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Acquired

Direct debit

Recurring collections.On your schedule.

Bacs-authorised and API-powered direct debit collection with mandate management and automated collection cycles. Pair with cards and Pay by Bank for full recurring payment method coverage.

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Direct debit with Acquired

The direct debit lifecycle, end to end.

Mandate setup, ongoing collection, and the messy edges — bounces, cancellations, indemnity claims — handled through one API.

Set up the authority.

Capture mandate details, validate sort code and account number, and submit to Bacs through AUDDIS.

  • API-powered Direct Debit mandate submission
  • Live within days, not weeks
Find out more

Bank details

Sort code

Account number

Protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee.

Built around the Bacs scheme

Three things Acquired handles so you don't have to maintain Bacs membership, AUDDIS migrations, or claim operations yourself.

Bacs-authorised

Acquired processes all Direct Debit collections through Bacs as an authorised participant — your business never has to maintain a direct Bacs membership.

AUDDIS migration

Bring existing paper or non-AUDDIS mandates into AUDDIS as part of onboarding — Acquired manages the migration cycle and dual-running window.

Indemnity & guarantee

The Direct Debit Guarantee gives customers full protection. Acquired handles indemnity claims, including evidence requests and resolution timelines.

Common questions

Direct debit, demystified.

Do I need to be a Bacs member to use Acquired Direct Debit?

No. Acquired is the Bacs-authorised participant — you collect through us. No bank sponsorship, no Bacs membership fees, no direct file submissions from your platform.

How long does mandate setup take?

A new mandate via AUDDIS goes through a 2 working-day Bacs cycle before the first collection can be submitted. The customer experience is instant — they sign the mandate, you confirm, and the platform handles the Bacs cycle in the background.

Can I combine Direct Debit with cards and Pay by Bank in the same billing flow?

Yes. Acquired Billing can route the same subscription through Direct Debit, cards, or Pay by Bank depending on customer choice or your fallback rules. One platform, one reporting view.

How are bounced collections handled?

Bacs returns failed collections via the ARUDD message — Acquired surfaces this through the API and webhooks with a typed failure reason. From there, you can re-attempt via Acquired Recover, escalate to a payment link, or route the customer to a different rail.

What about Direct Debit Guarantee claims?

Acquired handles indemnity claims end-to-end — including evidence requests, timelines, and dispute resolution with the customer's bank. You're notified through the API; you don't need a separate Bacs operations team.

Is Direct Debit cheaper than cards?

For UK recurring collections, Direct Debit is typically the lowest-cost rail per transaction and has no scheme interchange. It does carry a longer settlement window (3 working days) than cards — so the right rail depends on your business cashflow model.

Let's talk direct debit.

Tell us about your recurring collection needs. We'll show you how Bacs Direct Debit fits alongside cards and Pay by Bank.

  • Bacs-authorised processor — no membership required
  • Mandate management and AUDDIS migration handled
  • Combine with cards and Pay by Bank in one billing flow
  • Indemnity claims handled end-to-end

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