Pre Payment Card Accounts To Pay Direct Payments. Requirements Development

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1 Pre Payment Card Accounts To Pay Direct Payments Requirements Development

2 What, Why and How A pre payment card system is a means of paying and monitoring the direct payment monies to a customer The cards have an account with a sort code and an account number which enable customers to pay for services in the following ways: By standing order or direct debit By bank transfer via the internet or telephone In person (using chip and pin). Direct Payment monies are loaded onto the card account by the Council and financial contributions or top ups can be loaded by customers. A large number of Councils now use pre payment cards for direct payments and for other payments. Pre payment card accounts for Suffolk were considered a few years ago but inflexibility of the products and technology on offer at the time mean that it was not pursued. Technology and security linked to pre payment card accounts have developed significantly. ACS Management Team has agreed to look at pre payment cards as an option. ACS and CYP are working together on this feasibility work.

3 What We Do Now Customers have to open a separate bank account to receive payments. Transfer of money is usual via BACS. We track spend and client contributions by the customer sending in paper bank statements and supporting invoices and receipts of spend which are then checked and monitored. This is a manual process and is resource intensive.

4 How Pre Payment Card accounts Work Funds are uploaded onto card by organisation(s) and/or service user Cards can be then used in a similar way to credit/debit card ATM/cashback use is often blocked Spend can be restricted by merchant or by category Carers can have companion cards Balance cannot fall below zero no credit facility There are Bank transfer, Direct Debits and Standing Order facilities Service Users can monitor transactions and balances online Telephone support is usually provided by supplier The Council has access to transaction level details Money can be uploaded and card use blocked quickly

5 The Advantages for the Council Promotes efficient /effective use of staff monitoring time Supports personalisation and commissioning agendas Spend can easily be monitored against care and support plan Monitored spend can deter or identify misuse/abuse/fraud Automated alerts specified by authority Automation of the audit trail Missing client contributions are automatically notified. Easy to handle excess balances. If a customer dies the card can be frozen frozen money doesn t disappear into a probate process Replaces any cash handling - safer and more secure Good management information Spend data available for analysis, reporting and market development

6 The advantages for the Customer Prepayment cards are generally available to all, regardless of financial circumstance No need for the customer to set up a separate bank account Removes/reduces the need to keep and send statements into the Council Easy monitoring and management of balances Funds cannot be lost by disappearing into an overdraft Potential benefits for those who are financially excluded No need to carry and manage cash Promotion of life skills / social inclusion Payments to different family members can be combined onto one card. Can be advised by or text when a payment has been received into the prepayment card account Can improve safeguarding and reduce the potential abuse of funds Emergency payments can be made instantly

7 Other Possible Uses Appointeeships Court of protection Household budgeting Fostering Young people leaving care Emergency payments Asylum seekers Cash replacement (travel, visiting staff, maintenance, food)

8 Card features and functions Who can have a card/who will need a card On line access and accessibility Phone banking Customer account features Customer statements Emergency cards ( quick issue and activation) Lost cards, forgotten PINs o Audit requirements o Data security o Financials- Flow of money between us and the card provider o Financial liability and indemnification o Interface with oracle o Customer contribution reconciliation Some ideas about areas for requirements Continuous development Extending use of cardswhat, who, when etc Financial liability and indemnification Monitoring information Card issuing Card activation Reports, alerts Information, Support, training: for customers SCC staff, providers, other merchants