PayPoint is a system that allows parents to make cash payments at their local shop which saves school staff having to count, bank, and reconcile the money.

PayPoint retailers range from newsagents and convenience stores to supermarkets and garages – with most opening long hours and many 7 days a week. Offering PayPoint to cash-based families will allow your school to move toward becoming a cash and cheque-free environment.

How does it work?

Payers simply take their card or barcoded letter to a PayPoint network store and present it for payment.  The vendor will scan the barcode and ask how much is to be paid.  Once the money has been paid the transaction is complete.

The payment will be processed through the PayPoint network and will normally be sent to ParentPay within approximately 48 hours.  It is then automatically assigned to the appropriate child and payment item for your school.

Each barcode is unique to each child, and each payment item or trip. This means that a new barcoded letter would need to be produced for each item or trip the child is assigned to.

Parents with more than one child will require separate barcoded letters or PayPoint cards for each child.

Is there an additional cost?

The same payment service fee is applied to PayPoint payments as for all payments processed by ParentPay.  If the school chooses to issue PayPoint cards to collect regular payments for school meals, each card is charged at £1.50+VAT. There is no charge for PayPoint barcoded letters.

How to provide PayPoint as a payment option

NOTE: Bookings services require a customer to log into their account to select choices or places and will still need to activate their account to use these systems, even if they choose to pay via PayPoint.

PayPoint cards (meals only)

Parents can be provided with a card that can be used repeatedly to add money to the meal balance for each child.

NOTE: Cards are unique per child/school combination and should be destroyed when the child becomes a leaver.

• Parents can be provided with a plastic PayPoint card to make payments to a child's meal balance.  Due to how frequently these will be used, it is beneficial to have a more resilient card than attempt to repeatedly use a barcoded letter (below).
• Cards cost £1.50+VAT (payable by the school).  Schools normally cover the cost of the first card but then charge parents for any lost/replacement cards.
• Each child will require a separate card.
• All payments made using a PayPoint card will be to the named child’s meal balance – it is not possible to pay for any other item using the card.
• These semi-permanent PayPoint cards are valid until the pupil leaves your school after which time they should be destroyed. Failure to do so may result in payers making payments to your bank account after their child has left which will need to be refunded via cash.
• Parents can be given a barcoded letter (below) to add credit to their child’s meal balance while waiting for their PayPoint card to arrive.

For full details on ordering PayPoint meal cards, see article How to order PayPoint cards

Paypoint barcoded letters

Payers can be provided with a barcoded letter allowing them to credit their meal account or pay towards other payment items.

• Most suited to one-off payments.
• There is no charge for producing barcoded letters.
• A unique barcode must be produced for each payment item/child combination.

For full details on how to create barcoded letters, see article How to create a PayPoint barcoded letter