Guides

Collect real-time recurring payments of varying amounts from a single customer authorisation. The customer consents once via their banking app; you can then collect multiple payments within agreed parameters - no re-authorisations required for each charge.

Integration options: This guide shows the API flow. You can also use Hosted Payment Pages for a no-code approach. Drop-in Flow does not support Instant Bank Pay.  

Availability: GBP (Faster Payments)

When to use Variable Recurring Payments

	Commercial VRP (cVRP)	Sweeping VRP (sVRP)
Transfer type	Me-to-Business	Me-to-me
When to use	Usage-based billing where amounts vary each period (metered services, such as electricity, gas, water and telecoms providers) Local and central government Rail fares Charitable donations	Lending repayments Savings automation and round-ups Automated investment contributions
Who initiates	Business	Customer’s bank
Payer account types support	Personal	Personal and business

Comparison between other recurring payment options

	Subscriptions	Instalments	Variable Recurring Payments	Instant Bank Pay + Direct Debit
Mandate required	Yes	Yes	Yes (consent)	Yes
Customer authorisation	Once	Once	Once (with agreed limits and frequency)	Once
Payment amounts	Fixed (per subscription)	Fixed per instalment, can vary across schedule	Variable within agreed constraints	First payment fixed; subsequent payments flexible
Payment schedule	Merchant-defined recurring (weekly, monthly, yearly)	Merchant-defined schedule with a defined end	Flexible - merchant triggers payments as needed	Flexible after first payment
Confirmation speed	2-x business days	2-x business days	Seconds	First payment: minutes; subsequent: 2-x business days
Chargeback risk	Yes	Yes	None	First payment: none; subsequent: yes
Missed payment retries	Yes (with Success+)	Yes (with Success+)	Yes	Subsequent payments: yes
Best for	SaaS, memberships, gym fees, insurance	Payment plans, tuition, professional services	Usage-based regulated billing and utilities, financial services, government services	Subscription services needing immediate, initial payment
Availability	All schemes	All schemes	GBP only	GBP and EUR

Worried about your customer's bank coverage?  If your customer’s bank institution isn’t supported yet, we intelligently fallback to collecting a Direct Debit mandate instead.

Not in a supported industry?  If you need immediate confirmation for the first payment and want to take payments in future, use the combined Instant Payment + DD Setup flow instead.

How it works

The customer authorised a VRP consent via their banking app, setting agreed payment parameters (maximum amount, frequency)
You collect payments within those parameters via GoCardless API - no further customer action needed per payment
Payment is confirmed within seconds
You receive a webhook confirming the payment status
Funds arrive same day or next business day

cVRP: Step-by-step guide

curl -X POST https://api.gocardless.com/billing_requests \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "billing_requests": {
      "fallback_enabled": true,
      "purpose_code": "loan",
      "payment_context_code": "billing_goods_and_services_in_arrears",
      "payment_purpose_code": "bank_loan_delayed_draw_funding",
      "mandate_request": {
        "scheme": "faster_payments",
        "constraints": {
          "start_date": "2024-11-01",
          "max_amount_per_payment": 50000,
          "periodic_limits": [{
            "period": "month",
            "max_total_amount": 100000,
            "alignment": "creation_date"
          }]
        }
      }
    }
  }'

Response

{
  "billing_requests": {
    "id": "BRQ0000301",
    "created_at": "2024-11-01T00:00:00.000Z",
    "status": "pending",
    "mandate_request": {
      "scheme": "faster_payments",
      "currency": "GBP",
      "verify": "recommended",
      "consent_type": "recurring",
      "description": null,
      "sweeping": false,
      "payer_requested_dual_signature": false,
      "metadata": {},
      "links": {},
      "constraints": {
        "start_date": "2024-11-01",
        "end_date": null,
        "max_amount_per_payment": 50000,
        "periodic_limits": [
          {
            "period": "month",
            "max_total_amount": 100000,
            "alignment": "creation_date",
            "max_amount_per_period": null,
            "max_payments": null
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    "payment_request": null,
    "subscription_request": null,
    "instalment_schedule_request": null,
    "metadata": {},
    "fallback_enabled": true,
    "fallback_occurred": false,
    "purpose_code": "loan",
    "payment_purpose_code": "bank_loan_delayed_draw_funding",
    "sign_flow_url": null,
    "auto_fulfil": false,
    "actions": [
      {
        "type": "collect_customer_details",
        "required": true,
        "completes_actions": [],
        "requires_actions": [],
        "status": "pending",
        "collect_customer_details": {
          "default_country_code": "GB",
          "incomplete_fields": {
            "customer": [
              "given_name",
              "family_name",
              "email"
            ],
            "customer_billing_detail": [
              "address_line1",
              "city",
              "postal_code",
              "country_code"
            ]
          }
        }
      },
      {
        "type": "select_institution",
        "required": true,
        "completes_actions": [],
        "requires_actions": [],
        "status": "pending",
        "institution_guess_status": "pending"
      },
      {
        "type": "collect_bank_account",
        "required": true,
        "completes_actions": [],
        "requires_actions": [],
        "status": "pending",
        "available_country_codes": [
          "GB"
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "bank_authorisation",
        "required": true,
        "completes_actions": [],
        "requires_actions": [
          "select_institution",
          "collect_customer_details"
        ],
        "status": "pending",
        "bank_authorisation": {
          "authorisation_type": "mandate",
        }
      },
      {
        "type": "confirm_payer_details",
        "required": true,
        "completes_actions": [],
        "requires_actions": [
          "collect_customer_details",
          "collect_bank_account"
        ],
        "status": "pending"
      }
    ],
    "links": {
      "mandate_request": "MRQ0000301"
    },
  }
}

Event	Meaning
billing_request_fulfilled	Customer authorised the mandate
mandates_created	Mandate created and ready to use
mandates_active	Mandate active

You can collect a payment with the customer not present (recurring billing etc.):

curl -X POST https://api.gocardless.com/payments \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: UNIQUE_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "payments": {
      "amount": 5000,
      "currency": "GBP",
      "psu_interaction_type": "off_session",
      "charge_date": "2024-11-01",
      "description": "November subscription",
      "links": {
        "mandate": "MD123"
      }
    }
  }'

Or when the customer is present for top-ups and one-off purchases:

curl -X POST https://api.gocardless.com/payments \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "payments": {
      "amount": 5000,
      "currency": "GBP",
      "psu_interaction_type": "in_session",
      "description": "One-off top-up",
      "links": {
        "mandate": "MD123"
      }
    }
  }'

To cancel a future-dated payment (off-session only): POST /payments/{id}/actions/cancel. In-session payments cannot be cancelled once submitted.

Listen for webhooks to confirm the variable payment status:

Event	Meaning
payments_confirmed	Payment confirmed and settled
payments_failed	Payment failed

Event	Meaning
mandates_cancelled	Consent cancelled (by you or the customer via their banking app)

sVRP: Step-by-step guide

curl -X POST https://api.gocardless.com/billing_requests \                                                                                                                                                         
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \                                                                                                                                                                 
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "billing_requests": {
      "mandate_request": {
        "scheme": "faster_payments",
        "sweeping": true,
        "constraints": {
          "start_date": "2024-11-01",
          "end_date": "2025-11-01",
          "max_amount_per_payment": 50000,
          "periodic_limits": [{
            "period": "month",
            "max_total_amount": 100000,
            "alignment": "creation_date"
          }]
        }
      }
    }
  }'

Response:

{
  "billing_requests": {
    "id": "BRQ000123",
    "status": "pending",
    "mandate_request": {
      "currency": "GBP",
      "scheme": "faster_payments"
    },
    "links": {
      "customer": "CU123",
      "customer_billing_detail": "CBD123",
      "mandate_request": "MRQ123"
    },
    "actions": [
      { "type": "collect_customer_details", "required": true, "status": "pending" },
      { "type": "collect_bank_account", "required": true, "status": "pending" },
      { "type": "bank_authorisation", "required": true, "status": "pending" }
    ]
  }
}

Event	Meaning
billing_request_fulfilled	Customer authorised the mandate
mandates_created	Mandate created and ready to use
mandates_active	Mandate active

Retrieve the mandate ID from:

curl https://api.gocardless.com/billing_requests/BRQ000123 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"

Response:

{
  "billing_requests": {
    "id": "BRQ000123",
    "status": "fulfilled",
    "mandate_request": {
      "scheme": "bacs",
      "links": {
        "mandate": "MD123"
      }
    }
  }
}

And collect a variable payment from the consent within the agreed constraints:

curl -X POST https://api.gocardless.com/payments \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "payments": {
      "amount": 10000,
      "currency": "GBP",
      "description": "Monthly savings sweep",
      "links": {
        "mandate": "MD123"
      }
    }
  }'

Response:

{
  "payments": {
    "id": "PM123",
    "status": "pending_submission",
    "amount": 10000,
    "currency": "GBP",
    "charge_date": "2024-11-01",
    "links": {
      "mandate": "MD123"
    }
  }
}

Event	Meaning
mandates_cancelled	Consent cancelled (by you or the customer via their banking app)

Need help?

Connect as a partner

Guides

Variable Recurring Payments

What are Variable Recurring Payments?

When to use Variable Recurring Payments

Comparison between other recurring payment options

How it works

cVRP: Step-by-step guide

Create a billing request

Confirm the mandate

Handle the outcome

Collect a variable payment

Handle the consent being cancelled

sVRP: Step-by-step guide

Create a Billing Request

Confirm the consent

Handle the outcome

Collect a variable payment

Handle the consent being cancelled