Ensembl Payments at a glance
The platform helps funeral directors, legal firms and estate planning providers collect and manage payments through secure payment links, card payments, split instalment schedules, automated reminders, reporting and, where available, regulated finance options.
Ensembl is designed to make payment collection clearer and more considerate for customers while helping businesses reduce administration, improve payment visibility and protect cash flow.
Trading name: Ensembl Payments
Legal company name: Ensembl Payments Ltd
Company number: 16987053
Company status: Active
Incorporated: 26 January 2026
Registered office: 277 Ladybank Road, Mickleover, Derby, England, DE3 0RS
Financial Services Register number: 1056900
Regulatory status: Introducer Appointed Representative of Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited
Primary sectors: Funeral directors, legal services and estate planning
Service: Payment software, payment collection tools, reporting and access to payment flexibility
Telephone: 020 8064 3750
Email: sales@ensemblpayments.com
Support hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
View Ensembl Payments Ltd on Companies House
View Ensembl Payments on the Financial Services Register
What does Ensembl Payments do?
Ensembl brings several parts of the payment journey together within one platform.
Depending on the products available to an individual business, Ensembl can help its clients:
Create secure payment links
Accept card payments online
Accept supported card payments over the telephone
Allow customers to pay balances in full
Create scheduled split-payment arrangements
Request deposits
Send automated payment reminders
Monitor paid and outstanding balances
View payment activity from a central dashboard
Reconcile transactions and customer cases
Introduce eligible customers to regulated finance options
Provide clearer payment choices during sensitive customer journeys
Ensembl is not a bank or a lender.
Payment processing, electronic money services and regulated lending are provided through third-party partners with the appropriate permissions and infrastructure.
Who runs Ensembl Payments?
Ensembl Payments Ltd is led by directors Jacob Dilley and Ben Sherred.
Jacob and Ben oversee Ensembl’s commercial direction, product development and relationships with businesses using the platform. They work alongside a wider team with experience across payments, technology, funeral services, legal services and estate planning.
Jacob Dilley, Co-founder and Director
Ben Sherred, Co-founder and Director
Who is Ensembl designed for?
Ensembl is principally designed for businesses where payments need to be managed with additional care, clarity and flexibility.
This currently includes:
Funeral directors
Ensembl helps funeral businesses manage deposits, funeral balances, payment links, instalment schedules, payment reminders and customer payment choices.
The platform is intended to reduce the need for repeated manual payment chasing while giving teams clearer visibility over each arrangement.
Legal firms
Ensembl can support payment collection for legal services, including secure payment links, telephone payments, staged payments and balance tracking.
The precise services available will depend on the legal firm, the nature of the work and the agreed Ensembl setup.
Estate planning providers
Ensembl can help businesses collect payments for services such as wills, trusts, probate support and estate planning.
Businesses can provide customers with clearer ways to pay while monitoring payment activity through one connected platform.
Ensembl may support other service-led sectors where payment flexibility, customer care and operational visibility are important. Product availability remains subject to Ensembl’s onboarding, risk and compliance requirements.
How does Ensembl work?
1. The business speaks to Ensembl
Ensembl begins by understanding the organisation, the services it provides, its customers and its existing payment process.
This normally includes discussing:
The services being sold
Typical customer balances
Payment methods currently used
The number and value of transactions
Existing payment-chasing processes
Required payment options
Reporting requirements
Software or integration requirements
Settlement requirements
Whether regulated finance is required
2. Ensembl agrees the appropriate setup
Ensembl identifies which products and payment options are suitable and currently available to the business.
The available setup may include:
Payment links
Full card payments
Split-payment schedules
Deposits
Virtual terminal payments
Automated reminders
Reporting
Regulated finance introductions
Not every product is available to every business or customer.
3. The business completes onboarding
Businesses must complete the required commercial, identity and compliance checks before relevant payment services are activated.
Information requested may include:
Legal business name
Company number
Registered address
Trading address
Business bank account
Director and beneficial-owner details
Identity documents
Description of services
Expected transaction values
Expected processing volume
Refund and cancellation policies
Customer terms
Relevant licences or professional status
Approval is not automatic.
4. The business creates a payment request
Once live, the business can create a customer case, invoice, payment breakdown or payment request through the Ensembl platform.
The business selects which approved payment choices should be shown.
5. The customer receives a secure payment journey
The customer can receive a secure payment link by an approved communication method, such as email or SMS.
The available page may allow the customer to:
Review the amount due
Understand what the payment relates to
Pay the full balance
Pay an agreed deposit
Follow an agreed split-payment schedule
Explore a regulated finance option, where available and eligible
6. The business monitors payment progress
The Ensembl dashboard provides the business with visibility over:
Payments received
Outstanding balances
Instalment schedules
Payment status
Reminders
Transaction history
Customer or case records
What payment options does Ensembl provide?
Payment links
Ensembl allows businesses to create secure links through which customers can make supported payments.
Payment links may be sent by email, SMS or another approved communication method.
They can be used to collect:
Full payments
Deposits
Outstanding balances
Scheduled payments
Remote card payments
Split instalments
Ensembl can allow a business to divide an agreed balance into a series of scheduled payments.
The payment schedule can show:
The total amount
Any deposit
Individual payment amounts
Payment dates
Payments already completed
The remaining balance
Split instalments are presented separately from regulated finance.
The business remains responsible for ensuring that the payment arrangement it offers is appropriate, accurately described and compliant with the terms agreed with Ensembl.
Virtual terminal payments
Where available, authorised business users can take card details through a secure browser-based virtual terminal.
This can be useful where a customer:
Prefers to pay by telephone
Needs help completing the payment
Is unable to use a payment link independently
Wishes to make a payment while speaking to a member of staff
Businesses must follow Ensembl’s security and card-handling procedures when taking telephone payments.
Automated reminders
Ensembl can send approved reminders relating to upcoming or outstanding payments.
The purpose of these reminders is to reduce manual administration while keeping payment communication clear and professional.
Businesses remain responsible for ensuring that customer communications are appropriate, accurate and considerate.
Regulated finance
Where available, eligible customers may be introduced to regulated finance through Ensembl’s finance partner.
Ensembl Payments Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited.
Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and acts as a credit broker, not a lender.
Finance remains:
Subject to status
Subject to eligibility
Subject to affordability and credit checks
Subject to the lender’s terms
Subject to the customer completing the lender’s application process
Ensembl does not make the lending decision and does not guarantee that finance will be available.
The specific lender, representative example, interest rate, repayment term and total amount repayable must be shown to the customer as part of the regulated finance journey.
What is the difference between split payments and finance?
Split payments and regulated finance are different payment routes.
Split payments
A split-payment schedule divides an amount owed to the business into agreed payment stages.
The business and customer can see:
The total balance
The due dates
The amounts scheduled
Payments already made
The amount remaining
Regulated finance
Regulated finance involves an application for credit through an authorised credit broker and lender.
The lender assesses the application and, where approved, provides credit under a separate finance agreement with the customer.
Ensembl does not describe a split-payment schedule as a loan unless the customer is being offered a regulated credit product.
Businesses should ensure that the payment choices and terminology shown to customers accurately reflect the product being offered.
Is Ensembl regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority?
Ensembl Payments Ltd is not directly authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority as a bank, lender or payment institution.
Ensembl is registered as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited for its permitted finance-introduction activities.
This means Ensembl may introduce eligible businesses and customers to regulated finance routes within the scope of its appointment.
Ensembl does not:
Lend money
Make lending decisions
Guarantee finance approval
Set a customer’s final lending terms
Provide independent financial advice
Hold itself out as a directly authorised lender
Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Financial Services Register number 539195 and acts as a credit broker, not a lender.
Ensembl’s Financial Services Register number is 1056900.
Verify Ensembl on the Financial Services Register
Verify Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited on the Financial Services Register
Who processes card payments for Ensembl?
Ensembl provides the software and customer-payment journey.
The underlying card-payment and electronic-money services are supplied through Ensembl’s payment partners.
The current Ensembl Terms and Conditions identify:
LoPay Ltd as the payment-processing and settlement service partner used by Ensembl
Stripe Payments UK Limited as the underlying regulated provider of payment and electronic-money services
Stripe Payments UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as an electronic money institution under Financial Services Register number 900461.
LoPay is not itself authorised by the FCA as a payment institution. Its underlying regulated payment services are provided through Stripe Payments UK Limited.
View LoPay company information
Verify Stripe Payments UK Limited on the Financial Services Register
Does Ensembl hold customer money?
Ensembl is not a bank and does not accept customer money as a bank deposit.
Payment funds are processed and safeguarded through the relevant regulated payment-services structure before being settled to the business’s nominated bank account.
Funds held within an electronic-money safeguarding arrangement are not bank deposits and are not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in the same way as money held in a conventional bank account.
Businesses should review their commercial agreement and the Ensembl Terms and Conditions for the applicable:
Payout schedule
Minimum payout threshold
Fees
Reserve arrangements
Refund process
Chargeback process
Settlement restrictions
How quickly are payments settled?
Settlement arrangements depend on the commercial agreement, payment product, transaction type, risk assessment and agreed payout schedule.
The standard Ensembl Terms and Conditions currently state a default payout schedule of seven working days unless a different schedule is agreed in the business’s Commercial Agreement.
Businesses should rely on their signed Commercial Agreement for their specific settlement terms.
Settlement can be affected by:
Weekends and bank holidays
Verification requirements
Chargebacks
Refunds
Reserves
Fraud reviews
Compliance checks
Payment-network delays
Incorrect bank information
Account restrictions
How much does Ensembl cost?
Ensembl publishes standard card-payment pricing, with custom pricing available for businesses processing larger volumes.
The published standard rates currently include:
1.2% plus 20p for UK debit-card transactions
1.4% plus 20p for UK credit-card transactions
2.2% plus 20p for EU card transactions
2.4% plus 20p for non-EU card transactions
The final commercial arrangement may vary according to:
Processing volume
Average transaction value
Products used
Card types
Customer location
Settlement requirements
Integration requirements
Risk profile
Bespoke commercial terms
Businesses should review their Commercial Agreement and the current pricing page before going live.
Finance costs and repayment terms are separate from card-processing fees and are disclosed during the regulated finance journey.
[View Ensembl pricing]
Does Ensembl approve every business?
No.
Access to the Ensembl platform and its payment products remains subject to onboarding, verification, underwriting, compliance and partner approval.
Ensembl or its partners may decline, restrict or delay an application because of factors including:
Business sector
Services being sold
Customer profile
Transaction values
Processing volume
Refund risk
Chargeback risk
Financial position
Missing documentation
Ownership structure
Regulatory requirements
Website or customer terms
Fraud or financial-crime concerns
Partner risk appetite
Approval for card-payment services does not guarantee eligibility for regulated finance.
Is customer finance guaranteed?
No.
Finance is subject to status, eligibility, affordability checks, credit checks and the lender’s terms.
Neither Ensembl nor the business offering the payment option can guarantee that a customer will be approved.
Customers should receive clear information covering:
The identity of the lender
The role of the credit broker
The amount of credit
The repayment term
The interest rate
The annual percentage rate, where applicable
The total amount repayable
Any fees
The consequences of missed payments
Cancellation rights
How does Ensembl support vulnerable or distressed customers?
Ensembl is designed for industries in which customers may be experiencing bereavement, family change, legal difficulties or other sensitive circumstances.
The platform can support more considerate payment journeys through:
Clear payment breakdowns
A choice of available payment routes
Written payment schedules
Reduced need for repeated manual chasing
Secure remote payment options
Supported telephone payments
Automated but controlled reminders
Clear visibility of what has been paid
Access to human support
Technology does not replace the business’s responsibility to treat customers fairly and respond appropriately to individual circumstances.
Businesses using Ensembl remain responsible for:
Their customer-care policies
The tone and timing of communications
Identifying signs of vulnerability
Making reasonable adjustments
Escalating concerns
Ensuring customers are not placed under inappropriate pressure
Complying with relevant professional and regulatory obligations
How does Ensembl protect payment and personal data?
Ensembl processes business, user, customer, payment and transaction information to operate the platform.
Depending on the information and the activity being carried out, Ensembl may act as either a data controller or a data processor.
Ensembl states that it:
Uses encryption in transit
Applies access controls
Uses authentication and account-management controls
Maintains transaction and audit logs
Works with regulated payment providers
Does not store complete card numbers
Limits access to people and providers that require it
Does not sell personal data
Businesses remain responsible for having an appropriate lawful basis to provide customer information to Ensembl.
Payment, identity and compliance partners may act as independent data controllers for the activities they perform.
Read the Ensembl Privacy Policy
Read the Ensembl Cookie Policy
Does Ensembl share customer information?
Information may be shared where necessary to provide the requested service.
Recipients may include:
Payment processors
Electronic-money providers
Banks
Credit brokers
Lenders
Identity-verification providers
Fraud-prevention providers
Cloud and infrastructure providers
Communication providers
Professional advisers
Regulators and law-enforcement bodies where legally required
Ensembl should only share information that is reasonably required for the relevant purpose and subject to appropriate legal and contractual safeguards.
How does Ensembl check the information it publishes?
Payment products, regulatory relationships, prices, features and partner arrangements can change.
Ensembl reviews priority content using sources that may include:
Signed partner agreements
Product documentation
FCA Register records
Companies House records
Payment-partner information
Lender information
Internal product documentation
Compliance guidance
Customer feedback
Platform data
Important product, finance and pricing pages should show:
The person responsible for the content
The date it was published
The date it was last reviewed
The next review date
The partners or sources used
Whether a feature is live, in pilot or planned
Ensembl welcomes correction requests where information is incomplete or no longer current.
How can Ensembl Payments be verified?
Ensembl can be verified through independent company and regulatory records.
Legal company: Ensembl Payments Ltd
Companies House number: 16987053
Registered office: 277 Ladybank Road, Mickleover, Derby, England, DE3 0RS
Incorporated: 26 January 2026
Company status: Active
Financial Services Register number: 1056900
Principal firm: Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited
Phoenix FCA reference number: 539195
Payment-services partner: LoPay Ltd
Underlying regulated payment provider: Stripe Payments UK Limited
Stripe FCA reference number: 900461
View the Companies House record
View the Ensembl Financial Services Register record
View the Phoenix Financial Services Register record
View the Stripe Payments UK Financial Services Register record
View Ensembl Payments on LinkedIn
How can I contact Ensembl?
Ensembl Payments Ltd
277 Ladybank Road
Mickleover
Derby
England
DE3 0RS
Sales and demonstrations: sales@ensemblpayments.com
Privacy enquiries: privacy@ensemblpayments.com
Telephone: 020 8064 3750
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Contact Ensembl
How can I make a complaint?
Businesses and customers should initially contact Ensembl with details of the issue, the relevant business or payment, and the outcome they are seeking.
A complaint may relate to:
The Ensembl platform
Customer service
Payment communications
A transaction
A settlement
A finance introduction
Data protection
The conduct of a partner
Some complaints may need to be referred to the organisation responsible for the relevant service, such as:
The business providing the funeral, legal or estate-planning service
LoPay
Stripe Payments UK Limited
Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited
The relevant lender
Ensembl should explain which organisation is responsible and how the complaint will be handled.
Read the Ensembl Terms and Conditions for our Complaints Policy
Frequently asked questions
What is Ensembl Payments?
Ensembl is a UK payment software platform for businesses managing sensitive and service-led customer journeys. It combines payment links, card payments, split-payment schedules, reminders, reporting and access to regulated finance options.
Is Ensembl a bank?
No. Ensembl is not a bank and does not accept money as a bank deposit.
Is Ensembl a lender?
No. Ensembl does not lend money. It acts as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited for permitted finance-introduction activities.
Is Ensembl FCA authorised?
Ensembl is not directly authorised by the FCA as a lender or payment institution. It appears on the Financial Services Register as an Introducer Appointed Representative of Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited.
Who processes Ensembl card payments?
Ensembl’s Terms identify LoPay as its payment-processing and settlement partner, with underlying regulated payment and electronic-money services provided by Stripe Payments UK Limited.
Who provides finance through Ensembl?
Finance is arranged through Phoenix Financial Consultants Limited, an FCA-authorised credit broker, and provided by the lender shown during the application journey.
Ensembl does not make the lending decision.
Can customers pay in instalments?
Where enabled by the business, customers may be able to follow an agreed split-payment schedule. Regulated finance may also be available separately, subject to status and eligibility.
Does Ensembl guarantee finance approval?
No. Finance is subject to status, affordability, credit checks and the lender’s terms.
Does Ensembl guarantee payment settlement?
No. Settlement remains subject to the applicable agreement, verification, reserves, refunds, chargebacks, compliance reviews and payment-partner requirements.
Is Ensembl only for funeral directors?
No. Ensembl is designed principally for funeral directors, legal firms and estate planning providers, but may support other approved service-led businesses where considerate payment journeys are important.
Does Ensembl store card numbers?
Ensembl states that it does not store complete card numbers. Card data is handled through secure payment infrastructure supplied by its payment partners.
Are customer funds protected by the FSCS?
Funds processed as electronic money are not bank deposits and are not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme in the same way as money deposited with a bank. The relevant regulated provider applies safeguarding requirements.
How do I verify Ensembl?
Ensembl Payments Ltd can be verified through Companies House using company number 16987053 and through the Financial Services Register using reference number 1056900.