Visa: 73% of UK Students Want Smarter Bill Management Tools

Visa has found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of university students in the UK would welcome technology that helps them better manage their bills.

The data comes from a survey of 2,000 students aged 18 to 23, published Tuesday (Aug. 19). According to the findings, 88% said they feel stressed by financial management, while 39% said handling bills is the most difficult aspect of adulthood.

Common struggles include bills or subscriptions costing more than expected (69%), missed payments due to insufficient funds (48%), disputes with housemates over bill sharing (47%), difficulty reclaiming money after being overcharged (22%), and lack of control over automatic payments (19%).

“Leaving home for the first time is an exciting milestone, but it also means taking on financial responsibility,” said Mandy Lamb, Visa’s managing director for the UK and Ireland. “Without the right support, this can feel overwhelming, and when problems arise, students are often unsure where to turn.”

Students said they would benefit from tools offering flexible payment dates (29%), clearer payment terms (28%), and the ability to cancel or switch providers easily (28%).

To address these needs, Visa has launched its Visa A2A solution in the UK, allowing consumers to pay bills directly via bank transfer while benefiting from card-like protections such as advanced security and dispute resolution.

“We believe Visa A2A can give students more confidence in handling their finances,” Lamb explained. “It provides clarity on when money leaves their accounts and a way to recover funds if issues occur.”

A core feature of A2A is giving consumers more control over how they set up and manage mandates with service providers, Visa Europe’s senior vice president of products, Mehret Habteab, told PYMNTS. “Consumers want safety, confidence, and flexibility around their payments,” she added.

Visa announced in June that A2A is “market-ready” for bill and subscription payments, with eCommerce integration to follow. The company says the platform provides a security safety net that open banking systems in the UK have so far lacked.