PayPoint has joined Pay.UK’s Confirmation of Payee (CoP) service, enabling local authorities and energy companies to deliver cost-of-living support payments more securely and efficiently. The integration is set for national rollout in November 2025 at no additional cost, aiming to provide safer, faster payouts to financially vulnerable individuals, who often pay bills with cash or cheques and face higher risks of exclusion from digital payments.
Background and Impact
- Pay.UK’s CoP service already handles over a billion transactions, safeguarding 92% of all Pay.UK retail payments.
- The collaboration covers key government disbursements such as energy rebates and council tax returns, providing an easy and reliable way to verify recipient details before payments are made.
- CoP performs over one million name checks daily, reducing the risk of misdirected payments and Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud—a significant concern for vulnerable consumers. More about common payment issues.
Dougie Belmore, Chief Payments Officer at Pay.UK, stated: “Giving people more choice in the way they pay and are paid is part of Pay.UK’s purpose. And as PayPoint’s joining of Confirmation of Payee shows, this choice can bring very real benefits for people in need. Facilitating greater access to cost-of-living support for those who might otherwise miss out is a vital achievement…”
Nick Wiles, Chief Executive of PayPoint, commented: “We’re delighted to be working with Pay.UK on expanding the use of Confirmation of Payee and helping local government and energy companies make sure that important support payments reach the people who need them. This move further enhances our channel-agnostic payments platform, ensuring we can continue to support our clients and their customers with smart technology designed to improve their experience and reduce costs.”
| Aspect | Details | Further Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Energy rebates, council tax returns, other cost-of-living support | Payments oversight |
| Security | 92%+ of Pay.UK retail payments protected by CoP | Safety in payments |
| Main Benefit | Reduces APP fraud, ensures correct recipients for support payments | Account verification |
The expansion of CoP reflects a broader trend towards enhanced payment security and transparency in the UK financial sector. For further detail, see the official announcement and learn more about UK withdrawal methods and fast payouts.
