Why has my debit card payment not been authorised immediately?

In some cases where, for example, you are using your debit card on a train, a boat or a plane the retailer can't contact us to let us know you are making the payment. The payment systems in some high street shops don't allow them to advise banks of real-time transactions and therefore they can't speed up the payment process.

Retailers have a few days to let us know that you have made a payment to them. You should make sure that you are aware of all payments that haven't yet left your account, but that you have already authorised.