From Tuesday, anyone with a chip-and-pin card will have to use their pin number, and not their signature, when making a purchase. Most people have now received the new-style card and a pin number, but a significant minority are still using magnetic strip cards.
If you are among them you can keep using your card in the traditional way.
Sandra Quinn at Apacs, the payments association, said: “If a retailer does not accept your card, urge them to insert it into the terminal. This will read the card and tell the retailer to ask for your signature.”
Card issuers say those who have not yet received a chip and pin will do so soon. For example, Lloyds TSB said all its credit-card customers and 98% of debit-card holders now have a chip-and-pin and the roll-out will be completed by early March.
Morgan Stanley is issuing chip-and-pin cards when customers’ old cards are up for renewal. However, those who want a chip-and-pin card sooner can contact the bank and request one.
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Not everyone is required to use chip and pin. The visually impaired and infirm, who may struggle with inputting or remembering a pin number, can request a chip-and-signature card.