To cancel a subscription in the UK, cancel it where you signed up: in the App Store or Google Play if you subscribed through your phone, in PayPal if you paid that way, or in your account with the company itself. Cancelling a Direct Debit or card payment with your bank stops the money leaving, but it does not end the contract, so always cancel with the company too and keep proof. If a company keeps charging after you have cancelled properly, your bank can stop the payments and you may be able to get the money back.
This guide covers the exact steps for each payment route, your cancellation rights, and what to do when cancelling is harder than it should be. If you have not yet worked out which subscriptions to cut, start with our subscription audit guide.
Step 1: find every subscription you pay for
Subscriptions hide in different places depending on how you pay. Check all of these, going back at least 12 months so you catch annual renewals.
- Bank and credit card statements: search for recurring amounts and unfamiliar names.
- Your banking app's Direct Debit and recurring card payment lists.
- Apple ID or Google Play subscription lists, which include in-app subscriptions.
- PayPal's automatic payments list.
- Email: search your inbox for "subscription", "renewal", "trial" and "receipt".
Step 2: cancel in the right place
Where you cancel depends on who takes the payment. Menu names change from time to time, but the routes below are the current standard ones.
| How you pay | Where to cancel | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone or iPad | Settings, your name, Subscriptions | Deleting the app does not cancel |
| Android | Play Store, profile, Payments and subscriptions | Check each Google account you use |
| PayPal | Settings, Payments, Manage automatic payments | Also cancel with the company |
| Direct to the company | Account settings on its website or app | Some require a phone call or notice period |
After cancelling, screenshot the confirmation page or save the confirmation email. You will need it if you are charged again.
Stopping Direct Debits and card payments
You can cancel a Direct Debit in your banking app or by contacting your bank, and the bank must act on it. For recurring card payments, known as continuous payment authorities, you can tell your bank or card provider to stop future payments and it should do so without asking you to contact the company first. Many app-based banks also let you block payments to specific merchants.
Stopping the payment does not cancel the contract. If you are in a minimum term, such as a 12-month gym or phone contract, the company can still pursue the money you owe and it could end up on your credit file. Cancel the contract properly first, then stop the payment as a backstop.
Your cancellation rights
The main protections that apply right now:
- 14-day cooling-off period: for most contracts made online, by phone or away from a shop, you can cancel within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. For digital content such as streaming, this right can end once you start using it, if you agreed to that when signing up.
- Free trials: if a trial turns into a paid subscription, the cooling-off period normally runs from when the contract was made, so note the trial end date and cancel a day or two before.
- Phone and broadband: Ofcom rules mean any mid-contract price rises must be set out in pounds and pence when you sign up. If your provider changes your contract in a way that is not to your benefit, you can usually leave without penalty within a month of being told.
- Gym memberships: terms vary, and unfair cancellation terms may not be enforceable. See our gym contract cancellation guide.
- Annual subscriptions: check whether the company offers a pro-rata refund if you cancel mid-year; many do not, so turn off auto-renew well before the renewal date.
New subscription rules on the way
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 includes a new subscription regime, which will require businesses to send renewal reminders, make it as easy to cancel as to sign up, and give a new cooling-off period when a free trial or a long contract rolls over into paid renewal. At the time of writing (October 2026) these subscription rules are not yet in force; the government's latest target is spring 2027. Until then, the existing rights above apply.
What to do if a company keeps charging you
- Contact the company in writing, quote your cancellation confirmation and ask for a refund of payments taken after you cancelled.
- Ask your bank to stop future payments to that company.
- For card payments, ask your card provider about a chargeback for payments taken after cancellation. There are time limits, usually around 120 days.
- For Direct Debits taken in error, claim an immediate refund from your bank under the Direct Debit Guarantee.
- For app store subscriptions, request a refund through Apple or Google rather than the developer.
- If you still get nowhere, Citizens Advice's consumer helpline can advise on next steps.
Make the savings count
Cancelling only saves money if the cash does not get absorbed into other spending. Add up what you have cancelled and set up a standing order for the same amount into savings on the day the old payments used to go out. Even £25 a month adds up to £300 a year; see how far that gets you with the savings goal calculator, or rebuild your monthly plan in the budget planner. If you prefer to save a little each day instead, SYM suggests an amount and lets you log it with one tap. For streaming services specifically, our streaming audit shows how to rotate services rather than paying for them all at once.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cancel a subscription on my iPhone?
Can I just cancel the Direct Debit to end a subscription?
Can my bank stop a recurring card payment?
Can I get a refund if I forgot to cancel a free trial?
What if a company will not let me cancel?
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