Awareness only · official claim below
What this claim is about
This is the case that started the UK’s class-action era. Brought by former financial ombudsman Walter Merricks on behalf of UK consumers, it argued that the “interchange” fees Mastercard charged on card payments between 1992 and 2008 were unlawfully high — and, because shops built those fees into their prices, that everyone paid a little more at the till, whether or not they used a Mastercard.
After years of litigation — and a Supreme Court ruling along the way — Mastercard agreed to settle for £200 million, without admitting liability. Disputes over the settlement between the class representative, the funder and Mastercard were resolved in 2026, and the money is now being distributed.
Because the claim has settled, there is a time-limited window to register and claim your share, backed by a nationwide awareness campaign. The £200m is shared between an estimated 44 million people, so individual amounts are modest — how much you get depends on how many people come forward. It’s free to claim, you don’t need a claims company, and LegalClaimPro doesn’t collect your details here. Register on the official site to make your claim. Nothing here is legal or financial advice.
How this kind of claim works
Group claims take different forms. Here’s the shape of this one, in plain terms.
- Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT)
- A specialist court that hears large consumer claims about companies breaking competition law.
- Interchange fees
- The fees charged behind the scenes on card payments. The claim was that these were unlawfully high and pushed up shop prices for everyone.
- Opt-out claim
- Eligible people are included automatically; but because this has settled, you need to register a claim to actually receive your share.
- A modest, shared sum
- The £200m is split between millions of people, so individual amounts are small — how much depends on how many people come forward.
Who’s covered?
- You were aged 16 or over and living in the UK, and you bought things from UK businesses at some point between 22 May 1992 and 21 June 2008
- It doesn’t matter whether you paid by card or cash, or whether you ever had a Mastercard — the fees were built into prices for everyone
- It’s an opt-out claim, so eligible people are included automatically — but to receive any money you need to register a claim within the time-limited window
How it’s unfolded
- 1992–2008 The years the claim covers, when the fees were built into shop prices.
- 2016 Walter Merricks files the claim at the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
- 2020 The UK Supreme Court allows the claim to proceed, in a landmark ruling.
- 2024–2026 Mastercard agrees to settle for £200m; remaining disputes are resolved and distribution begins.
- Now A time-limited window is open to register and claim your share.
Common questions
Am I eligible?
Broadly, if you were 16 or over, lived in the UK, and bought things here between 22 May 1992 and 21 June 2008 — regardless of whether you ever had a Mastercard.
How do I claim?
Register on the official site within the time-limited window. A nationwide campaign is publicising how and when to do it.
How much will I get?
A modest amount — the £200m is shared between millions of people. It depends on how many people come forward; the settlement was worked out on roughly £45 each, capped at £70.
Does it cost anything?
No. It’s free to claim, and no fee is taken from you.
Who’s running it?
The claim is brought by Walter Merricks CBE as class representative. LegalClaimPro isn’t involved in running it — we’re raising awareness and we don’t collect your details here.
Join the official claim
This claim is run by Walter Merricks CBE, the class representative. LegalClaimPro is featuring it to raise awareness — we don’t run the claim and we don’t collect your details here. To take part, register on the official claim site, where you’ll see who’s behind it and their terms before you join.
The official site opens in a new tab. Always check who runs a claim and their terms before sharing your details.