First Essential
Secure payments for public sector teams and kiosks
Secure payments for public sector teams, self-service kiosks and systems that talk to each other, built for UK government and public sector teams and looked after by a UK based team you can actually get hold of.
Public services people can actually use
People expect public services to be simple, secure and available whenever they need them. We bring payments, self-service and information together for UK government and public sector teams, with the reliability and proper support the work demands.
What slows public sector teams down
Most of the friction comes from systems that were never meant to work together. Here is what we hear most often, and what we put in its place.
Long queues at the counter
People wait to do simple things that could be self-served. Front-line staff spend the day on routine tasks instead of the cases that need a human. Self-service kiosks take the routine load off the desk.
Payments scattered across systems
Cash, card, phone and online payments land in separate places, so reconciliation eats hours every month. One joined-up setup gives finance a single, consistent picture.
Data spread across silos
Enquiries in one inbox, cases in another, records on paper. Nothing is logged in one place, which is a real risk under GDPR. First Essential One keeps it together and auditable.
What is an EPOS, a card machine and a self-service kiosk for government and public sector?
An EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale, or till system) is the software and screen your team uses to record what a citizen is paying for, take the payment and keep a clear record of every transaction. A modern cloud EPOS shows takings in real time and reconciles in one report, so a civic centre, leisure facility or registration office can close the day in minutes rather than hours.
A card machine (also called a card reader or card terminal) is the device that takes the payment itself, by chip and PIN, contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Card machines come as countertop, portable and fully mobile units, so you can take payments at a fixed desk, around a building or out in the field.
A self-service kiosk is an unattended screen that lets people find information, complete a task and pay in their own time, without queuing at a staffed desk. The strength of doing all three with one partner is that the till, the card payments, the kiosk and your online services share the same records, so nothing has to be keyed in twice and reconciliation is clean.
Getting payments for public sector right rarely comes down to any one piece of kit. It is usually the boring part that matters most: whether the till, the kiosk and the online form all write to the same record, or whether someone has to reconcile three of them by hand at the end of the month.
Everything to run a public service, on one platform
Start with what you need now and add the rest later. It all connects, so nothing sits in a silo. That breadth is the difference between us and a single-product supplier who only sells you one piece.
Citizen portals and websites
Accessible, secure online services and information, designed around the people who actually use them.
Learn moreSelf-service kiosks
Information and payment points that cut queues and free up your team.
Learn moreCard payment solutions
Take payments in person and online, with clear reporting and reconciliation.
Learn moreEPOS and till systems
Record takings, run reports and reconcile the day in one place, in real time.
Learn moreAI for enquiries
Answer common questions and triage enquiries around the clock, with a clean handover to a person.
Learn moreFirst Essential One
Manage enquiries, cases and communications in one secure, joined-up place.
Learn more
Cut queues with self-service kiosks
Kiosks let people find what they need, sort their task and pay in their own time, so your team is free for the cases that really need a person. They work well in receptions, civic centres and other busy public spaces, and they connect straight to your EPOS and card payments so every transaction lands in the same records.
Card machines and card readers for every channel
Take secure payments for public sector in person, at the kiosk and online, with clear reporting and reconciliation that make month-end far less of a headache. Countertop, portable and mobile card machines accept chip and PIN, contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Card rates are structured around what you take, and the exact rate depends on the card type and your service, confirmed at setup.
One secure view of cases and communications
First Essential One keeps enquiries, cases and communications in one secure place, so nothing slips through the cracks and every interaction is logged. Pair it with accessible citizen portals and websites and the whole service hangs together. Connect it to your existing tools and you keep one record rather than ten.
Which setup suits your service?
Public sector covers a lot of ground. Here are some example starting points.
Example setup: local council or civic centre
Self-service kiosks for parking, permits and payments for public sector, card machines at the desk, and First Essential One to keep enquiries and cases in one place.
Leisure, libraries and venues
EPOS and payments for public sector for bookings, memberships and entry, plus kiosks to cut queues at busy times and an accessible website for booking ahead.
Front-of-house and reception
AI to answer common questions and triage enquiries around the clock, with a clean handover to a person, so the desk handles the work that needs judgement.
What it costs, and what we will not hide
Public sector budgets are scrutinised, so the small print on payments for public sector matters. Here is how we compare with the way many suppliers price, without naming anyone or inventing their figures.
| What you want to know | Some providers | First Essential |
|---|---|---|
| Card machine cost | Often a monthly device rental, sometimes on top of fees | Card machine included when you take it with EPOS |
| Card transaction rate | Headline rate, with higher rates for some cards buried in the terms | Structured around your business. Rates vary by card type and service, confirmed at setup, in writing |
| Contract and lock-in | Long minimum terms are common, with early-exit charges | We talk you through the terms before you commit, no surprises |
| Platform trial | Often none, or card details required up front | 14-day free trial of First Essential One |
| Settlement | Varies, and sometimes slower than the headline suggests | Clear settlement timing agreed at setup, confirmed in writing |
| Support | Ticket queues, offshore lines, premium-rate numbers | Real UK based people, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00, across everything we supply |
We never quote a rival's prices for them, because pricing changes and we will not put words in anyone's mouth. Your written quote from us spells out every line before you sign anything.
How much desk time could self-service take off your team?
A rough guide, not a promise. Move the sliders to see the staff hours that routine, self-servable tasks add up to each week. The point of kiosks and AI is to hand those hours back to your team for the cases that need a person.
Figures are illustrative and depend on how your service runs. We will work through realistic numbers with you in a free demo.
Security, GDPR and reliability, by design
Secure and GDPR-ready
Records are kept in one secure place with every interaction logged, so you can show who did what and when. Built around the data-protection duties public services carry.
Reliable when it counts
Payments for public sector need to keep working at peak times, whatever the self-service channel. We build for the reliability public services are held to and support it with a UK team.
Joined up, not bolted on
EPOS, payments for public sector, kiosks, AI and your website share the same records, so nothing is keyed in twice and reconciliation stays clean across every channel.
Payments for public sector teams and kiosks: your questions answered
What are secure payments and self-service kiosks for the government and public sector in the UK?
What does it actually cost, and is there a catch with the card machine included?
Is there a long contract or lock-in?
How long does settlement take, and how does reconciliation work?
Are your payments and systems secure and GDPR compliant?
Can we switch from our current supplier without disruption?
Do you offer real UK based support?
Other industries we serve
See how the same joined-up setup works for retail, hospitality and more.
Browse industriesAbout First Essential
The UK team behind the payments, kiosks and platform.
Meet the teamTalk to a UK expert
Real people, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00, happy to answer questions before you commit.
Get in touchPayments for public sector teams carry a different kind of pressure to a shop till: every transaction may need to be explained to an auditor, and every resident deserves the same straightforward experience whether they pay online, at a kiosk or at the counter. Getting payments for public sector right is less about any single feature and more about nothing quietly falling through the cracks between systems.
Make public services easier for everyone
Book a free, no-obligation demo and we will put together a secure payments for public sector setup, with kiosks and EPOS, that fits how your service actually runs.
Book a demo