Prepaid Financial Services

Steve

Need to use this site once or twice a month to pay a carer, and 1/2 the times go to sign in there is some problem which causes the experience to be painful. Error messages are vague - you assume it is you having entered wrong details but then it suddenly works again so clearly them. The SMS "one time password" mechanism was again not working this morning so sign-in is impossible. Customer service is terribly slow - there's no chat, an email address takes around 3 days for a vague reply. Their downtime in August was appallingly managed, their complaints process took weeks and did nothing apart from send lots of emails. The downtime cost us personally but no offer of compensation just repeated "sincere apologies". Their website status status page does not show true status. How they continue to get business from so many local councils is terrible reflection on the decision making of those authorities.

Lucy Coombes

Once again this is not functioning. No reply to emails and I’ve been about a week now with an account that doesn’t work. The direct payments card has now expired and a new one has NOT been sent so can’t use that either to pay for anything. Ridiculous and a terrible service

Lee Jones

Yet again I cannot pay for my treatments online. Absolute waste of time trying to fill out a Payment Request Form. Constantly getting error messages!

Moe Amir

The system is down for over a week now. All my subscriptions are cancelled and I can’t purchase online as OTP is not working.

Lulu

After the system being down for weeks a couple of months ago its not working again. Am not receiving the OTP code which it says has been sent to mobile. Impossible to get hold of and a truly awful system and service. These constant problems are leaving carers and provisions unpaid, shame on the local authorities for continuing to use them.

Tony

Absolute rubbish - platform is incredibly unreliable

Consumer

Used to be great but now seems to be out of action more than in use. No customer service number is provided anymore. Nothing but frustration on the lack of proper help.

Nigel Brewster

The worst banking system is at it again. Do you people realise carers need paying. They have motgages, direct debit, car payments and kids to look after. Request Payment Form hasn't worked for months, get the damn thing sorted. If you keep changing, without backing up a working example, that's ridiculous. You're a useless bank.

Hbels

I have been trying for several hours to make a Direct Payment. I am unable to log in, despite successfully changing my password. The message comes up as "Your session was interrupted". I've been on hold for 2 hours on the phone with no answer. So stressed.

Lyn Brady

I can't pay my carers again! After the system going down for weeks recently, they assured me it was fixed. Honestly its so frustrating.I've tried logging in to my account and it keeps telling me to contact services. I've tried calling but they shut at 6pm, it's ridiculous! Local authorities must find a better provider for those of us who are vulnerable and need carers!

Karen Allan

Couldn't log in last month due to OTP not being sent to phone, waited on phone for almost 2hrs for customer services to answer. They made the payment and assured me this would be fixed for next time. 1 month on and same issues again, so can't log in to pay carer. Tried emailing to get this resolved as I don’t have time to sit waiting for them to answer the phone, but no reply. Really unprofessional, and if I had the choice I would avoid this company!! Update - I called customer services and they were very helpful. They have removed my phone number, so the OTP will now go to my email. This seems to have rectified the issue, wish this was done last month when I first experienced the issue, would have saved time and stress!

Amanda H

Absolutely awful service Pity the staff as it’s not there fault that the company provides a substandard service No surprise that the local councils is this service

John Windridge

Trying to pay my pa and cant get logged on as otp has failed to arrive have tried ringing them only to be hung up on each time I have enough stress in my life without these adding to it I would rate negative stars but 1 is the lowest it goes worst customer service I've seen in a long time

Belinda

Absolutely abysmal company /customer service. I can't log on to my account, tried resetting password- that didn't work. I have been on hold to this company for a total of 3 hours this week ... no-one EVER picks up. I can't access funds to pay for my disabled child's short breaks activities ... really shoddy! Update - PFS ‘reached out’ last week as they said they would but still waiting for my account to actually be reset so I can access it 5 days later. Update 22/08 Got a call from Graham yesterday- very helpful and everything quickly sorted out.

Julie Wilson

You are (supposed to be) a financial institution but you are asking me to send my personal contact details to an internet third party? This is totally inappropriate use of personal data. And just to get in touch with you to resolve issues so I can access my funds. How about you just answer the phone to your customers?

H from MK

Now that this shambles has reached the national media Pre Paid financial services are claiming that the problems are substantially resolved. This is certainly not my experience as I remain unable to access the portal and pay carers and other support providers. This is a national disgrace and the government should be taking serious action. UPDATE 28/07/25 Fellow reviewers. I have also had a request to supply contact details and there has been no contact.Just so you know if you do not provide contact details PFS can apply to have your review taken down which is clearly why they are now leaving replies. I still have no access and the Local Council concerned is in a similar position. PFS put reputational damage before customer service.Appalling.My council renewed their contarct with PFS in June for two years !!!! Further update 30/07/25 Having phoned me to provide access they could not and have no idea when they can.Received an e mail full of excuses and spin but no action. Appalling UPDATE 21/08/25 Fellow reviewers.After battling with Pre-Paid Financial Services and my Local Council for over four weeks I looked in to avialable options. Whilst not promoted or advertised by my Council if you receive direct payments for care you are legally entitled to have the direct payment paid into a bank account that you set up providing it is only used for DP funds. Most Banks will allow you more than one current account.Google "The Care Act 2014: Care and support statutory guidance Updated 22 July 2025. Clause 12.58 " Then copy the guidance into an e mail to your council formally requesting DP's are made to you. They are not able to refuse. Hopefully if enough people do this Pre-Paid Financial Services will no longer exist!

Mrs Margaret Rowlands

Further to my earlier reviews - responses to those reviews promised that customer services would reach out to me. Absolutely no contact so on Monday at 13.30 I rang customer services - after being on hold for over an hour I eventually got through to an agent who escalated my complaint to his Manager - he promised to ring me back which he did and miraculously they had suddenly found my missing credit - Why did it take 18 days ? I have just looked at my phone history over those 18 days I spent over 3 .5 hours on hold. So the credit is there and since Monday I have been able to log in to the account. Today when I try to log in it is saying “ Invalid UserName” - I certainly know my Username- it is not invalid !!! Just tried again and it is now telling me that “ session was interrupted and timed out.” So yet again I cannot access the account. I refuse point blank to spend more precious time trying to get through. This Company is Not Fit For Purpose -

Lottie Parsons

Definitely a - spent 3 weeks trying to contact PFS after being on the phone for a total of 6 hours and emailed numerous times still can not pay my son’s day centre ! How can this company be allowed to continue with the absolute? UPDATE… no message sent and asked my council to remove this company from my direct payments !!!

Iram Fayyaz

Absolutely shoddy service from this company, any company experiencing problems would say so in a pre recorded message when you call their “customer service” line. Not with these lot. They have you on hold for hours knowing full well they will not answer. The system is apparently up and running, it’s not working for me. I am sick and tired of dealing with them. Out of pocket by £400 that I have had to pay myself without a hope in hell of reimbursing myself. It’s a joke. SEN parents don’t have enough on their plates as it do they, let’s add another headache to the list. Why these councils use this s**t company is beyond me.

Linda Daoud

Is this company for real?? I cannot log in as it made me renew my password, then asked for OTP which apparently got sent to my mobile, but it didn't !! Have been trying to call them for 2 days, been on hold today for 1 hour 19 minutes so far !! Is this company for real???