If a payment hasn't gone through, don't worry - most issues have a simple fix. This guide covers the most common reasons payments fail and what you can do to get things sorted.
💡 Famly does not automatically retry failed payments. If something goes wrong, you'll need to fix the issue and try again
Can I Cancel a Payment?
Once a payment has started processing, it can't be stopped or cancelled through Famly. If you've made a payment by mistake, you'll need to contact your bank directly. You can also reach out to your nursery to discuss a refund once the payment has been completed. If you don’t have sufficient funds on your account, the payment will automatically fail.
My Payment Failed
When a payment fails, you'll receive an email notification. Your balance will show as unpaid, so you'll need to make a new payment once the issue is resolved. You will see the reason for failure when navigating to the Balance tab.
Here are the most common reasons and what to do:
Insufficient Funds
What you'll see: "Insufficient funds"
There wasn't enough money in your account to cover the payment.
What to do:
Check your bank balance
Add funds to your account
Go to your Balance tab in Famly
Tap Pay and retry the payment
Card Declined
What you'll see: "Payment declined" or "Not permitted"
Your bank blocked the transaction. This can happen for several reasons - fraud prevention, a daily spending limit, or restrictions on your card.
What to do:
Contact your bank to find out why it was declined
Ask them to allow the transaction
Retry the payment in Famly, or try a different card
💡 Some banks block online transactions by default. If this is the case, let your bank know you're making a legitimate payment and try again
Card Expired
What you'll see: "Payment method expired"
Your card has passed its expiration date.
What to do:
Go to your Payment methods in Famly
Remove the expired card
Add your new card details
Retry the payment
Wrong Card Details
What you'll see: "Invalid CVC", "Invalid card number", or "Invalid zip code"
Something didn't match when we tried to verify your card.
What to do:
Double-check your card number, expiry date, and security code (the 3 digits on the back)
Make sure your billing postcode matches what your bank has on file
Retry the payment
💡 Recently moved? Your bank may still have your old address. Update your address with your bank first, then try again
Card Not Supported
What you'll see: "Card not supported"
Some card types can't be used for this kind of transaction — for example, prepaid cards or gift cards.
What to do:
Try a different debit or credit card
Or set up Direct Debit instead
Bank Account Issue (Direct Debit)
What you'll see: "Invalid account" or "Not authorised."
There's a problem with your bank account — it may have been closed, the details may be wrong, or your Direct Debit mandate may have been cancelled.
What to do:
Check your bank account is still open and active
Remove the old Direct Debit from Famly
Set up a new Direct Debit with the correct details
Retry the payment
Bank Temporarily Unavailable
What you'll see: "Card issuer not available" or "Processing error"
This is usually a temporary technical issue on your bank's end.
What to do:
Wait 15–30 minutes
Try again
If it keeps failing, try a different payment method
If the problem continues, contact your bank
My Payment Needs Validating
If your payment shows "Requires Validation", your bank needs an extra security check. You have 3 days to complete it.
See our full guide: Validating a Payment (3DS)
My Automatic Payment Didn't Go Through
Automatic payments are only attempted once. If yours failed, it's usually for one of the reasons above — like insufficient funds or an expired card.
What to do:
Check the failure reason on your balance tab
Fix the issue (add funds, update your card, etc.)
Go to your Balance tab and pay manually
Automatic payments will run as normal next time, as long as the issue is resolved.
Tip: If your card is about to expire, update it in Famly before your next payment day to avoid a failed automatic payment
I Can't Add a Payment Method
Your nursery decides which payment methods they accept - for example, some nurseries may only accept Direct Debit or certain card types. If the payment method you want to use isn't available:
See which options are listed (card, Direct Debit, TFC)when you are adding a new payment method
Contact your nursery - If the method you'd like to use isn't shown, reach out to your nursery directly. They can let you know which payment methods they've enabled and whether they're able to add the one you need.
Some nurseries also restrict which card types or card brands they accept - for example, they may only accept debit cards but not credit cards, or they may not accept American Express (Amex). These restrictions aren't visible in Famly, so if your card is being rejected even though cards are listed as available, contact your nursery to confirm exactly which card types and brands they accept.
Tax-Free Childcare Issues
If TFC payments aren't working, run through this checklist before contacting support:
TFC Troubleshooting Checklist
Is your TFC account set up in Famly? Go to Settings → Payment methods and check that Tax-Free Childcare is listed. If not, follow the setup steps in our guide: Paying with Tax-Free Childcare
Did you log in with the right National Insurance number? The NI number must belong to the person who owns the TFC account - the parent or carer who set it up with HMRC. Using a partner's or family member's NI number won't work.
Are your children linked correctly? Each child needs to be linked with their unique TFC reference ID. To check the correct reference, log into your TFC account on gov.uk, go to Account → Manage account, and scroll to the bottom.
Is the reference ID entered correctly? The format is: first letter of first name + three letters of surname + five digits (e.g., JSMI12345). If you see "Invalid TFC reference ID format", try adding "TFC" to the end.
Do you have enough money in your TFC account? Check your Cleared funds balance in Famly or log into your TFC account on gov.uk. If it's low, top up via bank transfer first.
Has your connection expired? Famly's connection to HMRC needs to be reauthorised at least every 18 months. If you see "Permission needed" in your payment settings, follow the setup steps again to refresh it.
Are you trying on a desktop? TFC linking sometimes has issues on smartphones and tablets. If it's not working on your phone, try a desktop computer instead.
Still not working?
If you see a "CCP details don't match" error, this is a nursery-side issue — ask your nursery to check their Ofsted or registration number in Famly. If your TFC account isn't active, check your status at childcarechoices.gov.uk or contact HMRC on 0300 123 4097.
Quick Reference: Error Messages
Error message | What it means | What to do |
Insufficient funds | Not enough money in your account | Add funds, then retry |
Payment declined / Not permitted | Your bank blocked the transaction | Contact your bank, then retry or try a different card |
Payment method expired | Your card has expired | Update your card details, then retry |
Invalid CVC / card number/post code | Card details are incorrect | Re-enter details carefully, check billing postcode |
Card not supported | Card type can't be used (e.g. prepaid) | Try a different card or Direct Debit |
Invalid account / Not authorised | Bank account issue | Check account is active, set up payment method again |
Authentication required/failed | Bank needs 3D security check | Retry and complete the verification step |
Card issuer not available | Bank systems temporarily down | Wait 15–30 mins, then retry |
Processing error / Unknown error | Temporary technical issue | Wait a few minutes, retry. Try a different method if it persists |