How to cancel a Santander credit card?

Don’t use your Santander UK credit card much anymore? Perhaps you used it to spread the cost of a large purchase, and have finally cleared the balance. Or you might just have seen a better credit card deal elsewhere.

Whichever is the case, you’ll need to know to cancel your Santander credit card. Read on for a complete guide, including the steps to follow and how to clear any outstanding balance.

And, if you’re looking for a new card, especially for spending outside the UK, check out the Wise debit card. It’s a debit card designed for making low-cost payments and ATM withdrawals both in the UK and abroad.

Learn more about the Wise debit card

Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.

But for now, let’s get that Santander credit card cancelled for you.

Reasons for cancelling a Santander credit card

If you’ve opened a bank account with Santander and want to cancel a credit card, there are quite a few different reasons why you might do that:

• You’ve found a more attractive deal at another UK bank
• You’ve fully paid off the cost of a large one-off purchase
• You signed up for an attractive time-limited offer, which is now coming to an end
• You want a card you can use abroad, and your current one is too expensive.
• Your Santander credit card is stolen, or you’ve lost it.

What you should know and do before cancelling your credit card with Santander?

The first important thing to know is that you’ll only be able to cancel your Santander credit if you’ve completely cleared the balance on it. So if you still owe money, you’ll need to sort out repayment in full before going ahead.¹

We’ll look at ways to pay Santander credit card balances in just a moment.

It may also be a good idea to download your recent statements. If you get statements for your credit card online, you’ll need to save or print copies before contacting Santander to cancel the card. Once the account is closed, you may not be able to access them.

How to pay off your Santander credit card balance?

You can choose from a few different payment methods to clear any remaining credit card balance. This includes:²

1. Making a one-off payment from your Santander bank account, either using online banking or the Santander mobile banking app
2. Letting existing Direct Debits continue running until the balance is cleared
3. Make a bank transfer from a different bank account - you’ll find the required bank details to use here.

How to cancel a Santander UK credit card online, over the phone, or by post?

The easiest way to cancel your credit card is to use the chat function on Santander online or mobile banking. However, it is also possible to request the closure of the account over the phone or in a branch.¹

Whichever method you choose, make sure you have your personal details and your 16-digit credit card number to hand before you start.

Online or via mobile banking

Simply follow these steps to request the cancellation of your card online:¹

1. Go to the Santander website and sign into online banking
2. Select ‘Help & contact us’
3. Choose ‘Chat with us’
4. Ask the virtual assistant Sandi to close your credit card account.

The process is the same in the mobile app, but you’ll need to select ‘More’ in the bottom-right of the screen to get started.

By phone

Have any questions about cancelling your card, or prefer to start the process over the phone? Call 0330 9 123 123 to speak to Santander customer services. The number is available from 8am to 6pm, 7 days a week.³

In branch

If you live near a local Santander branch, you could always pop in and ask for your card to be closed. Just make sure you take the card in question with you, along with some ID. Find your nearest branch here.

How to temporarily deactivate your Santander credit card online if it’s lost or stolen?

If your Santander credit card is stolen or lost, your first instinct might be to cancel it. But there is a step you can try first.

The Santander app lets you freeze and unfreeze your card with just a tap.⁴ This means that you can temporarily block it as soon as you notice it’s missing. You’ll have extra time to look for it, without worrying that someone else is using it fraudulently.

To freeze and report your card as lost or stolen, simply follow these steps:⁴

1. Go into the Santander mobile app
2. Select the ‘More’ button in the bottom-right corner of the screen
3. Select ‘Manage my cards’
4. Choose the card (if you have more than one) and tap ‘Report as lost, stolen or damaged’
5. You can then select ‘Freeze card’, or use specific controls to block certain types of transactions, such as contactless spending or online payments.

How to reactivate a lost Santander credit card?

If you manage to find your lost Santander card, you can simply unfreeze it in the mobile app.⁴ Then, carry on using it as normal.

If you’ve cancelled it though, you won’t be able to reactivate it. You’ll need to order a new card from Santander.

How to securely dispose of a cancelled Santander credit card?

Once your credit card has been cancelled, you’ll need to dispose of it properly. Cut or shred it to destroy the chip and card number, and then dispose of the pieces in separate bins. This can help to protect you against identity theft.

FAQ

How long does it take to close a Santander credit card?

If you have no outstanding balance, your credit card account will be closed right away. You can still make a closure request if you owe money, but it won’t be completed until the balance is paid off.¹

Is there a penalty for closing a Santander credit card?

Santander doesn’t charge a penalty for closing a credit card account. However, you may still face charges if you don’t keep up with repayments on an outstanding balance.

Can I close a Santander credit card and keep paying on it?

Yes, you can request the closure of your credit card and continue making repayments until the balance is cleared. Only then will the credit card be officially cancelled.¹

And that’s it - everything you need to know about how to cancel a Santander credit card. It’s really easy to do, especially if you use the bank’s mobile app.

Ready for a new card, perhaps for an upcoming trip? Some credit cards can be great for travel, but they aren’t always the cheapest.

The Wise debit card is a great alternative. It’s not a credit card, but it is tailor-made for travel.

It automatically converts your pounds to the local currency when you spend abroad, for just a tiny currency conversion fee. And you’ll always get mid-market exchange rates, with no costly margin added on top.

Register with Wise today

Please see the Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise fees & pricing for the most up-to-date information on pricing and fees.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 14-Jul-2023