Bread card top up

[vickir]

Does anyone know how long it takes if you top up your card in the post office, i put money on mine 2 hours ago and its still not showing on my account

[louiseh]

I'm not sure about the bread card but the cashplus card takes 2 days if topped up through the post office

[vickir]

I put money on it yesterday in the newsagents and it was there immediately, maybe it takes longer in the post office, glad i kept the receipt

[vickir]

Just had e-mail back from Bread Card, they advise that you dont top up in the Post Office, it takes 24 working hours to go on to your card, and they are not supported by the Post Office

[Skippy]

I'm going to carry on topping up at the Post Office as it's cheaper than a Paypoint (probably why they tell you not to as they don't make as much money) and quicker than a bank transfer.

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[wen]

Just a bit of background on topping up prepay debit/credit cards through Post Offices, (having owned one):

When the card is swiped through the PO computer, it is put through the system as what is called an 'AP'.

AP's can be reversed before the end of the business day, so if they swiped the card through and you asked for £100 on your card, and then paid on a debit card and it was declined, they could then reverse the £100 back off the card.

At the end of the day, the PO computers poll the AP's (things like your bill payments etc) at which point Cashplus/bread are told of your credit overnight.

louiseh, it does not take 2 days for cashplus to credit your post office money, the only time it may take longer is if you top-up on a Saturday. Obviously computer systems failures etc, may force longer times, but I have topped my cashplus in the PO on a Friday, Wednesday and Tuesday and they have been available the next day.

The reason Paypoint is instant, is because Paypoint is a "cash-based" billpayment machine, so there is no room for a declined transaction when it comes to payment by the customer. (The retailer may accept a debitcard, but that is at their own risk and choice.)

The Post Office do have systems to credit accounts instantly, as if you pay-in to your Co-op/A&L accounts it is instantly available, but as this is "cash only" then it is slightly different. Also, I think the PO charge cashplus a smaller handling fee for doing it the way they do, rather than using the instant credit systems.

[vickir]

As i understand, it costs £1 to top up at paypoint and 75p at the post office, but with paypoint its instant, i really needed to use a credit card on Friday afternoon, in the end i couldnt and its caused major grief over the weekend, if i'd have know about the post offices 24 hours before, would definately not have gone there, all for the sake of saving 25p !!!!

[Skippy]

To get to my nearest Paypoint I need to drive, whereas the Post Office (if they don't close it down[:(]) is 2 minutes walk so definitely worth it for me!

I also think they have changed the fees as when I got my card I'm sure it was 3% to top up at a Paypoint

[vickir]

its going to be 3% from 1st Feb

[Skippy]

Thanks for clearing that up! I think it's a shame they are increasing their fees as they were the cheapest card around but they won't be any better than the other cards.