VocaLink

VocaLink is a payment systems company headquartered in the United Kingdom, created in 2007 from the merger between Voca and LINK. It designs, builds and operates the UK payments infrastructure, which underpins the provision of the Bacs payment system, the Direct Debit system, the UK ATM LINK switching platform covering 65,000 ATM’s and the UK Faster Payments systems.

VocaLink processes over 90% of UK salaries, more than 70% of household bills and 98% of state benefits. In 2013 the company processed over 10.5 billion UK payments with a value of over £5 trillion.

Background

In 1968, the Joint Stock Banks Clearing Committee chaired by Dennis Gladwell, set-up the Inter-Bank Computer Bureau to modernise the existing paper-based standing order system. Secure electronic funds transfer between banks was introduced from later that year, significantly reducing both the processing time and human error associated with paper-based transactions, particularly bulk payments. In 1971 the company adopted the name "Bankers Automated Clearing Services Limited", soon shortened to Bacs, which was formally adopted as the company's name in 1985.