Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) partners with payment specialists allpay to create prepaid functionality into its e+ Citizen card.

The prepaid functionality will provide users a more flexible way of managing their money with the same smartcard while also offering them access to other services such as leisure and libraries.

The new functionality also enables the council to load social care funds onto the card for residents who wants to use this new, secure and convenient way of managing their personal budget payments.

BFC will initially concentrate on social care payments, but will also look into other targeted areas such as children services and general availability. The council was originally selected by the government to head the delivery of the National Smart Card Project.

Integrating the functionality of its existing smartcard used by more than 80,000 people, the new card was unveiled in July in a limited trial, with a further planned launch to follow.

Bracknell Forest Council, Environment, Culture and Communities, director, Vincent Paliczka said: "The prepaid card is another option for people in receipt of personal budget payments to pay for the goods and services they need."

"The prepaid card system is also much simpler for the social care office to manage, so it improves back office efficiency and lowers costs."