vHelp is a UK-based payment platform that pays stipends and reimburses expenses directly to participants' bank accounts within 24 hours. GDPR-native, MHRA audit-ready, and fully aligned with April 2026 UK clinical trial regulations from day one.
Looking to reimburse volunteers instead? see vHelp for Volunteers
Prepaid cards are challenging to activate and carry fees for the participant. BACS batch runs mean weeks of waiting after a visit. Both kill retention.
Prepaid card providers, typically US-based, require KYC data from participants, ie. passports and date of birth, stored outside UK jurisdiction. With BACS, bank details are shared across spreadsheets and inboxes. The ICO holds you accountable.
BACS processes rely on spreadsheets and manual records, there is no single source of truth. With prepaid cards, funds dispensed by your organisation may never reach the participant. You cannot prove what was actually paid
The Medicines for Human Use Clinical Trials Regulations 2025 come into force on 28 April 2026, the most significant reform of UK clinical trial regulation in over two decades. Sites, sponsors and CROs must demonstrate robust, auditable payment processes. vHelp is fully aligned from day one, no retrofitting required
The participant or a site coordinator logs an expense or stipend through the vHelp app or website. Takes under a minute on any device
Review the claim and approve it in one click. Multi-level approval supported for CROs managing multiple sites. Actions timestamped and logged for audit.
Expenses and stipends are reimbursed directly to the participant's bank account within 24 hours of final approval.
The faster, compliant way for CROs, sponsors and trial sites to pay participants and reimburse expenses across UK studies.
Participants receive stipends and expense reimbursements directly into their bank account within 24 hours of final approval. Fast, traceable, and 100% of funds reach the participant.
Centralised dashboard, digital receipts and automated reporting. Download a complete payment report in seconds, CSV or PDF, with receipt photos presented as a direct link in the exported report. Ready for sponsors, and regulators
All participant data stored within the UK. GDPR-native by design, not bolted on. We capture only the data needed to process the payment, reducing KYC risk from the ground up. ICO registered. No compliance gaps.
Direct to bank means no card activation headaches, no fees eating into their payment, no waiting and no intrusive data capture. Participants receive 100% of the funds disbursed to them.
Sites can manage participant expenses and first-level approvals independently. A second centralised approval can be enabled before payment is released.
Fully aligned with the Medicines for Human Use Clinical Trials Regulations 2025, effective 28 April 2026. No extra work needed on your end. vHelp is regulation-ready from day one.
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UK CROs and trial sites should pay participants directly to their bank account using a compliant, auditable platform. Direct bank payment eliminates prepaid card fees, creates a clear audit trail, and ensures UK data sovereignty. vHelp processes participant stipends and expense reimbursements directly to bank within 24 hours, with every transaction timestamped and exportable for regulatory review. See how it works
The Medicines for Human Use Clinical Trials Regulations 2025 come into force on 28 April 2026, representing the most significant reform of UK clinical trial regulation in over two decades. The regulations place greater emphasis on participant welfare, transparent reimbursement processes and auditable payment records. Sites, sponsors and CROs must demonstrate that payment processes are robust, compliant with UK GDPR and fully documented. vHelp is aligned with these requirements from day one, no retrofitting required Read the official guidelines here
A reimbursable expense covers a specific, documented out-of-pocket cost a participant incurs attending a trial visit, such as travel, parking, meals or accommodation. Where a receipt is required, the participant provides attached to the expense claim.
A stipend is a fixed payment made for a participant's time and inconvenience at a visit. It is not tied to a specific cost and does not require a receipt. The amount is set by the sponsor and disclosed in the participant information sheet.
Both are common in UK clinical trials. vHelp handles expenses and stipends within the same platform. Participants or site team log both through out workflow, and funds land in the participant's bank account within 24 hours of final approval.
Most prepaid card providers used in clinical trials are US-based companies. To activate a card, participants must submit full KYC data, including their full name, date of birth and a copy of their passport. This data is stored outside UK jurisdiction, creating an immediate data sovereignty problem.
As the Data Controller, you cannot outsource your legal accountability under UK GDPR. Any payment processor you use must handle participant data within UK jurisdiction and capture only what is necessary. With prepaid cards, extensive KYC data is collected and stored abroad.
With vHelp, only the minimum data needed to process a payment is captured, and all data stays within the UK.
Yes. The site team can log an expense or stipend on behalf of any participant in seconds. Participants can also submit their own claims through the vHelp app or dashboard independently.
vHelp is designed to be straightforward for everyone. At Bradford Museums and Galleries, a user in her 70s was showing younger users how to upload receipts and submit their own claims.
The biggest drivers of payment admin are manual data entry, paper-based claim forms and monthly batch payment runs. vHelp eliminates all three. Participants or site team submit claims digitally in under a minute. Coordinators approve in one click. Payments process automatically to bank within 24 hours. Organisations using vHelp report an 85% reduction in expense admin time compared to previous manual processes.
Join organisations already using vHelp to pay participants faster, with a full audit trail and zero compliance risk.
Get in touch: hello@vhelp.co.uk
