Foreign Use of Debit Card

If you use your debit card to purchase goods and services or make cash withdrawals abroad, there are often charges. Any transactions that require foreign currency exchange, will incur a percentage conversion fee, referred to as the 'foreign usage loading fee'. This is typically 2.75 % and applies to purchases and cash withdrawals.

If you withdraw cash from a foreign ATM, there is also an additional fee. This is typically around two percent of the transaction amount, subject to an approximate minimum of two pounds and maximum of five pounds. Essentially, if you withdraw one hundred pounds from a foreign cash machine, it will usually cost you four pounds or more in charges.

If you make a purchase abroad using your debit card, along with the foreign usage loading fee, you will usually pay an additional 'foreign purchase transaction' fee. This is typically a flat-rate fee of one or two pounds, or a small percentage of the transaction amount, up to 2.75 %. Again, if you make a payment of one hundred pounds abroad, it will usually cost you four pounds or more to do so.

A small number of UK banks and building societies do not charge you for using your debit card abroad. If you make foreign cash withdrawals and purchases regularly, shop around for a debit card that does not charge you to avoid unnecessary costs.