Electronic Payment Systems
Framework Description
Procurement for Housing's Electronic Payment Systems framework provides social housing landlords with payment and debt assessment services. Its seven lots cover multiple and single network payment services, cash-in solutions, prepaid cards, vouchers, open banking and debt assessments. It lets landlords add payment channels through suppliers PfH has already assessed, rather than procuring regulated payment services on their own. It runs until 2 November 2027.
Context & Use Case
Housing providers use it to make rent and service charge payments easier for tenants, including those who prefer to pay in cash, and to support residents in financial difficulty. Prepaid cards and vouchers give landlords a way to make payments to residents, while the debt assessment lot helps income teams understand a tenant's circumstances before taking recovery action.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: multiple network services Lot 2: single network services Lot 3: cash-in solutions Lot 4: prepaid cards Lot 5: vouchers Lot 6: open banking services Lot 7: debt solutions – assessments
Lots
Lot 1 Multiple Network Services; Lot 2 Single Network Services; Lot 3 Cash-In Solutions; Lot 4 Prepaid Cards; Lot 5 Vouchers; Lot 6 Open Banking Services; Lot 7 Debt Solutions - Assessments
Who Can Apply
Suits payment network operators, cash-in and prepaid card providers, voucher schemes, open banking platforms and debt assessment specialists. Applications for this framework are closed; suppliers not appointed cannot join until PfH re-tenders, likely around November 2027.
Buyer Benefits
A landlord can widen payment options and improve rent collection without running its own procurement. Suppliers have been checked by PfH, so buyers can rely on their security and compliance, and debt assessment support helps income teams treat vulnerable tenants fairly while recovering arrears.
Next Steps
Appointed suppliers should gather collection and tenant take-up data to support the re-tender. Others should prepare by building social housing references, documenting FCA authorisation or e-money permissions where relevant, and setting out data protection and accessibility credentials. Watch PfH's framework pages from mid-2027 for the replacement.
How Athena Can Help
Payment frameworks with few lots are won on detail: security, tenant accessibility and cost per transaction. Athena can put the PfH re-tender into a forward framework plan and deliver the application when it opens.
Our fintech bid writing explains technical and regulatory detail in terms housing evaluators can score, and our transaction pricing advice sets fees that win without eroding margin. We can also run competitor analysis on the likely field.
