank plc.

EVO Payments UK is the trading name of EVO Payments UK Ltd, a payment institution that is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN number 959332).

Editorial disclaimer:

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