The collaboration supports thousands of people across the UK who are living on low incomes or in vulnerable financial situations, giving them greater control over their repayments, improving financial resilience, and reducing stress.
Moneyline serves customers who are typically excluded from mainstream credit. With an average customer credit score of just 180 and nearly half of customers living in social housing, the organisation provides small, short‑term loans and support services designed around the real‑world circumstances of financially vulnerable households.
Moneyline has banked with NatWest for more than 15 years, a long‑standing relationship that enabled close collaboration when the organisation’s previous VRP provider exited the market unexpectedly. To ensure customers could continue using flexible repayment options without disruption, NatWest’s Open Banking business, Payit, worked quickly alongside Moneyline to deliver a replacement VRP solution in record time.
VRP, enabled through Open Banking, allows customers to safely link their bank account and make repayments in amounts that suit their income patterns - paying a little more when they can, or less when money is tight - while remaining in control at all times through their own banking app.
Insights from Moneyline’s pilot show clear benefits for customers:
- 87% said VRP gives them greater flexibility
- 84% prefer VRP to direct debits
- 76% said VRP reduces stress and worry
- 89% feel more in control of their payments and budgeting
The partnership positions Moneyline as one of a growing number of UK lenders using VRP at scale and demonstrates how Open Banking can be applied to improve outcomes for vulnerable customers. It also aligns closely with NatWest Group’s commitment to financial inclusion, innovation in payments, and the responsible use of technology to support customer wellbeing.
James Hodgson, CEO of Payit, added:
“Variable Recurring Payments are a key part of the future of Open Banking in the UK, with huge potential to improve how people manage money and make payments. NatWest is committed to developing payment solutions that are not only innovative, but inclusive and responsible and this partnership with Moneyline shows how VRP can deliver meaningful benefits at scale.”
Shiona Crichton, CEO of Moneyline, said:
“This partnership with NatWest and Payit has enabled us to continue offering a repayment option that genuinely puts control back into our customers’ hands. When our previous provider exited the market, the speed and commitment shown by the Payit team minimised the time our customers lost access to a service that makes a real difference to their financial wellbeing.”
John Lemonius, Head of Commercial, Payit by NatWest, said:
“We’ve worked very closely with Moneyline to understand the needs of their customers and the pressures they face. By using Open Banking‑enabled VRP, we’ve been able to support Moneyline in delivering a repayment experience that is flexible, resilient, and designed around real lives, particularly for people in more vulnerable financial situations.”
Alongside payments innovation, Moneyline also benefits from wider NatWest Group support. This includes engagement with teams across the bank, such as Sustainability, reflecting a shared commitment to improving financial resilience, reducing hardship, and supporting communities most at risk of financial exclusion.
Beyond VRP, Moneyline offers a wide range of support including:
- MoneyToolkit, a decline‑support portal that won the FCA TechSprint Eureka Award in 2024
- Partnerships that unlock grants, hardship support, and accessible digital services
Moneyline recently expanded its services into Scotland, marking further growth in its UK‑wide reach.
*Criteria, terms and fees apply.
Notes to editors
About Moneyline
East Lancashire Moneyline is a not‑for‑profit social lender providing small, affordable loans and financial support to people excluded from mainstream credit. Since 2002, Moneyline has issued more than 203,000 loans totalling £113m, helping low‑income households access fair credit, build savings, and improve financial resilience.
About Payit by NatWest
Payit by NatWest is NatWest Group’s Open Banking payments business, enabling organisations to send and receive payments without the need for cards or account details. Powered by Open Banking technology, Payit delivers secure, flexible and customer‑led payment solutions that support NatWest’s purpose to help people, families and communities thrive.
