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Glossary of Key Terms
Construction Industry Scheme PAYE (CIS)
A UK tax scheme where contractors deduct money from subcontractors' payments for tax and National Insurance. Deductions are made at source - either 20% for registered subcontractors or 30% for unregistered ones. These deductions count as advance payments towards the subcontractor's tax and National Insurance bill.
Contractors must verify subcontractors with HMRC before paying them and submit monthly returns detailing all payments and deductions made through CIS.
Digital Parallel Payment Account (DiPPA)
A secure financial mechanism designed to reduce risk and ensure payments are made promptly and simultaneously (in parallel) across the entire construction supply chain.
Domestic Reverse Charged (DRC) VAT
A mechanism where VAT-registered subcontractors do not charge VAT on their services to contractors. Instead, the contractor accounts for the VAT through their VAT return. This applies to most construction services between VAT-registered businesses in the UK's construction industry.
Intelligent Transparency
A feature that provides limited visibility of information without anything commercially sensitive. More details can be found here.
Non-payment / Late-payment
A late payment is a payment made after the due date but before the end of the billing cycle, often incurring a fee. A non-payment or missed payment occurs when a payment is not made at all. Noted as being "rife" in the current construction payment process, leading to disputes, low margins, and business failures.
Parallel Payments
Instead of a linear, cascade-style payment from client down through the tiers of contractors/suppliers, payments are made concurrently to multiple parties in the supply chain.
Performance Bonds
Financial guarantees or insurance products often required on construction projects to cover the client if a contractor fails to complete the work.
Project Bank Account (PBA)
A dedicated bank account for a specific construction or development project that acts as a central hub where project funds are securely held and distributed in a timely manner. PBAs were introduced primarily to address late and non-payment in the construction industry.
Project Owner
The Organisation identified in the Saible platform as responsible for the Project.
Retentions
A portion of a payment withheld by the project owner for a set period, typically as security against defects or non-completion of work.
Retention Trust Account
A dedicated bank account used to hold Retentions in trust for a project.
Ring-Fencing
The process of securely isolating and protecting project funds, ensuring the money is only used for the project's intended payments.
Trust
A formal, standard legal arrangement that ring-fences project monies and helps protect them from insolvencies. Funds can only be moved according to the terms of the Trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saible is accessible via a web platform and has mobile apps available. You can download the app from the Apple App Store or get it on Google Play.
You can access the help section. This guide will answer all questions you have about using Saible. If you need more help, you can email support@saible.co.uk or call 0121 816 0898.
Saible’s super low transaction fees (0.25% on outgoing payments) are paid by the project owner, it’s free for everyone else involved.
Griffin provides the bank accounts and payment infrastructure, while Saible provides the technology platform to manage these services.
Griffin provides regulated payment services for your account. Saible acts as a technology interface, providing the platform to manage payments for your construction projects.
Yes, Griffin is a UK bank, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the PRA and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Their firm reference number is 970920.
Griffin Bank Ltd ("Griffin") is responsible for holding your deposits and executing all payment transactions.
Yes, eligible deposits of up to £85,000 per depositor are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), the UK's deposit guarantee scheme. Saible also carries additional insurance against the unlikely event of bank failure.
Griffin takes a prudent approach to managing liquidity, maintaining high levels of high-quality liquid assets (HQLAs) because their core business is Banking as a Service and they are less reliant on net interest income from lending on-demand deposits.
Whilst anyone can theoretically be the account holder, the DiPPA is generally opened in the Project Owner’s name. The account holder must be a Trustee (this is set up automatically through Saible).
Payments authorisations are collected via the Saible app.
Saible’s face recognition system is provided by Keyless. Authentication is multi-factor: the user logs onto a registered device, uses their email and password, and then biometrically authenticates the payment (three factors).
Whilst you can enter figures and interact with the Saible app on a laptop or desktop device, you must use a separate mobile device to verify your identity. Using a mobile device separate from the laptop enhances security by fulfilling the "possession" element of authentication, making it significantly harder for unauthorised access compared to relying solely on a laptop.
A construction project has its own dedicated bank account used to hold Retentions in trust for a project.
Saible's automated email alerts are essential for providing timely updates on project activities and notifying you of required actions. Without these alerts, crucial updates and reminders necessary for a seamless payment process may be overlooked.
Money never passes through Saible. Payments move only between the lender, the trustee bank and the supply chain. Saible provides the digital approvals and data trail - not the banking function.
For more details about Saible, please visit What is Saible?
Details on when you will receive email alerts can also be found under Alerts.
If you have any concerns regarding receiving the Saible email alerts, please email us at support@saible.co.uk.
