Why is it different from normal debit or credit cards?
The UNISON Prepaid Plus MasterCard is not a debit card or a credit card. Unlike a debit card, it does not hold your bank account details. And unlike a credit card, it does not give access to a line of credit. It is a prepaid card that you load up with money. Then each time you use the card the amount of your purchase is deducted from your balance. So there’s no worrying about interest as you control what you spend by budgeting how much to load on your card.
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Can anyone have a UNISON Prepaid Plus card?
The UNISON Prepaid Plus card is available to all UNISON members aged 18 and over who are UK residents (a secondary cardholder may be aged 13 and over). You do not need a bank account or credit history.
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How do I load money onto my card?
The free way to load money onto your card is to set up a monthly direct debit from your bank account. To do this simply call 0800 107 8065. Alternatively you can load using a debit card at www.UNISONprepaid.com for which there is a £1.00 charge. You can also load your card with cash at most Payzone outlets, for a fee of 3%. How to top up your card.
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What do I do when the money on my card runs out?
When your funds are running low or at zero, you can reload or ‘top-up’ your card by clicking on the login button above. Alternatively you can load your card with cash at most Payzone locations. If your balance remains zero you will not be able to use the card or enjoy its added benefits.
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When is my money available?
It depends how you’ve loaded your card. Payzone top-ups are available instantly and debit card top-ups take just minutes. If you set up a Direct Debit your funds will take an additional 3 working days from the date we collect to become available on your prepaid card. You can see if your money is available to spend by checking your balance free of charge by clicking on the login button above.
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What is a pre authorisation?
Generally speaking, a pre authorisation is carried out when a merchant reserves funds on your card. This reduces your available balance until the merchant clears (cancels) or settles (completes) the transaction, or the reserve is released.

If you are using your card to pay for certain services - for example car hire, hotel reservations or to guarantee a payment - your prepaid funds will be pre authorised and will not be available for you to use until the final bill has been settled and cleared by MasterCard. If the merchant does not settle the transaction, the reserved funds will automatically be released and available to spend after 15 days.

If you have specific questions about pre-authorisation which have not been answered by this Q&A, please contact our Customer Services team on 0845 026 1105 and select option 4, then 4 again.
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What happens if my card is lost or stolen?
If you lose your UNISON Prepaid Plus card or it is stolen or you suspect it has been used by someone else, you must report it as soon as you can by calling the 24-hour helpline on 0800 107 8064 in the UK or +44 203 227 4849 from overseas. Your card will then be cancelled and you will be issued with a replacement card for which there is a £5 fee.
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How do I share money with a relative abroad?
All you need is a secondary card which you can send to a family member or friend. You can then share money from your primary card to their card any time. See Can I take out an additional card? for details.
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What about security?
You should treat your UNISON Prepaid Plus card like cash. Keep it in a safe place and do not let anyone else use it. You must keep your PIN secret at all times. You should memorise the PIN, destroying the notification and never disclosing the PIN or security information to anyone. If you suspect that someone else knows your PIN, you should change it as soon as possible. You can change your PIN to something more memorable at most ATM machines by following the on screen instructions.
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Can I take out an additional card?
Yes. You can order a secondary card that will be linked to your primary card. This is ideal for sharing money with a family member or friend, or to give your teenager an allowance. The secondary card costs £10. You can then share funds from your primary card with the secondary card whenever needed. There is a charge of 3% of the transaction amount for card-to-card sharing and you can have up to £3,000 on each card. You can order a secondary card (once you have activated your primary card) by calling us on 0800 107 8065.
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Can I use my UNISON Prepaid Plus card abroad?
Yes. You can use it anywhere in the world that accepts MasterCard cards. There is a foreign exchange mark-up of transactions in currency other than your card currency of 3% of the transaction value. There are no additional fees when you buy something; withdrawing money from cash machines in local currency incurs an additional £2.00 charge. Don’t forget, if you have a family member travelling abroad and you want to share money with them regularly, you can give them a secondary card.
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How do I check my card balance?
You can check your balance free by clicking on the login button above. Alternatively call 0845 026 1105, calls are charged at the UK national rate.
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What if my monthly direct debit is not enough?
If you’ve chosen to load your card by monthly direct debit and you find the amount of the direct debit is not enough to pay for the things you need in any month you can top-up your card anytime at www.UNISONprepaid.com using your debit card or load it with cash at most Payzone locations. If you wish to increase the amount of your direct debit for the future please call us on 0845 026 1105.
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Can I change my PIN?
Yes. If you find it hard to remember your PIN, you can choose a more memorable one. You can change your PIN at any cash machine displaying the MasterCard acceptance mark.
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