PayPoint has joined the Confirmation of Payee (CoP) name-checking service with the aim of giving more vulnerable people access to cost-of-living payments in the UK.

Pay.UK, which launched CoP in 2020, has extended its name-checking service to PayPoint’s local government and energy company customers to enable the support payments.

Because financially vulnerable groups are more likely to pay bills by cash and cheque, they are at a greater risk of missing out on support payments paid directly into an account.

Pay.UK said that CoP provides a simple way for the government to check funds are sent to the right place and ensure vulnerable users – who may not have already registered their bank details – get funds quickly and safely.

“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,” said Nick Wiles, chief executive, PayPoint. “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.”

PayPoint's participation in CoP has already processed more than a billion transactions to date.

“Giving people more choice in the way they pay and are paid is part of Pay.UK’s purpose," said Dougie Belmore, chief payments officer, Pay.UK. "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 and Pay.UK will continue expanding Confirmation of Payee so it is primed to help tackle the evolving financial challenges many consumers may have to face.”

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