allpay Group
- Founded
- 1994-01-01 in Hereford, UK
- Headquarters
- Hereford, UK
allpay Group is a UK-based payments specialist providing integrated payment collection, fund distribution, and data analytics primarily to public-sector organisations, housing associations, and healthcare bodies. Founded in 1994 as Financial Collection Services (FCS) Ltd and later rebranded as allpay.net Limited, the company processes over £9.8 billion annually for more than 200 local authorities and 500 housing associations. Its product suite includes Direct Debit management, card processing, online and mobile payments, prepaid card platforms, and the newly launched DOSH prepaid Mastercard account for the underbanked. The company emphasises financial inclusion, offering cash payment options and prepaid cards for unbanked individuals. allpay is led by founder Tony Killeen and Managing Director Michelle Pacey, operating from headquarters in Hereford, UK. Through partnerships with Visa, Mastercard, the Post Office, and Open Banking providers, allpay continues to digitise payments while maintaining a human-centred approach.
Detailed Review
History and Founding
allpay Group began in 1994 as Financial Collection Services (FCS) Ltd, a small start-up with two clients and four employees, later rebranding as allpay.net Limited. The company grew steadily within the UK public sector, eventually processing over £9.8 billion annually for more than 200 local authorities and 500 housing associations. Its headquarters moved to Whitestone, Hereford in 2004, where it remains today.
Business Model
allpay operates as a B2B payments platform, charging fees for processing transactions across multiple channels. It offers an end-to-end lifecycle covering collection, disbursement, and reconciliation, allowing clients to consolidate all payment channels through a single supplier. This model generates recurring revenue from long-term contracts with councils, housing associations, and NHS bodies.
Products and Platforms
The product suite includes Direct Debit Services (automated recurring collections with features like Payment Holidays), Prepaid Cards (Visa/Mastercard for benefit and healthcare disbursements), Payment Reference Cards (for cash payments at Post Office/PayPoint), Online Payments, Mobile Payments via the allpayments app, Pay by Link, and the Payments Hub dashboard. In 2025, allpay launched DOSH, a prepaid Mastercard account targeting the unbanked and underbanked, and introduced Open Banking and Confirmation of Payee capabilities.
Market Position and Partnerships
allpay is a market leader in UK public-sector payments, facing competition from other fintechs but distinguished by its deep sector expertise and focus on financial inclusion. Strategic partnerships include The Bank of London (social housing payments), Eckoh (payment security), Voicescape (rent arrears), and PAYA Group (cash handling for charities). It became the first signatory of Enfuce’s Fortitude Pledge, committing to responsible finance.
Recent Developments
In 2025, allpay integrated GitHub Copilot across development teams, boosting productivity by 10% according to a Microsoft case study. It also enhanced its allpayments app and Payments Hub interface. The company remains privately owned by Allpay Holdings Limited, backed by private equity, with reported revenue of approximately USD 41 million and EBITDA margin of 14.5% for FY2022.
Key Products
allpayments
Web and mobile app for end customers to manage and pay bills online, supporting Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Pay by Bank.
Direct Debit Service
Bacs-approved bureau service for recurring collections with features including payment holidays, bilingual letters, and payer name verification.
Pay by Link
Enables organisations to send payment links via integration with Voicescape for rent or bill collection.
Prepaid Card Solutions (allpay cards)
Visa/Mastercard prepaid cards for disbursement of social care, grants, and other funds, produced in-house with custom design and fulfilment.
Direct Debit Services
Automated recurring payment collection for rent, council tax, utilities, etc., including Payment Holidays, fully managed refunds, and payer name verification.
Prepaid Cards
Visa/Mastercard prepaid cards for disbursements such as benefits, grants, and healthcare payments, used by local authorities and NHS.
Payment Reference Cards (Swipecards)
Magnetic stripe cards for in-person cash payments at Post Office and PayPoint.
Online Payments
Web-based payment portal for card and Direct Debit transactions.
Mobile Payments (allpayments app)
Smartphone app for customers to make payments, view balances, and manage accounts.
Payments Hub
Client-facing dashboard for payment reconciliation, reporting, and data exports.
DOSH (Prepaid Mastercard)
New prepaid current account for unbanked/underbanked individuals, soft launched in 2025.
Open Banking & Confirmation of Payee
Real-time payment initiation and account verification services launched in 2025.
Cash Payout Solutions
Secure cash distribution through PAYA Group partnership for charities.
Offices & Headcount
200 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
Notable past members
- Michelle Pacey — Founder and Publisher