[AtomSmasher]

What age do you have to be before you can get a card that can be used to pay for things over the internet (and in general)? I'm in Scotland, in case the law is slightly different here.

[minthumbugs]

In England I got one at 14/15? with HSBC. I remember using it to pay for the first time in the body shop in the christmas sales a few years ago?

[OU Student]

I imagine it would depend on the bank? I don't think there's a legal age as such.

[AtomSmasher]

(Original post by minthumbugs)
In England I got one at 14/15? with HSBC. I remember using it to pay for the first time in the body shop in the christmas sales a few years ago?

Thanks, I might look in to that. Do you know how long you have to wait after applying before you actually get to use it? It probably varies a lot between banks, I expect.

[cl_steele]

depends on the bank i believe i got mine from lloyds when i was about 13 but i could be mistaken ... theres no law as such forbidding it its just up to your banks policy. if they dont offer you one then you could always get one of those top up visa cards, work the same as a debit card but not tied to a bank

[Sgt.Incontro]

My brother got it at 13. Fully functional HSBC debit card, plus online banking. (As well as access to ATM's obviously.)

[Bellissima]

i got one at 13

[_OliviaTheOwl]

(Original post by AtomSmasher)
What age do you have to be before you can get a card that can be used to pay for things over the internet (and in general)? I'm in Scotland, in case the law is slightly different here.

I've been using my debit card online with Halifax since I was about 12/13 but I think it depends on what bank you're with?

[callum9999]

(Original post by AtomSmasher)
Thanks, I might look in to that. Do you know how long you have to wait after applying before you actually get to use it? It probably varies a lot between banks, I expect.

I assume you don't already have a bank account? Probably about 2 weeks.

And as above, I got a full Debit card aged 13 as well from HSBC (upgraded from a "cashcard" for use in ATMS they gave me at 11).

It seems Halifax will give them out from aged 11. You will need to go into a bank branch with a parent to get it.

[Origami Bullets]

One of them (HSBC?) allows you to have one from 11. I think most of the others allow you to have one from the age of 13, although I didn't get one until I was 17, because the Nationwide won't give debit cards to under 18s.

[minthumbugs]

(Original post by AtomSmasher)
Thanks, I might look in to that. Do you know how long you have to wait after applying before you actually get to use it? It probably varies a lot between banks, I expect.

I had a 'cashcard' which I could only use to take out £100 a day at 11 then got upgraded to young savers or something. They just sent it to me in the post.

[kittyb99]

I got an HSBC one at 14 years old, but closed it shortly after because they were mean to me in my local branch

[Sami']

Go with RBS, get one when you're 11.

[Mudkip]

I got mine at 15, it was age 11-15 account.

[danetello]

I think the minimum age is 13, with permission from your parent's, to get a debit card that works online. After 16 you don't need parent's permission, and for under 13s there is a cash card available but it doesn't work online or in shops, just at the ATM.

[beccafairy]

i got one at sixteen, i'm surprised you can get them at a younger age! guess i went to the wrong bank.

[StacFace]

(Original post by beccafairy)
i got one at sixteen, i'm surprised you can get them at a younger age! guess i went to the wrong bank.

I think debit cards for under 16s is a relatively new thing (past 3/4 years) since people use cash less and less and people shop online/go to shops with card readers more and more. I'm 20 and remember looking for banks which did offer debit cards to 16-year-olds when I was 16 and I think there was only one who was offering them to under 16s then.

[beccafairy]

(Original post by StacFace)
I think debit cards for under 16s is a relatively new thing (past 3/4 years) since people use cash less and less and people shop online/go to shops with card readers more and more. I'm 20 and remember looking for banks which did offer debit cards to 16-year-olds when I was 16 and I think there was only one who was offering them to under 16s then.

ahh, that makes sense, i would only get my parents to buy things online for me when i was under sixteen so that way it saves the hassle.