Mastercard compensation: Martin Lewis shares details of how to apply for and claim huge £200m payout online

• Mastercard has settled a £200m legal case over excessive card fees
• Millions in the UK could be owed up to £70 – even without ever owning a Mastercard
• The claim argues shoppers paid higher prices as fees were passed to consumers
• You may be eligible if you lived in the UK and shopped here between 1997 - 2008
• Claims portal launches soon – no receipts needed, just a quick online form

Millions of UK consumers could soon receive a payout – potentially up to £70 each – after Mastercard agreed to settle a huge £200 million legal case out of court.

While you can’t claim just yet, Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert team has shared all the key details on who qualifies, how the process will work, and when the money could land in your bank account.

The lawsuit claimed that Mastercard charged retailers excessive card processing fees – known as "interchange fees" – when shoppers paid using a card.

Although the fees were charged to businesses, the legal team argued that you, the consumer, paid the price in the end, as those costs were passed on through higher prices for everyday goods and services.

Crucially, the case applies even if you’ve never used a Mastercard – or never had a card at all. If you bought anything in the UK during the relevant years, you might be eligible.

This is one of the UK’s biggest collective legal actions ever. And now that Mastercard has settled, it’s resulted in a huge £200 million fund – ready to be distributed to consumers who qualify.

Who can claim?

You’re eligible to claim if all of the following apply:

• You lived in the UK for at least three consecutive months between, June 20, 1997 and June 21, 2008 (England, Wales, Northern Ireland), OR May 22, 1992 and June 21, 2008 (Scotland – longer period due to different legal rules).
• You were aged 16 or over during that time - this is because you were more likely to be spending your own money. If you were born after March 22, 1992, you're unfortunately not eligible.
• You bought goods or services from a UK seller during that time: it doesn’t matter how you paid – debit card, credit card, cash, even vouchers – or whether you had a Mastercard.
• You were living in the UK on 6 September 2016, when the case was officially filed in court.
• You didn’t opt out of the claim previously. Most people didn’t – so if you’re only hearing about this now, you're probably still in.

No receipts or bank statements will be required when the claims process opens, you’ll just be asked to confirm you meet the criteria.

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How (and when) to claim

You can’t claim just yet – but a dedicated online portal will launch “in the coming weeks” at MastercardConsumerClaim.co.uk.

The site is being run by Epiq, a firm that specialises in large legal settlements, and who are independent from the lawyers who brought the case.

You’ll fill in a simple online form, confirming your eligibility and providing a few personal details:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Home and email addresses
• Phone number
• Bank account info (so you can receive the payment)

No evidence is needed, but you will have to “self-certify” that what you’ve said is true, and Epiq may do random fraud checks.

The application window should be open for at least a few months, and payouts are expected before the end of the year.

We’ll update this guide with a full step-by-step walkthrough once the claims site goes live.

How much money will you get?

It depends on how many people claim – here’s how it breaks down:

• If around 2.2 million people claim (the expected number), you’ll get about £45.
• If fewer people claim, payouts could be up to £70.
• If lots more people claim, the payout may be much lower – possibly just a few pounds.

There’s a cap in place to ensure people don’t get more than what’s considered fair for the losses suffered. If there’s money left over, it’ll go to charity The Access to Justice Foundation.