Continuous Payment Authority
A continuous payment authority is permission a company holds to charge your debit or credit card repeatedly, using the card number. You can cancel it by instructing your bank or card provider; they must comply, and payments taken after cancellation must be refunded.
This is the UK banking sense of CPA, the one you meet as an unexplained recurring charge on a statement. It is not the advertising metric or the accounting credential. Everything below follows FCA consumer guidanceFCA · checked 2026.
Spot it
CPA vs direct debit vs standing order
| Mechanism | Runs on | Who controls amount and timing |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous payment authority | Card number | The merchant, within whatever you agreed |
| Direct debit | Account number and sort code | The merchant, backed by the Direct Debit Guarantee |
| Standing order | Your bank account | You: fixed amount, fixed schedule |
Act
Cancelling, step by step
- Contact your bank or card provider and say you are withdrawing the continuous payment authority for the named merchant.
- The provider must stop future payments. It cannot direct you back to the merchant as a condition.
- Tell the merchant separately if a genuine contract remains; cancelling the payment route does not always end the underlying obligation.
- If a payment goes out after your instruction, claim it back. The provider must refund payments taken after cancellation.
FAQ
Continuous payment authority questions
What is a continuous payment authority?
A continuous payment authority (CPA) is permission you give a company to take recurring payments from your debit or credit card using the card number. Subscriptions, memberships and some lenders use CPAs instead of direct debits.
How do I cancel a continuous payment authority?
Tell your bank or card provider to stop the payments. Under FCA rules the provider must act on that instruction; you do not need the merchant's agreement, though telling the merchant too avoids disputes about the underlying contract.
Can my bank refuse to cancel a CPA?
No. The FCA is clear that your card provider must stop a continuous payment authority when you ask. If a payment is taken after you cancelled, the provider must refund it.
Is a CPA the same as a direct debit?
No. A direct debit runs on your account number through the Direct Debit scheme with its guarantee. A CPA runs on your card number and has no scheme guarantee; your protections come from FCA payment rules instead.
Wrong CPA? Route from what does CPA stand for or the NHS sense at Care Programme Approach.