VRP FAQs

Please note: Availability of plans and features may vary by region. Please consult our Product Bundle Description to read the full details.

What is a Variable Recurring Payment (VRP)?
Can my company use VRP?
What type of payments can I collect with VRP?
How do I set up VRP with GoCardless?
What are the benefits of VRP?
Which customers can I collect payments from using VRP?
How do refunds work with VRP?
How long does it take for a payment to settle in my bank account?
How safe is VRP?
How much will VRP cost?
What is the maximum limit per transaction when using VRP?
Who can I contact for support?
Which banks are supported?

What is a Variable Recurring Payment (VRP)?

VRPs are a new way to collect recurring payments in the UK, enabled by Open Banking and using the Faster Payments rail. VRPs power the recurring payment functionality in our Instant Bank Pay solution.

Payers authorise once via their online or mobile banking app, then GoCardless can collect subsequent payments on behalf of the merchant - it's fast, secure, and convenient.

Can my company use VRP?

There are two types of VRP:

Sweeping VRP - Available now. Enables customers to automatically move money between accounts held in their own name ('me-to-me' payments) - such as transferring to savings, topping up accounts, or repaying loans. Talk to Sales or your Customer Success Manager who will help assess your eligibility.

Commercial VRP - Coming 2026. Will enable all merchants to collect variable recurring payments from customers for goods and services. We're working with UK banks and regulators to bring this to market, with discussions ongoing around consumer protections and implementation.

What type of payments can I collect with VRP?

With Sweeping VRP (Available now): You can enable customers to automatically move their own money between their own accounts, including:

Moving funds between current accounts (to avoid overdrafts)
Transferring to savings accounts or cash ISAs
Topping up e-money accounts
Repaying credit cards, loans, or overdrafts

With Commercial VRP (Coming 2026): You'll be able to collect variable recurring payments from customers with a single authorisation - allowing you to charge different amounts at flexible intervals within pre-agreed limits, without requesting authorisation for each payment.

How do I set up VRP with GoCardless?

It’s a quick process to turn the feature on once you are integrated with our Billing Request API. Check with your Sales or Customer Success Manager to learn more about the integration.

What are the benefits of VRP?

Faster settlement – Get paid up to 7x faster than credit cards and up to 3x faster than Direct Debit
Instant confirmation – Know immediately whether a payment has succeeded or failed, giving you better cash flow visibility
Reduced fraud risk – Strong Customer Authentication and secure bank authorisation protect against fraud
Better success – Risk of chargebacks is practically eliminated with push payments

Which customers can I collect payments from using VRP?

Customers must have a GBP denominated account with a bank that is part of the faster payments network.
Customers must have access to online or mobile banking to complete the authentication and set up the VRP.

How do refunds work with VRP?

With GoCardless you can process VRP refunds seamlessly like any other payment we support.

How long does it take for a payment to settle in my bank account?

Payments will settle to your account within 0-1 business days. If a payment is processed before 11am GMT it will be paid out to your bank account on the same day.

Funds move up to 3x faster than bank debit, and up to 7x faster than credit cards.

How safe is VRP?

VRP is very safe thanks to several security features:

Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) - your customers authorise payments securely through their own banking app, greatly reducing fraud risk
Customer control - your customers can view and cancel VRP agreements anytime in their banking app, reducing disputes
Push payments - customers don't need to share sensitive bank details with you
Proven infrastructure - VRP uses the secure, established Faster Payments network in the UK

How much will VRP cost?

If you use GoCardless on a Standard, Advanced, or Pro plan, VRP transactions are included in the transaction fee (which varies depending on the plan you’re on).

Depending on your location, VRP may be charged as an international payment.

If you are on Custom Pricing, please reach out to our Support team or your Customer Success Manager.

What is the maximum limit per transaction when using VRP?

The default is £25,000.00 If the default limit you can collect is insufficient then you can request to increase the maximum limit (subject to a risk assessment).

Who can I contact for support?

Please get in touch with our specialist team who can help you with any questions you have about this feature.

Which banks are supported?

Bank of Scotland Business / Bank of Scotland Personal	Barclays Business / Barclays Corporate / Barclays Personal / Barclays Wealth	Danske Bank Business / Danske Bank Private
First Direct	HSBC Business / HSBC Personal	Halifax Personal
Lloyds Bank Business / Lloyds Bank Personal	Monzo Bank Limited	Nationwide Building Society
Natwest	Royal Bank of Scotland	Santander
Ulster Bank