Smart virtual assistant helps council staff work smarter, makes paying easier, and connects citizens to the support they need.
Councils across the UK are making life easier for both tenants and staff with the launch of 8×8 Fast Pay, a new digital service from 8×8, the leading integrated customer experience (CX) platform provider. The solution is designed to take the stress out of rent collection, giving residents simple, secure ways to pay and access support while helping overstretched council teams manage their workloads more effectively.
With rising financial pressures, more than 20 million people across England are struggling with housing costs, according to Shelter. For many, paying rent or knowing where to turn for help can feel overwhelming. 8×8 Fast Pay offers a proactive, dignified solution. Through a simple SMS message, tenants can pay their rent securely online, start a conversation with a virtual assistant, or get connected to a live advisor if they need extra support. The system also directs residents to financial aid programs such as Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP), helping more people access the assistance they’re entitled to.
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For councils, the benefits go beyond efficiency. By handling routine queries with empathy at scale, Fast Pay frees staff to focus on the most complex cases while ensuring citizens never feel left behind. And with every transaction fully PCI DSS compliant, both councils and residents can trust that payments are safe.
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Maxine Eunson, Head of Public Sector at 8×8, said:
“Across the country, council staff are working tirelessly to support citizens, often while managing overwhelming caseloads. With 8×8 Fast Pay, we’re helping ease that pressure—giving residents a simple, secure way to pay rent or reach out for support when they need it most. This is technology built with compassion: practical, dignified, and designed to make everyday life easier.”
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The launch builds on 8×8’s growing suite of public sector tools, including 8×8 Remote Fix, 8×8 Active Assessor for social housing providers, and AI-powered templates that automate tasks such as booking appointments, recycling queries, or voting information. Together, these solutions are helping councils cut through complexity and focus on what matters most: supporting their communities.
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