Independent evaluation of the APP scams policies concludes

Frontier Economics published its report on 1 July 2026 following its evaluation of the Payment Systems Regulator's authorised push payment (APP) scams policies¹. The PSR issued its response on the same date, confirming the scope of its planned work and its timing, and began a period of stakeholder engagement¹.

The regulator's roadmap sets out four stages. Stakeholder engagement with industry and consumer representatives runs from August 2026¹. A formal consultation follows in December 2026, covering policy proposals and any amendments to the relevant legal instruments needed to implement them¹. A decision and revised legal directions are due in May 2027, with the implementation date for changes to be confirmed within six months of the decision being published¹.

The consultation will cover three areas. On policy parameters, it will address the treatment of claims that cannot be resolved within 35 business days and the treatment of "returns from investment" under the policy¹. On data, it will consider new requirements for the annual collection of data on the platforms and services most commonly used by fraudsters to target APP scam victims, alongside the future of the fraud performance data regime and changes to compliance data reporting requirements¹. On consistent consumer outcomes, it will consider whether further clarity is needed, including guidance on the application of the consumer standard of caution, civil disputes and me-to-me transactions¹.

The PSR said the summer engagement will include consideration of the treatment of some types of investment scams and the 13 month reporting requirement¹.

The roadmap is a response to Frontier's evaluation and to stakeholder feedback since the policy was implemented in October 2024¹.

Why it matters for households

The APP scams reimbursement rules have applied to payments since October 2024¹. The consultation now planned for December 2026 concerns the detail of how those rules operate, including what happens to claims that cannot be settled within 35 business days and how "returns from investment" are treated¹. Any changes to the legal directions would take effect only after the May 2027 decision, with the implementation date confirmed within six months of publication¹. The PSR has not reported the outcome of the Frontier evaluation itself, and no figures on reimbursement volumes or values appear in the roadmap.

What happens next

Stakeholder engagement with industry and consumer representatives runs over the summer of 2026¹. The formal consultation opens in December 2026, with a decision and revised legal directions due in May 2027¹. The PSR also plans to publish a report on the platforms and services most commonly used by fraudsters to target victims, covering 2024 and 2025 data¹. The regulator says the scope of the consultation remains under review and may be refined or amended in light of feedback during the engagement period¹.

More on the Payment Systems Regulator and on scams and fraud.