Google Pay users in the UK will no longer be able to transfer money between friends on the Google Pay app.
The company announced on Friday that from September 6 it is getting rid of its Google Pay P2P service in the UK. The peer-to-peer money transfer feature allows users to send and request money directly within the Google Pay app. It is a really useful little tool that lets you pay your friends back for dinner or contribute to the taxi home when you’re out and about. Google integrated the feature from its standalone app into the Google Pay app last year.
Related: How to use Google Pay on your Android phone
The news was revealed to users in an email sent on Friday morning. Google stated that the P2P status will no longer be available in the Google Pay app, in Gmail or on pay.google.com.
This is due to Google Pay moving from Google Payment Limited to Google Ireland Limited in the UK meaning that the relationship with GPL and the e-money service they operate is ending. GIL will continue to offer other services but will primarily be focused on helping you to save and manage your payment credentials and use them to make purchases with Google and on Google marketplaces.
Related: The UK government now accepts Apple Pay and Google Pay
Google is asking all users with a net positive balance on their Google Pay accounts to sign into their Google payments profile and transfer the money back to their bank account before September 6.
Customers with zero balance in their accounts are not required to take any further action before the change.
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Google has assured users that nothing about the experience using Google services will change and that Google Ireland Limited and Google Payment Limited are working together to keep the transition smooth for users. Information about your past transactions will still be available to view on Google Pay’s website.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.