Access PaySuite and AccessPay are two unrelated companies, and both handle Bacs payments. AccessPay is payment software for finance and treasury teams that already hold their own Service User Number and bank sponsorship, while Access PaySuite is a direct debit bureau that can collect for you under its own. If you simply want to collect direct debits from customers and don't have a SUN, you need a bureau-style provider, not AccessPay.
In this article
The short version
- Access PaySuite and AccessPay are separate, unrelated companies.
- AccessPay is Bacs software that needs your own Service User Number and bank sponsorship, sold as an annual subscription.
- Access PaySuite is a direct debit bureau that can collect under its own SUN, priced per transaction.
- If you don't want a SUN at all, Adfin collects under its own, alongside cards and bank payments.
- Mandates on AccessPay can move to Adfin without customers re-signing if you have 10 or more.
Why the two get mixed up
The names are almost identical, and both companies describe themselves as Bacs approved bureaux. It gets more confusing when you look them up: AccessPay's legal entity is called Access Systems (UK) Limited, which sounds like part of The Access Group. It isn't. The Access Group owns Access PaySuite, and AccessPay is a separate business based in Manchester.
So if a colleague, your bank or a supplier mentions "Access" for direct debits, it's worth checking which one they mean before you book a demo.
What each company does
| AccessPay | Access PaySuite | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Payment automation software for finance and treasury teams | Direct debit bureau, part of The Access Group |
| Payments it handles | Bacs Direct Debits and Direct Credits, Faster Payments, CHAPS and other bank payment types | Direct debit collection, with card processing as a separate product |
| Do you need your own SUN? | Yes, with sponsorship from your bank | No, though you can use your own |
| How it charges | Fixed annual subscription, never per transaction | Per transaction, from 8p, by quote |
AccessPay sits between your finance system and your bank. Your bank sponsors you for Bacs and gives you a Service User Number (SUN, the six-digit number that identifies a business collecting direct debits or paying by Bacs), and AccessPay's software submits the payment files. Its own FAQ says you need that sponsorship before you can submit Bacs payments through it. It tends to suit organisations sending large volumes of payroll, supplier payments and collections through their own bank relationships.
Access PaySuite works the other way round. It offers three routes: your own SUN assigned through its bureau, so your name shows on customers' statements; the bureau's SUN, so customers see the bureau's name instead; or submitting files to Bacs yourself. Pricing starts at 8p per transaction with no setup fee, but its own example of 500 payments a month at £30 each comes to around £215 a month, so the from-price is a floor rather than a typical rate. Its published terms for direct debit services run for 12 months, renew automatically, and need three months' notice to end.
Which one fits your business
The quickest test is whether you already hold a SUN and want to keep running Bacs through your own bank.
- You have a SUN and a sponsoring bank, and a finance team sending payroll and supplier payments as well as collections: AccessPay is designed for that set-up.
- You want to collect direct debits from customers, don't have a SUN and don't want to go through bank sponsorship: AccessPay won't help, because it expects you to have one. Access PaySuite can collect under its bureau SUN.
- You want direct debit as part of getting invoices paid, with cards, bank payments and chasing as well: neither of these covers that on its own, and you'd be adding more suppliers around either.
Bank sponsorship for your own SUN usually means an application to your bank, checks on your business and a wait before you can collect anything. For most small and mid-sized businesses collecting from customers, a bureau or a payment platform that collects under its own SUN is the quicker route.
If you'd rather not deal with a SUN at all
Adfin collects direct debits under its own SUN, so you don't need one of your own or a bank facility. Adfin runs its own checks and usually a short onboarding call. Customers see Adfin's name on their statements by default; if you want your own business name there instead, Adfin Custom costs £36 a month and has to be chosen at onboarding.
It costs 1% + 20p per successful collection, with the percentage capped at £4 and no monthly fee or contract. Direct debit sits alongside card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, pay by bank and bank transfer, and Adfin's AI Customer Agents chase unpaid invoices by email, SMS and WhatsApp within rules you set.
If you already collect through AccessPay, Adfin can move your mandates across. With 10 or more, they transfer through the Bacs bulk change process and your customers don't sign anything new; with fewer than 10, customers sign a new Adfin mandate.
Common questions
Are AccessPay and Access PaySuite the same company? No. Access PaySuite is part of The Access Group. AccessPay is a separate company whose legal name, Access Systems (UK) Limited, sounds similar but has no connection to The Access Group.
Does AccessPay collect direct debits? It submits Bacs Direct Debits, but under your own Service User Number, so you need bank sponsorship first.
Do I need a SUN to use Access PaySuite? No. Access PaySuite can collect under its bureau's SUN, in which case customers see the bureau's name on their statements, or under your own.
How do the two charge? AccessPay charges a fixed annual subscription and never per transaction. Access PaySuite charges per transaction from 8p, with the final rate quoted on your volumes.
Is Access PaySuite regulated by the FCA? Yes. It's authorised as a payment institution, firm reference number 730815.
Can I move direct debit mandates from AccessPay to Adfin without customers re-signing? Yes, if you're moving 10 or more: they transfer through the Bacs bulk change process. With fewer than 10, customers sign a new Adfin mandate.
Sources
- AccessPay - Bacs approved bureau (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.accesspay.com/solutions/bacs-approved-bureau
- Access PaySuite - Direct debit (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.accesspaysuite.com/payments/direct-debit/
- Access PaySuite - Direct debit pricing (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.accesspaysuite.com/payments/direct-debit/pricing/
- Adfin - Next-generation direct debit (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.adfin.com/direct-debit-payments
- Adfin - Pricing (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.adfin.com/pricing
