Solo (debit card)

Solo is a debit card in the United Kingdom. It is a sister to the Maestro debit card. Solo was launched in 1997 for use on deposit accounts, as well as by customers who do not qualify for a Switch (now "Maestro") card on current accounts.

Solo is issued as a multifunction cash card by National Westminster Bank (now part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group) to customers over the age of 11 and by HSBC Bank (formerly Midland Bank) to customers over the age of 13. Like its main rival, Visa Electron, Solo cards require all transactions receive electronic authorisation from the issuing bank. Such authorisation will not be given if there are insufficient cleared funds in the cardholder's account and the funds are earmarked, if not transferred, immediately. Acceptance is not as widespread as Maestro, but has increased substantially in recent years. Solo cards usually function as Maestro for use abroad.

Solo cards are linked to the Switch processing system (now re-branded as Maestro); however, some merchants differentiate between Solo and Switch through their numbering scheme to prevent under 18s from purchasing online. Due to their availability to minors, they can be used as a simple age-vetting mechanism; for example, when online grocers Ocado accepted Solo, they refused to sell razor blades or alcoholic beverages to those paying with the card (the service no longer explicitly accepts Solo, however it does not check for Solo card numbers if Switch is selected as the payment method).

Solo cards are also issued to people with a bad credit history to reduce the liability for the issuing bank.

Some companies that do not accept Solo cards include Mini IQ, Odeon, Cineworld and WHSmith.

Most UK Train Operating Companies do not accept Solo, for example Virgin Trains [http://trainsupport.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/trainsupport.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1758] and National Express East Anglia [http://websupport.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/websupport.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2012] . Some TOCs have recently started to accept Solo, including National Express East Coast [http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com/Help1/#page12_55] , although in some cases this may be only online and not at ticket offices and vice-versa (Solo is never accepted for purchasing tickets on trains, see Avantix Mobile).