Coronavirus - Frequently asked questions
We understand that this is a very confusing and worrying time, so we’ve answered some of your frequently asked questions to help make things simpler.
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To keep your money safe, we’d advise you not to carry large sums of money. A quick way to pay for your purchases is by using your credit card.
In line with the national roll-out, the contactless payments limit has been increased on your credit card to £45. The £45 limit increase may not be available in all shops, as not all systems have been updated yet, so it’s best to check with the retailer first. You can also use your credit card for online purchases.
If you lose your card or if it is stolen, you can cancel your card and request a new one, here. You can freeze your card if you’ve temporarily misplaced it, with the handy Card Freezes feature on our Cards Services app. For added control, you can also choose how and where your card can be used.
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If you have received a refund that has put your balance in credit, then don’t forget you can just use it by spending on your card as usual. Alternatively, if you have a Money Transfer option available you can transfer credit amounts over £100 using this option. You will not be charged interest on the value of any credit balance amount transferred and any fee charged on the credit balance will automatically be refunded within 28 days.
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If you’ve been financially affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, you can ask us for a payment holiday. A payment holiday is subject to approval, but if accepted you won’t need to make the usual payments to your personal credit card for up to 3 months.
To ask us for a payment holiday, please complete our credit card payment holiday form and we’ll take care of the rest for you. If your payment is due now and you can’t make the minimum payment, we won't charge a late payment fee or remove any promotional interest rates in the short term.
Payment holidays may not be right for everyone. Your minimum payment and the total amount you owe may go up. This is because interest is still charged throughout the payment holiday (unless you pay 0% interest).
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The company you booked with may be able to help. To resolve any travel disputes please contact the merchant in the first instance and check their website for helpful information.
Below are links to the web pages for the main travel providers used by our customers, which may help you further. We’ve also included the links for their Coronavirus web pages, however we suggest you ensure you look at information across all of their web pages to understand how they can best help you.
MBNA is not responsible for the content or function of third party websites
If you’re struggling to get a refund from the travel provider, and you paid on an MBNA credit card, we may be able to help.
Find more information and support in our frequently asked travel questions.
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If you’ve been financially affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, you can ask us for a repayment holiday. A repayment holiday is subject to approval, but if accepted you won’t need to make the usual loan payments for up to 3 months.
To ask for a repayment holiday, please complete our loans repayment holiday form and we’ll take care of the rest for you.
If your loan payment is due within the next 7 working days, you will still need to make this payment and any repayment holiday you are given will start the following month. If you have a joint loan, any repayment holiday will be given to both of you. If your payment is due now and you’re unable to make the payment, we won't charge you a fee.
We can only give a repayment holiday if your loan payments are up to date or you have missed one payment due to coronavirus. If your loan is in arrears, we have other ways of helping you. Please visit our Managing Debt page to find out more.
Repayment holidays may not be right for everyone as we’ll extend the length of your loan at the end. This is so you can make up the payments you missed. We still add interest to your loan during the break. Because you’ll be borrowing for longer and interest is still charged, the amount you repay overall will increase.
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Whether you’ve booked a package holiday, accommodation for your trip or simply a day excursion, we’ve set out if and how we can help you obtain a refund below.
Firstly we need to understand who cancelled your trip. Was it the retailer you booked with or did you decide to cancel a future booking yourself?
I decided to cancel – If you chose to cancel your booking and the service was still available, then we may be able to help provided you followed the cancellation policy set out by the merchant. If you have followed the cancellation policy (including paying any cancellation fees) and have not got a refund that you are entitled to, then you may have additional rights if you paid with an MBNA card. Please be aware refunds may take longer than expected due to knock on impacts of coronavirus.
The retailer/business cancelled – If the trip was cancelled by the merchant we may be able to help you, depending on why they cancelled your trip. Before contacting us, we recommend trying to resolve the dispute with the merchant first. In most cases you are entitled to a refund, however the merchant may offer you an alternative e.g. different dates or a credit voucher. If you are not happy with what is offered, then you may have additional rights if you paid with an MBNA card. If you have accepted a voucher and are unhappy, please see our information on what to do here.
Below are links to the web pages for the main travel providers used by our customers, which may help you further. We’ve also included the links for their Coronavirus web pages, however we suggest you ensure you look at information across all of their web pages to understand how they can best help you.
MBNA is not responsible for the content or function of third party websites
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If your flight is cancelled, your airline should give you a refund and tell you how to apply for it. Or they may give you the option to re-book for a later date or offer a credit voucher. If the options don't suit you and they are unable/unwilling to refund you then you may have additional rights if you paid with an MBNA card.
Below are links to the web pages for the main travel providers used by our customers, which may help you further. We’ve also included the links for their Coronavirus web pages, however we suggest you ensure you look at information across all of their web pages to understand how they can best help you.
- British Airways
- British Airways Coronavirus page
- easyJet
- easyJet Coronavirus page
- Emirates
- Emirates Coronavirus page
- Hays Travel
- Hays Travel Coronavirus page
- Jet2.com
- Jet2.com Coronavirus page
- Love Holidays
- Love Holidays Coronavirus page
- Ryan Air
- Ryan Air Coronavirus page
- Tui
- Tui Coronavirus page
- Trailfinders
- Trailfinders Coronavirus page
- Virgin Holidays
- Virgin Holidays Coronavirus page
MBNA is not responsible for the content or function of third party websites
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You may be able to benefit from either chargeback (payment dispute) or Section 75.
Chargeback
A chargeback is a scheme put in place to protect customers, also known as a payment dispute. It allows cardholders the ability to request a refund through their card issuer in a number of different scenarios. This includes where you have not received what you have paid for. We as your card issuer will refund you and will then seek to claim the payment back from the original merchant. However, merchants can dispute the chargeback request and this may result in your account having the payment taken again.
Chargeback rights cover the amount of the card transaction only, other losses cannot be claimed. A chargeback claim must also be made within a set time period. This is usually 120 days from the date of purchase, or from when the goods or services were expected to be received, though longer periods may apply in certain situations.
Section 75
If you are struggling to get a refund that you are entitled to, and you paid using a credit card, you may be able to make a claim under Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Section 75 covers most credit card purchases for goods or services over £100 and under £30,000. This means you may be able to make a claim through us for the loss you have suffered. Section 75 rights are only available where the seller/provider has misrepresented something or if there has been a breach of contract. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to claim a refund and potentially some consequential losses. You can find out more about Section 75 and how to make a claim if you have a credit card with us.
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If a flight or holiday has been cancelled by your travel provider – e.g. the airline or travel agent, you should contact your travel provider in the first instance. You may be offered a refund, the option to re-book for a later date, or a credit note.
Below are links to the web pages for the main travel providers used by our customers, which may help you further. We’ve also included the links for their Coronavirus web pages, however we suggest you ensure you look at information across all of their web pages to understand how they can best help you.
MBNA is not responsible for the content or function of third party websites
If your travel provider doesn’t offer a refund or the alternative is not suitable, or if you are struggling to make contact with your merchant you may be able to get a refund by raising a payment dispute (chargeback).
To raise a payment dispute (chargeback) the following information will be needed:
1.The name of the merchant – e.g. your travel provider or airline the original transaction was made with;
2.Details of the payment and description of the item/service and delivery date;
3.The date the money was paid and whether this was in store, online or by phone;
4.A written summary of the dispute may be requested. This should include details of attempts to resolve the dispute and any responses received.
The payment disputes page offers more information, including how you can raise a payment dispute on your MBNA credit card.
If you chose to cancel your booking and the service was still available, then we may be able to help provided you followed the cancellation policy set out by the merchant. If you have followed the cancellation policy and have not got a refund that you are entitled to, then you may be able to raise a payment dispute (chargeback).
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If you are struggling to get a refund that you are entitled to, and you paid using a credit card, you may be able to make a claim under Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Section 75 covers most credit card purchases for goods or services over £100 and under £30,000. This means you may be able to make a claim through us for the loss you have suffered. Section 75 rights are only available where the seller/provider has misrepresented something or if there has been a breach of contract. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to claim a refund and potentially some consequential losses. You can find out more about Section 75 and how to make a claim if you have a credit card with us.
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If you have already accepted travel vouchers and you are not happy with that, you may be able to get a refund instead. You will need to speak to your travel provider to see if they will issue you a refund as an alternative to your vouchers.
If your provider agrees to issue you a full refund, note it may take longer to process than usual. Please therefore wait 30 days from the request being accepted.
If you struggle to come to an agreement with your provider, we may be able to help.
To contact our Disputes team, our lines are open Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm.
Call us on 0345 607 2271 or +44 (0) 1244 757 223 if you’re calling from outside the UK.
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When the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all but essential travel to a region or country, you may be able to claim under the cancellation or travel disruption terms of your travel insurance policy. Every policy will be different so it’s important you check what cover you have and what you can claim. Some travel insurance policies may only allow you to claim for trips booked before the coronavirus situation arose. Do check that detail.
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Many insurance policies will no longer cover coronavirus for future bookings. So if you have an existing travel insurance policy, check with your provider to see if they have introduced any restrictions. If you are looking for a new policy, check to see if disruption due to coronavirus is included in the cover you are buying.
It is still important to take out travel insurance when you book any trips to cover you for future events.
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If there is no Foreign and Commonwealth Office warning in place for your destination when you are due to travel and your flights, accommodation, etc. are all running as normal, you are unlikely to get a refund if you don’t want to travel. Also, travel insurance is unlikely to cover ‘disinclination to travel’.
However, if you have received medical advice not to travel due to your health, or if you are in an ‘at risk’ group, you may be able to get a refund and/or claim on your travel insurance. Speak to your travel provider or insurer for more information. Otherwise check the terms and conditions to see whether you have the right to cancel and receive a refund.
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During these difficult times, we’re here to help support customers who have been affected by travel providers that have stopped trading due to coronavirus.
In the first instance, please check the website or any correspondence from the travel provider, or their administrator to understand how to get a refund.
If you are still struggling to get a refund, and you paid for your travel with an MBNA credit card, you may be able to raise a claim by filling out our online form.
Stay Safe
If you’re contacted about the company that has stopped trading, be aware that as MBNA, we’ll never ask you for your bank details. Sometimes there can be an increase in fraud attempts during these type of events.
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If you’ve bought a ticket for a cancelled event from an official seller, you may be entitled to a refund from them. You may not get back any additional costs paid such as postage or booking fees. The same rule should apply to entry fees if you’ve paid to take part in an event or competition, such as a marathon or cycling race, but you’ll need to check with the event organiser’s terms and conditions.
If you have bought tickets through a ticket reseller, you will need to check their terms and conditions to see if you will get your money back. Please consider these refunds may be taking longer than expected due to knock on impacts of Coronavirus.
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If the organisers are planning to move the date of the event, your tickets should be valid for the new date. If you can’t make the new date, you can request a refund from the ticket retailer, but you will need to check your booking terms and conditions. Again, you are unlikely to get back any postage costs or booking fees. Refunds from ticket-reselling websites will also depend on their own terms and conditions.
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If your event has been cancelled but you also booked travel and accommodation to attend, get in touch with the organisations you booked with to see whether the service is still available. You may be able to get a refund or rebook for a later date.
Packages with flights, hotels and event ticket included may be covered under your travel insurance.
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Cancelling or postponing a personal event, such as a party or wedding, will depend on what agreements you have with your suppliers. Speak to your venue, caterers, etc. about your options. You may not get your deposit or other payments refunded if you cancel completely. If your supplier cancels, you may be entitled to a refund. This will depend on the terms and conditions of your booking.
If you have wedding insurance, check your policy or speak to your insurance provider about what you can claim.
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If you paid on a credit or debit card, you can raise a payment dispute. You can make a claim if you believe that you have paid for an item or service that has not been delivered or was not as described. You may be able to claim for refunds not received and where merchants aren’t following their terms and conditions. Find out more about payment disputes.
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If you paid by credit card you do have some additional protection. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act makes your credit card provider jointly liable for any breach of contract. This could include event cancellation.
The item must be worth more than £100 and less than £30,000, and cover can also depend on whether the purchase was made for yourself or on behalf of someone else. You can find out more about Section 75 and how to make a claim if you have a credit card with us.
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Coronavirus is affecting workplaces across the UK. The current Government advice is that you should only go out to work if you absolutely cannot work from home. Your employer may close your workplace completely. You may need to take time off due to sickness or to self-isolate.
Changes at work can be unsettling, especially if you’re not sure what you’re entitled to. We’ve put together this information to help you understand your rights as an employee and what any changes could mean for your income.
The situation is changing quickly, so this information is based on what we know on 1 April 2020. It’s also important to say that this information is intended as a general guide. Your circumstances may be different and we would always advise you to seek formal legal advice if you are concerned.
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If you are off sick with coronavirus or need to self-isolate in line with government guidance, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
- You are entitled to SSP if you meet the eligibility conditions.
- If you are an agency worker, you are also entitled to SSP if you meet the conditions.
- SSP is currently £94.25 per week (increasing to £95.85 from 6 April 2020) and can be paid for up to 28 weeks.
- Normally, SSP is paid from the fourth day of absence, but it will now be paid from day one.
Your employer may also offer additional sick pay. You can find out by checking your employment contract, employee handbook, company policies or asking your HR department. Remember to follow your workplace’s policy on notifying your employer that you are sick or self-isolating. If you are self-isolating, you can obtain a notification from NHS 111 online which you can use as evidence for your absence.
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This will depend on your particular circumstances; however, as a general rule:
1.If you can work from home
If your workplace is closed and you are able to work from home, it is likely to be reasonable for your employer to ask you to do so. Where this is agreed, you should get your usual pay. Your company may have homeworking policies which you will need to follow.
If you have to work from home due to Coronavirus either because your workplace has been closed or you need to self-isolate, the Government have published guidance that employers can make tax free payments to their employees to cover any additional household costs that you have from working from home.
The additional household costs include payments such as additional electricity or heating and broadband charges (if you didn’t already have this and you had to have it installed in order to work). Your employer can pay up to £6 a week or £26 per month without you needing to provide any evidence. If your employer wishes to pay more than this, you’ll need to keep records to show the additional costs and supply these to your employer.
You can find out more here
2. If you can’t work from home
If you can’t work because your workplace is shut (not because you are ill or self-isolating) and it is not reasonably possible for you to work from home, you should normally still be entitled to full pay. This is because you are willing and able to work. This may not be the case if there is no contractual requirement to offer you work, for example, if you are a casual worker.
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Employers may need to take measures to reduce payroll costs. You could be given notice that requires you to take holidays during the shutdown, or your employer may seek volunteers to take unpaid leave.
If there is likely to be a long-term impact on business and a reduced need for staff when the workplace reopens, employers may begin consulting on making redundancies. However, your employer might try to come to an agreement with employees and their representatives on alternatives to redundancy, such as reducing working hours or pay/benefits.
If you and your employer both agree, your employer might be able to keep you on the payroll if they’re unable to operate or have no work for you to do because of coronavirus. This is known as being ‘on furlough’. You could get paid 80% of your wages, up to a monthly cap of £2,500. Find out more about this Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
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For Government advice on coronavirus and what you need to do, including information on employment and support, visit: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
ACAS offer free impartial advice to employers and employees.
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For Government guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19).
To register yourself or a family member as extremely vulnerable. Visit:
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As our telephone lines are incredibly busy at this time, and our call wait times are much longer than usual, we’ve made changes to prioritise our customers who:
- are aged 70 or over
- work for the NHS
- have told us that they need some additional support.
We’ve set up a dedicated phone line for customers aged 70 and over. We will write either by email or letter with the number.
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We’re here to help to make the process as simple as possible. The easiest way to contact us to notify us of a death is to use our online form.
Once we’ve received your notification we’ll freeze the account. Once you have a death certificate, we’ll still need you to get in touch so that we can help you with the next steps.
If you already have a death certificate, please call our Specialist Bereavement Team and we’ll guide you through the next steps.
We have more information on our dedicated bereavement page.