KAREN JOY BACUDO

Finance Editor

Adyen has been appointed as the payment services provider for non-Crown card payments and pay-by-bank services on GOV.UK Pay, in a move covering about 1,000 public sector services.

Services across local authorities, the armed forces and police will transition from Stripe to Adyen for payment processing on the government’s online payments platform. GOV.UK Pay, run by the Government Digital Service, is used by public bodies to take online payments for a wide range of services.

Since launching in 2016, GOV.UK Pay has processed more than £9 billion across more than 135 million transactions in central and local government services. More than 1,700 services use the platform across over 600 organisations, including parts of the NHS, the armed forces and the police.

The contract follows a competitive procurement process. It covers non-Crown card payments and adds pay-by-bank services as the Government Digital Service continues to update how public sector organisations collect money online.

About 1,000 services are expected to be added to Adyen’s platform in phases. GOV.UK Pay will manage the migration directly with service teams while retaining responsibility for supplier relationships, compliance, and the technical infrastructure that supports the services.

The transition is expected to take place without disruption or loss of functionality for users making payments online. Organisations using the system include councils that take payments for bills and fees, as well as bodies that handle fines and purchases linked to public services.

Platform shift

The change replaces Stripe as the payment processing provider for the affected services. For government departments and agencies using GOV.UK Pay forms part of a broader effort to introduce additional payment methods and respond to changing user preferences.

The Government Digital Service built GOV.UK Pay to give public sector organisations a shared way to accept digital payments, rather than requiring each body to maintain separate arrangements. The model has been promoted as a way to reduce administrative complexity and avoid duplication across government.

Adyen is best known for handling payments for large multinational companies, including Meta, Uber, H&M, eBay, and Microsoft. It’s a selection for GOV.UK Pay places it within the core of the government’s digital payments infrastructure for services outside Crown payments.

Nicole Olbe, UK&I Managing Director at Adyen, commented on the “agreement.

“Public sector organisations are under growing pressure to deliver seamless digital experiences while maintaining trust, resilience and efficiency, which is why we are proud to partner with GOV.UK Pay,” said Nicole Olbe, UK&I Managing Director at Adyen.

“When citizens engage with public services to cover bills, pay fines or buy essential items, they need the process to be reliable and straightforward. We’re committed to helping modernise payments across the public sector and deliver user-friendly experiences at scale,” Olbe said.

CIMA has welcomed the Skills England Annual Skills Report while urging greater emphasis on business finance skills. It also said the report raised fresh questions about the removal of Level 7 apprenticeships in accounting and finance.

The institute said the government’s broader approach to workforce development should place more weight on management accounting, financial management and professional qualifications as employers adapt to the spread of artificial intelligence across the economy.

CIMA’s intervention adds to the wider debate over how the UK should train workers for an economy shaped by automation, data analysis and changing job roles. While Skills England’s report focused on skills gaps, productivity and labour market change, CIMA argued that technical and digital training alone would not meet employers’ needs.

“We welcome Skills England’s focus on building a more responsive and future-ready skills system. As the UK accelerates towards an AI-enabled economy, there is a clear opportunity to place greater emphasis on the business-critical skills and lifelong learning that underpin effective decision-making, especially in management accounting, financial planning, and performance management,” said Andrew Harding, Chief Executive of CIMA.

CIMA said finance professionals increasingly need to turn data into practical insight, support strategy, maintain financial governance and connect finance teams with technology and operations. It argued that these functions become even more important as companies adopt AI tools without weakening oversight, accountability or trust.

Apprenticeship concern

The institute’s main criticism was the withdrawal of funding for Level 7 apprenticeships in disciplines including accounting and finance. The policy has become a point of contention among employers, training providers and professional groups that see higher-level apprenticeships as an alternative route into skilled work.

“Professional bodies such as CIMA play a critical role in supporting lifelong learning, and helping individuals and businesses adapt through continuous reskilling and upskilling. We stand ready to work in partnership with government, educators, and employers to ensure the workforce is equipped not just for today’s jobs, but for the evolving demands of the future,” Paul Turner, Vice President for the UK and Europe at CIMA, said.

He linked that case for collaboration to concerns about apprenticeship reform, arguing that the skills system risks becoming less accessible if established vocational routes are cut back just as demand for higher-level expertise grows.

“The removal of Level 7 apprenticeships in areas such as accounting and finance – one of the UK’s core business skills – is at odds with the ambition to drive growth, opportunity, and social mobility. These pathways have proven to be a vital route for early-career talent to access high-level professional skills while earning and learning,” Turner said.

The issue reflects a long-running tension in skills policy: whether public funding should focus on lower qualification levels or continue to support advanced training that can lead directly into regulated and professional occupations. For accountancy and finance employers, it also affects recruitment pipelines and the balance of university, workplace and professional learning open to new entrants.

CIMA said the Lifelong Learning Entitlement was a positive step, particularly if it develops into a more flexible system for adult learning. But it wants the framework to extend to professional qualifications and higher-level courses delivered by recognised professional bodies, rather than being limited to more traditional academic options.

Call for partnership

The institute also called for a closer relationship between the government and professional bodies in designing the national skills system. It said those organisations can help deliver work-based learning, short courses and reskilling options while maintaining standards of competence and ethics.

That is particularly important in sectors such as finance, where qualifications often sit between higher education and employment and where professional accreditation still carries significant weight with employers. CIMA argued that a modern training system should build on that existing infrastructure rather than treat it as separate from mainstream skills policy.

“If we are serious about building a dynamic, AI-enabled economy, we must ensure that individuals from all backgrounds have access to advanced training opportunities. Curtailing these routes risks narrowing the talent pipeline at precisely the moment when demand for higher-level skills is increasing,” Turner added.

CIMA’s policy proposals include broader use of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement for professional courses, faster rollout of modular learning and greater flexibility in the Growth and Skills Levy so employers can fund shorter courses and professional qualifications. It also wants Level 7 apprenticeship eligibility reformed to allow access up to age 25.

CIMA, founded in 1919, describes itself as the largest professional body for management accountants and said its members and candidates work in more than 150 countries and territories. It operates within the wider Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, which says it represents 574,000 members, candidates and registrants worldwide.

“If the UK is to realise the full potential of AI and drive long-term, sustainable growth, it must invest not only in technology, but in the human capabilities that ensure it is used effectively. Strengthening business skills, protecting high-quality pathways such as apprenticeships for accounting and finance, and embracing the role of professional bodies will be critical to achieving that ambition,” Turner said.

Newstead Sayer, who trained at Glencot House’s prestigious French restaurant, will also lead a new chapter for The Three Choirs restaurant.

Spokespersons from the vineyard said the appointment aims to enhance overall food, drink, and visitor experiences on offer.

Sayer, who is known for his contemporary British cuisine, has previously served as head chef at 22, earning two AA rosettes in two years.

He also ran The Seagrave Arms in Weston Sub Edge and The Star & Dove in Bristol.

Focusing on seasonal and local produce, Sayer works closely with local farmers and artisan producers to showcase the area’s best offerings.

The vineyard itself will be crucial, inspiring many of the dishes on the menu.

Current options include starters such as warm duck pie and locally sourced Wye Valley asparagus.

For the mains, aged Herefordshire beef and Gloucester Old Spot pork chop feature on the menu, as well as grilled spring cabbage.

Dessert options include the Gloucester Tart, prepared with Three Choirs brandy and vanilla marinated prunes and almond cream.

The restaurant’s menu options vary, with à la carte from Wednesday to Sunday evenings, a sharing plate menu on Saturday lunchtimes, and traditional roasts on a Sunday lunch.

Maximum occupancy is at 30 covers, with tables accommodating up to six people, ensuring a relaxing atmosphere with personal service.

Diners can select from a wide range of wines produced by Three Choirs Vineyards, known for turning out approximately a quarter of a million bottles per year.

Popular selections include Classic Cuvee, Coleridge Hill, Rose, and Bacchus.