Bacs Payment Services Website refresh project
The Bacs Payment Services Website will be changing by 13 June 2022
We are making improvements to the Bacs Payment Services Website (PSW), which will go live for all Bacs service users and agency payment service providers on 13 June.
If you are a Current Account Switch Service participant, Cash ISA Transfer Service participant or Bacs direct participant, please view the relevant section under questions and answers below for important transition details.
Please look out for our communications as well as updates to this page throughout the coming months.
Find out more and next steps
Test your JavaScript status
The new PSW relies on JavaScript to function and will also support a wider range of browsers and not just Internet Explorer. You need to make sure you have JavaScript enabled on your browser prior to the live date otherwise you may not be able to access the new PSW.
Please test your JavaScript status using our new tool and submit your results in the PSW. When logged into the PSW, click on the JavaScript test tab on the left hand side menu of the home page.
User experience modules
To give you early sight of the refreshed PSW, we have created user experience modules which demonstrate what the refreshed PSW will look like. This is to enable you to get familiarised with the screens and layout prior to the change taking place (note: it is not intended to replicate the live environment).
Access to the user experience modules is via a link in the step-by-step guides produced to help you navigate your way around the modules. The guides along with videos demonstrating the modules can be found in the table below.
Bacs Payment Services Website refresh questions and answers
To find out more about the Bacs PSW improvements, please read our prepared questions and answers below.
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We are making improvements to the Bacs PSW to help make it easier to use. We will improve the user experience and make it compatible across more browsers.
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The improved Bacs PSW will go live in the first half of 2022.
We will be updating this page, along with communicating with all Bacs PSW users regularly via email throughout the year to keep you updated on our progress and advise of the Bacs PSW refresh launch date as we progress through 2022.
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As PKI access is reliant on IE11, which is being retired this year, we are currently exploring all options to identify the best solution for our users, and this will be announced in due course.
For ASM access, users will be able to use the newest or the immediately previous versions of all major browsers once the refresh is complete.
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PSW relies on JavaScript to function. It will also support a wide range of browsers and not just Internet Explorer.
We need to make sure you have JavaScript enabled on your browser prior to the live date otherwise you will not be able to access new PSW.
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The JavaScript test tool can be found by clicking on the ‘JavaScript test’ tab on the left-hand side menu of the home page of the existing PSW.
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To use the tool simply click the link marked JavaScript test tool. The tool will check if your browser has JavaScript enabled and will present the results to you immediately. Please submit your test results using the ‘submit’ button so we can use the data to inform the PSW upgrade project. It is important you do not skip this step.
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We suggest you run the tool immediately to check if JavaScript is enabled on your browser. We then recommend running the tool again closer to the new PSW go live date to check your browser is still enabled. Please also retest if you or your organisation make operating system changes to your computer.
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Great. This means your current browser is JavaScript enabled and you will be able to access the new PSW when it goes live. Don’t forget to submit your result using the submit button.
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The JavaScript test tool is for you to be aware of the limitations of your browser. We have no access to your IT infrastructure so you will need to speak to your IT support to help you enable JavaScript on your browser.
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You will need to speak to your internal company IT support to request that JavaScript is enabled on your browser.
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Browsers like Chrome do work up to a point with the existing PSW but this is not supported. The new Payment Services Website allows a wider range of browsers (Internet Explorer, Chrome Firefox , Edge , Safari) to fully support all new PSW functions.
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The user experience modules are a helpful tool for existing PSW users to familiarise themselves with the refreshed PSW prior to the change taking place.
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To access the user experience modules, download the corresponding guide from the Information hub (either below or to the right of your screen), and copy the link within the guide into either an Edge or Chrome browser.
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The refreshed PSW will be on the same URL you currently use and will launch on 13 June. From this date you must ensure you have JavaScript enabled, otherwise you may find you're unable to access the site.
If you are a Current Account Switch Service participant, Cash ISA transfer service participant, or a Bacs direct participant, your access method and dates will be different. Please see the FAQs below for more details.
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Worklist approvals open on the old site will show on the new site to be completed after the transition. A services activities that have been 'saved as draft' on the old site will NOT appear on the new site and the activity will need to be restarted.
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There will be no changes to the existing security methods.
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No, after 13 June you will only be able to access the refreshed PSW.
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Yes, the database will remain same, data created in one site will be available on the other site.
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No, there are no changes to the unattended / automated report collection URLs.
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No, there are no changes to the submission channels
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The PSW refresh project is a key element of our overall response to Microsoft's decision to bring forward the withdrawal of support for IE11, to 15 June 2022. Thanks to our forward-looking approach, we have ensured that the new PSW will work in IE11 compatibility mode in Edge for eSigner access.
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You will need to access the refreshed PSW via a temporary URL from 30 May, which will be emailed to you on 12 April, with a reminder being sent 17 May.
(Select users who will be emailed 5 April and 9 May, will need to use the temporary URL from 16 May)
You may need to add the temporary URL to your system's trusted sites to ensure you can access it.
From 13 June, the temporary URL will be deactivated and you must then revert back to the current URL.
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No, once transitioned you will only be able to access the refreshed PSW.
If you try to log into the old existing site url between your transition date and 13 June, you will receive an error message and be denied access. From 13 June you then must use the existing PSW URL.
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You will need to access the refreshed PSW via a temporary URL from 3 May, which will be emailed to you on 21 March, with a reminder being sent 19 April.
(Select users who will be emailed 10 March and 11 April, will need to use the temporary URL from 25 April)
You may need to add the temporary URL to your system's trusted sites to ensure you can access it.
From 13 June, the temporary URL will be deactivated and you must then revert back to the current URL.
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No, once transitioned you will only be able to access the refreshed PSW.
If you try to log into the old existing site url between your transition date and 13 June, you will receive an error message and be denied access. From 13 June you then must use the existing PSW URL.
Branding and who Pay.UK is
Currently, the Bacs PSW is Bacs branded. However, the refreshed Bacs PSW will be launched in Pay.UK branding, so the logo and the colours used on the site will change.
In 2019 Pay.UK became the home for the UK's retail payment schemes Bacs, Faster Payments, Cheques. By bringing the schemes together as Pay.UK, we put the needs of consumers and businesses at the heart of everything we do. As one operator for all UK retail payments, we make sure that every retail payment sent or transferred in the UK is done safely and securely.
Our core purpose is to enable a vibrant UK economy, driving involvement and collaboration in payments. By delivering best-in-class infrastructure, standards and rules, we will maintain the UK's position for word-leading payment operations.
Find out more about Pay.UK and our responsibilities for payment operations at www.wearepay.uk.