Use this guide before buying gift cards or vouchers as presents, or when you have a pile of them to use up after Christmas or a birthday. Have the cards, any receipts and the terms printed on the back or sent by email.
Step by step
Read the terms before you buy
Check the expiry date, whether it can be used online and in store, which brands or branches accept it and whether any fees apply, such as monthly charges after a period of non-use on some prepaid cards. There is no general legal minimum validity for gift cards in the UK, so the terms decide. If the expiry date is short or unclear, ask staff: 'How long is this valid for, and where exactly can it be used?'
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