Best practice guidelines

The UK Cards Association maintain and develop a variety of best practice guidelines. These guidelines have been produced to establish a standard for the UK card payments industry to aim for, and provide examples of possible implementation strategies that meet requirements. They also act to safeguard the interests of consumers and ensure that there is greater transparency and consistency across the industry.

The UK Cards Association will continue to revise and enhance the materials as required.

Although the contactless mobile payments market is still very much in its infancy, guidelines have been developed at this stage to ensure that principles around customer protection are agreed across the board; developing new solutions with security in mind. Put together by the UK card payments industry (with The UK Cards Association, Visa and MasterCard working together) and the mobile phone industry (through the participation of the Communications Crime Strategy Group) with the support of the Home Office the guidelines set out the principles of best practice and measures card companies and mobile phone companies aspire to put in place to protect their customers.

All guidelines are advisory (rather than mandatory).