Millions of UK consumers are still waiting to receive compensation from Mastercard after a landmark class action settlement worth £200 million was approved by the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
However, although the tribunal has approved the settlement, the claims process has not yet opened.
Tribunal approves settlement in long-running case
The settlement relates to a collective action brought by Walter Merricks CBE, a former Chief Financial Ombudsman, on behalf of millions of UK consumers.
The claim argued that Mastercard charged retailers unlawful “interchange fees” between 1992 and 2008, which were then passed on to shoppers through higher prices in shops and supermarkets.
Because those costs were built into retail prices, the claim argued that almost all UK consumers were affected — even people who never owned or used a Mastercard.
After years of legal battles, the Competition Appeal Tribunal approved a £200 million settlement in February 2025.
Why payouts have not started yet
Although the tribunal approved the £200 million settlement, payments to consumers have not yet begun. The settlement was briefly challenged by the case’s litigation funder, Innsworth Capital, which argued that the distribution of the settlement funds was unfair.
However, the Competition Appeal Tribunal rejected that challenge in November 2025, helping to protect the money set aside for consumers.
This means around 46 million UK consumers are a step closer to receiving compensation from the Mastercard case.
The claims process has not yet opened while the final arrangements for distributing the settlement — including the launch of the official claims portal — are put in place.
Once the registration process begins, eligible consumers will be able to submit a claim online.
How much compensation could people receive?
If the settlement proceeds, individuals are expected to receive between £45 and £70.
The exact payment will depend on how many eligible consumers register for compensation.
The settlement covers millions of people, with estimates suggesting up to around 46 million UK adults could potentially qualify.
You may be able to claim compensation if:
- You lived in Scotland for at least three months between 22 May 1992 and 21 June 2008
- You lived in England, Wales or Northern Ireland for at least three months between 20 June 1997 and 20 June 2008
- You were aged 16 or over during those three months
- You bought goods or services from UK businesses that accepted Mastercard
- You lived in the UK on 6 September 2016.
Importantly, you do not need to have owned a Mastercard to be eligible.
The claim is based on the idea that retailers passed the cost of Mastercard’s fees on to consumers through higher prices.
What happens next?
The official claims website is expected to publish instructions explaining how consumers can register once the remaining issues have been resolved. When the process opens, people will likely need to complete a simple online form to confirm their eligibility.
Payments are expected to be made once the claims process has closed and the number of successful claims is known.
If distributed widely, the payout could return a significant sum to millions of consumers who may have unknowingly paid higher prices for everyday purchases.
Join the Claim connects consumers with trusted, SRA-regulated law firms. For this claim, we’re not directly involved, but we’ll keep you informed. Where possible, we’ll share links to official claim websites or updates as they become available.
