Pay.UK application for exemptions from obligations under PSR Specific Directions 2 and 3

In August 2020, Pay.UK made an application for an exemption from the obligations in Specific Directions 2 and 3 (SDs 2 and 3) to competitively procure the central infrastructure contracts for Bacs and Faster Payments, on the grounds of exceptional circumstances. It applied on the basis that the impact of Covid-19 has created new risks and exacerbated some pre-existing risks justifying an exemption for exceptional circumstances

We rejected the application in January 2021. We set out our reasons in our Decision. Non-confidential versions of our Decision and Pay.UK’s application are published below.