Translife Payment Guide
Paying Translife Without Using Your Everyday Bank Card or Bank Details
A practical guide to keeping a Translife product purchase or Dressing Service payment separate from your everyday banking.
Complete discretion from your everyday banking
A Separate Way to Pay Translife
Some customers and Dressing Service clients prefer not to use their normal debit card, credit card or everyday bank details for a Translife payment. A cash-loaded prepaid Mastercard can provide a practical alternative. This is about discretion from your everyday banking, not anonymity: the card provider may still require identification and will keep its own records.
1. Start with cash
Take the cash you want to place on a separate prepaid card.
2. Load the card
Our recommended route is the Post Office Travel Money Card loaded in sterling.
3. Pay Translife
Use the prepaid Mastercard details where Mastercard card payment is available.
4. Keep banking separate
Your everyday debit card or bank-account details do not need to be used for that payment.
Recommended method
Post Office Travel Money Card
The Post Office Travel Money Card is a prepaid Mastercard separate from your bank account. In a Post Office branch offering Travel Money Card services, eligible customers can obtain the card and take it away the same day. The Post Office states that applicants must be UK residents aged 18 or over and should take a valid passport or UK driving licence.
The card can hold pounds sterling and can be used wherever the Mastercard Acceptance Mark is displayed. A mobile app is not required for the card itself to work; activation and PIN retrieval can also be completed by telephone.
Allow for the loading fee. The Post Office currently states that loading pounds sterling carries 1.5% commission, with a £3 minimum and £50 maximum. Ask the branch to ensure the available sterling balance covers your intended payment.
Why this is our preferred option
- Obtain it in a participating Post Office branch and take it away the same day.
- Prepaid Mastercard, separate from your everyday bank account.
- No mobile app is required for the card itself to work.
- It can be loaded in sterling within the provider's limits.
- Unused funds remain subject to the provider's withdrawal/refund rules.
Two ways to use the guide
Products or Dressing Service
Paying for Translife Products
Load enough sterling onto the prepaid card to cover the complete order, including delivery. At a Translife checkout where Mastercard card payment is offered, enter the prepaid Mastercard details in the same way as another payment card.
Check the available balance is sufficient for the entire checkout total. An individual transaction can still be declined by the issuer or payment processor.
Paying Your Dressing Service Deposit
If you prefer to pay the remaining cost of your appointment in cash when you attend, that is separate from the booking deposit. The required deposit must still be paid in advance before the appointment is confirmed.
Use the prepaid Mastercard with the Translife Square deposit-payment link. Once the deposit has been successfully processed, the remaining appointment balance can still be paid in cash on the day where agreed.
Dressing Service deposits
Know the Amount You Need to Cover
Load enough usable sterling balance to cover the deposit plus any fee charged by the prepaid-card provider.
£25
£50
£50
£180
£50
Alternative method
Pockit + PayPoint
Pockit offers a prepaid Mastercard that can be used for online payments anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Cash can be added through PayPoint stores using the customer's Pockit barcode.
We regard this as an alternative because Pockit involves opening an account and completing registration. A physical card may be delivered by post, and some features use the Pockit app, although Pockit also provides web access and says customers can start using Mastercard details before the physical card arrives.
Current cash-loading fee: Pockit's current help information states that PayPoint deducts £1.99 from a cash load. Always check Pockit's current fees before loading cash.
Choose Pockit if…
- You are comfortable opening a separate prepaid account.
- You want to load physical cash through PayPoint.
- You accept Pockit's registration requirements.
- You understand that a physical card may arrive by post.
- You prefer this route despite the extra account/app considerations.
Common questions
Discreet Payment Questions
Is this an anonymous payment method?
No. This guide is about keeping a Translife payment separate from your everyday bank card or bank details. The prepaid-card provider may require identification, address checks or registration and will keep its own records.
Do I have to install the Post Office app?
No. The Post Office states that its Travel Money Card still works without a mobile phone or app. It can also be activated and the PIN obtained using its automated telephone service.
Will a Post Office card be sent to my home?
Not if you obtain the card in a participating Post Office branch. The Post Office says an in-branch Travel Money Card can be taken away the same day. Cards ordered online or in the app are delivered to the home address.
Can I still pay cash for my Dressing Service appointment?
Yes, where cash for the remaining appointment balance has been agreed. The prepaid-card method is intended to solve the advance-deposit requirement; the deposit must be received before the booking is confirmed.
Is every prepaid-card payment guaranteed?
No. The card must have sufficient available balance and the issuer/payment processor must authorise the transaction.
Translife support
Need Help Before You Pay?
If you are unsure which payment route is appropriate, contact Translife before loading a prepaid card. Provider fees, limits and terms can change, so always check the provider's current information first.