Since their launch in 1987 debit cards have established themselves as the most popular card payment with consumers. Initially developed as a convenient and cost-effective alternative to point-of-sale cheques, debit cards are increasingly being used as a substitute for cash.

A debit card operates likes cash or a personal cheque. When you use a debit card the money is immediately deducted directly from your current account. As long as you have enough money in your account you can use your debit card to buy things in person, over the phone, by mail order and over the Internet. While a credit card is a way to "pay later", a debit card is a way to "pay now". In addition, debit cards can be used to get up to £50 cashback from merchants offering that service.

Debit cards can be used almost anywhere in the world - wherever you see the symbol of the card issuer being displayed. Your card will cover you in all the places you want to be, for almost all the things you need and can be used to pay for purchases and to withdraw money from cash machines.

Debit cards are issued by the organisations that hold your money on deposit and will be issued under a card scheme. The debit cards most commonly used in the UK are Visa Debit, issued under the Visa card scheme, and Maestro Cards, previously known as Switch cards, have been rebranded Maestro to make them part of a worldwide scheme.

Debit cards usually include other functions such as cash machine and cheque guarantee facilities and often look just like credit cards. While a debit card may physically resemble a credit card, unlike the credit card it is intended for use as an alternative to cash and cheques.

Customer demand to use debit cards has been growing and they are now widely accepted at locations including grocery stores, retail stores, petrol stations, and restaurants and are well established in the majority of retail environments.