By Wayne Campbell, Head of Presales, Access PaySuite.
As inflation, interest rates and the cost of living continue to test the resilience of UK households, the public sector faces a dual imperative: safeguarding its own financial stability while ensuring that the most vulnerable communities aren’t left behind.
Although the annual inflation rate has eased from its peak – hitting 2.6% in April, which is less than expected and the lowest it has been since 2021 – it still remains stubbornly above the Bank of England’s 2% target and households continue to feel the strain of cumulative economic shocks.
Latest figures report that 20.3 million people are now living in financially vulnerable circumstances across the UK, up by 16% from 17.5 million in 2022. While a number of factors are to blame, persistently high energy costs, rent hikes and soaring food prices are three of the core issues.
A growing crisis in public sector rental arrears
This financial tension is particularly evident in the social housing sector, where data shows a sharp and sustained increase in rental arrears.
Our recent Rental Arrears Index revealed a sharp and sustained increase in the number of council-owned housing units falling into arrears. As of March 2024, the average local authority reported more than 4,400 social housing units in rental arrears, up significantly from 3,700 in 2019.
This means that, on average, 41% of council-owned units are now behind on rent – compared to just 35% five years ago. At the same time, the average value of rental arrears per council has surged from £1.8 million to more than £3.1 million.
These numbers are not only a barometer of the cost-of-living crisis and its impact on tenants, but a clear signal that the existing rent collection systems used by local authorities are struggling to keep pace with what is now required of them.
Flexibility as a necessity, not a luxury
An economically turbulent few years have exposed the fragility of many household budgets, while also demonstrating how responsive, compassionate policies – such as mortgage holidays and deferred utility bills – can provide vital and much needed relief during times of financial need.
Flexibility is no longer a hopeful request – it’s a baseline expectation. In the private rental sector, three quarters of landlords are supporting tenants with the rise of cost of living, and the public sector must meet this evolving standard.
After all, allowing residents to manage payments in a way that reflects their own unique circumstances reduces the chance of them falling behind on rental payments, improves cash flow and helps prevent more severe outcomes like homelessness or spiralling debt. To deliver this, more flexible digital tools such as managed planned payments, Open Banking, Direct Debit schedules and automated notifications are key for empowering staff to offer informed, empathetic and adaptable solutions.
Digital transformation with inclusion at its core
These tools enable real-time visibility, align payment dates with income cycles, and allow quick adjustments when circumstances change. Just as important, however, is how these processes are communicated to tenants.
A personalised, empathetic approach encourages engagement, and by reframing payment as a shared responsibility, local authorities can build trust and cooperation, rather than driving avoidance and escalation.
The UK is now well on the path to becoming a cashless society, but modernising payments is not just a matter of efficiency – it is a matter of access, dignity and fairness. Digital transformation must not come at the cost of social inclusion.
Around 8.5 million people in the UK still lack the basic digital skills required to confidently navigate online services. This includes some of the most financially vulnerable groups – older people, those on low incomes, or residents in rural areas with poor connectivity – who are most in need of public support.
This is why a true transformation strategy must be inclusive by design. No one should be forced into a digital channel they are not equipped to use.
The time to act is now
For too long, the public sector has grappled with outdated infrastructure and fragmented systems. Every day, residents fall further behind on their rent payments because they can’t navigate rigid systems that don’t meet them where they are.
Secure, simple and adaptive payment solutions can empower residents to stay on top of their obligations, rather than feeling overwhelmed by them. They can also free up public sector staff from time-intensive manual processes, enabling them to focus on the human work of service and support.
The public sector doesn’t just have an opportunity to lead. It has a duty to. By embedding agility, compassion and innovation into the way payments are collected, a source of friction can be transformed into a channel for trust, inclusion and stability.
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