Parent Support

Welcome to Parent Support

Here you will find useful FAQs to help you manage your sQuid account.

Useful FAQs

Registration

  • Firstly enter your personal details before creating your password and selecting your security question and answer.

    You will then be asked to set your contact preferences and read and accept the Terms & Conditions. Once this has ben completed, click on the Register button.

    To activate your registration, you will receive an email from sQuid containing a verification link. Click on this link once only to be taken back to the Customer Portal.

    You will now be prompted to enter your 16 digit sQuid registration number, 3 digit CVV and assign an display name - useful if you have more than one child using sQuid.

    Click here to view the step by step registration guide.

  • If you see a message displayed advising "Card is already registered", please check whether you or another family member has already registered the details using a different email address to the one you are trying to register with now.

    If you have not registered using a different email address, please contact the school to check that the details you have been issued are correct.

    Should you see a message displayed advising that the registration number is incorrect, please ensure that you are not entering the CN prefix infront of the 16 digit sQuid registration number. You only need to enter the digits when registering the details.

    If you are still experiencing difficulties registering your sQuid registration number please contact our Customer Service team who can look into it further for you.

  • Yes, you can. Simply follow the steps below:

    Click the 'Users' option in the pink navigation bar

    Then select the 'Add user' option

    Enter the 16 digit sQuid registration number, 3 digit CVV security code and display name

    Click 'Add'

  • This is provided to you by your sQuid issuer (school, employer or bus operator). It is 16 digits in length and is unique to each sQuid user.

    • If you use a sQuid card, the number can be found on the back of your card.

    • If you use a biometric identifier, this will be provided by your sQuid issuer and can usually be found on your registration letter.

  • This 3 digit security code is linked to your sQuid registration number.

    • sQuid card users will find this number in a box on the back of the card.

    • If you use a biometric identifer, this will be provided to you in your registration letter.

  • This is an easy to remember name for each of the sQuid registration numbers linked to your sQuid account. If you have more than one child using sQuid at school, you can reflect this in the display name.

Log in

  • You will need to enter your username (this is usually your email address) and the password you created when you set up your sQuid account.

    Please ensure that you enter these details exactly as you did when you created your sQuid account. The system is case and character sensitive, so please make a note of any capital letters or special characters.

  • If you are unable to log in to your sQuid account as you have forgotten your username or password, please request a username or password reset email by clicking on the appropriate link on the login screen. You will receive an email from sQuid with instructions on how to reset your account.

    Please check your Junk or Spam folder incase the reset email has been received here in error.

  • Please check you junk or spam folder in the first instance, as our automated emails are sometimes received here in error. If you have already checked these folders and have still not received a password reset email, please contact our Customer Service team.

Adding funds

  • Your online sQuid account may have more than one purse. Each purse has an 18 digit number and can be topped up to either pay for meals, transit journeys or used to make payments for school trips and other items.

  • You can top up using a recognised credit or debit card. Please be aware that some card issuers or banks may charge a fee for your CREDIT CARD payments.

    Debit cards have no fees associated with them. For more information about credit card fees please see the “Topping up your sQuid Account” section of our terms and conditions.

    To continue a payment with your credit card you must acknowledge that you may be charged a fee.”

    You can store your payment card to your sQuid account to enable faster payments in the future, or to enable Auto top up.

    Alternatively, you can also top up by bank transfer.

  • Please follow the steps below to top up a purse:

    1. You will see all of the purses linked to your account on your homepage. Carefully select the correct purse that you would like to top up.

    2. Use the drop down box to select the top up amount

    3. Click 'Add to basket'

    4. Click 'View basket'

    5. Click 'Checkout'

    6. Select payment card type and click 'Proceed'

    7. Enter your payment card details

    8. Select the 'Store for future use' checkbox if you would like to store your payment card

    9. Click 'Pay Now'

  • Please follow the steps set out on the 'Bank Transfer' page, which can be found by selecting the 'Top up' option in the pink navigation bar. Please remember to provide your unique 6 character purse reference to ensure your top up promptly reaches your purse.

    Please note, that it may take up to 4 working days for your top up to be credited to your purse.

  • Once a successful top up has been made, you will receive a confirmation email to your registered email address. You will also see the top up show as 'To Collect' on your sQuid account.

  • After you complete a top up, the funds will show as 'To Collect' on your account before being credited to your balance.

    To collect the funds:

    • sQuid card users: Present and hold your sQuid card to a sQuid reader on site. The funds will then be loaded on to your sQuid card.

    • Biometric users: The catering tills need to connect to the sQuid system. please note, if the catering tills are switched off at any point, your top up will not be collected until the next time the tills are switched on.

  • Yes, you can!

    1. Simply log in to your sQuid account and go to the Catering Purse

    2. Select or enter the amount to top up

    3. Click on the Top up Now button.

    4. You will be directed straight to the payments screen where you can enter your payment card details and checkout

Stored payment cards

  • To store a payment card you will need to top up your account and select the 'Store for future use' box.

    To view your stored payment card details simply:

    1. Select 'Settings' in the pink navigation bar

    2. Select the 'My stored payment card' option

  • To remove your stored payment card:

    1. Click 'Settings' in the pink navigation bar

    2. Click 'Payment Settings'

    3. Click the 'Remove card' button

  • Yes, simply top up your account and select the 'Store for future use' checkbox.

Auto top up

  • To enable Auto top up you must first make a top up on your account and store the payment card details by selecting the 'Store for future use' checkbox on the 'Payment details' page.

    Once your payment card has been stored:

    1. Select 'Top up' in the pink navigation bar

    2. Select 'Auto top up'

    3. Select the 'Auto top up enabled' checkbox

    4. Set the prerequisites for Auto top up to trigger on your account

    5. Click the 'Save' button

  • To remove your stored payment card:

    1. Click 'Settings' in the pink navigation bar

    2. Click 'Payment Settings'

    3. Click the 'Remove card' button

  • You are required to make a top up as this is a security measure that verifies your payment card.

  • Simply deselect the 'Auto top up enabled' box for the purse that you would like to disable.

  • Please check that your payment card is not due to expire and that you have available funds.

Paying for school meals

  • If you are a sQuid card user:

    1. Present and hold your sQuid card to a sQuid reader in the catering outlet

    2. The cost of the item(s) purchased will be deducted from your account

    If you are a Biometric user:

    1. Use your unique identifier to access and use your funds

    2. The cost of the item(s) purchased will be deducted from your account

  • Yes, select 'Transactions' in the pink navigation bar and select the purse that you would like to view transactions for.

  • If you do not recognise catering charges on your account, or believe that you have been incorrectly charged for items, please contact your child's school or sQuid issuer directly so they can look into this for you.

    As sQuid is not based in-house, we are unable to investigate the transactions for you.

Meal pre-order

    1. Top up your catering purse with enough funds to cover all of the meals that you would like to order. If your child is entitled to any free school meals, you do not need to top up

    2. Click on the user that you would like to place an order for, and then click 'Meal Order' in the pink navigation bar

    3. Simply click on a specific day in the future to access the meal options for that day

    4. If your child is entitled to any free school meals, the price of a meal will still be shown but you will not be charged

    5. Once you have made your selection, a green tick will appear next to your choice

    6. Click 'Save' to confirm

    7. The Order placed confirmation message will appear on screen, and the selected dates on the calendar will change from white to pink

    8. Repeat steps 3-6 until for each day you would like to pre order a meal

    9. You can view all of your meal pre orders by clicking on 'View orders'

  • The meal order calendar will show you the available dates you can pre-order a meal for.

  • Please contact your child's school as they will be able to confirm the latest day and time by which you need to pre-order your child's meals.


  • Yes, you can change your meal choice if it is prior to the cut off time, however, if the cut off time has lapsed, you will need to contact your child's school to request any changes.

  • Yes, you can view any meal orders which have been placed.

    1. Simply click 'Meal Order' in the pink navigation bar

    2. Click 'View orders'


Paying for school trips & offers?

    1. Go to Offers and select New Offers

    2. If you have more than one child using sQuid, select the user you purchasing the offer for

    3. You can either go through the offers displayed to find the one you want, or use the search filter to enter the offer name

    4. When you have found the offer you want, click 'Add to basket'. A summary will be displayed on screen, check that this is the correct offer before clicking 'Add to basket' again

    5. a) If you already have a balance on your Trips & Offers purse, an option will appear asking if you want to pay using this balance. If you would like to use the available purse balance click the green '+ Add option'. If you do not want to use the purse balance, click 'Skip and pay with card'.

      b) If you do not have available funds on your purse, the option in 5. a) will not be displayed and you can simply add the offer to your basket.

      c) The school may give you the option to choose how much to pay towards the offer. If this is the case, please click the 'Change amount' button, before entering the amount you will pay ion the white box. Next click 'Save'. You may also have the option to buy the offer more than once. If this option is available to you, simply click on '+' icon until the desired number of offers have been added. When you are ready, click 'Add to basket'

    6. Go to 'View Basket' where the trip or offer selected will be displayed. Check the quantity and price are correct and then click 'Checkout'

    7. Enter the requested payment card details and then click the 'Pay' button

    8. Once payment has been made a message will be displayed on screen and you will also receive a confirmation email to your registered email address

  • Yes, select 'Transactions' in the pink navigation bar and select the purse that you would like to view transactions for.

  • Firstly, you will need to contact your child's school so that they can refund the cost of the trip back to your Trips & Offers purse.

    Once the balance has been updated you can either save the funds here for a future trip or offer, transfer the funds to another sQuid purse or submit a Balance Withdrawal request so that the funds are returned back to you.

  • A Part Paid Offer is an offer which you have already contributed towards the cost of but there is still a remaining balance to pay. This will either be due to the school splitting the offer into scheduled instalments, or they have set the offer up to allow you to pay as much as you like until the balance is cleared.

    1. Go to 'Offers'

    2. Select 'Part Paid Offers'

    3. You will see all offers which require further payment(s) to be made.

    4. Find and select the offer you want to pay and click 'Add to basket'.

    5. Scheduled Instalments: If the school has split the cost of the trip or offer into instalments, you will see a table showing the total number of payments due and their payment due date, the cost of each instalment and any payments already made. Simply select the instalment(s) you want to pay and then click the 'Add to basket' button.

    6. Contributions: If the school has allowed parents to choose when and how to make payment (as long as full payment is made by the deadline date), then you will see the outstanding balance with an option to either pay the remaining balance in full or change the amount to pay. Choose your payment option and then click 'Add to basket'

    7. If you have funds already available on your purse, you can use this to pay towards the cost of the offer, or you can click 'Skip and pay with card'

    8. Go to 'View basket' and review the details of the item(s) you are about to purchase. Once you are happy everything is correct click 'Checkout'

    9. Enter the required payment details requested onscreen. Once payment has successfully been made a confirmation message will be displayed and you will receive a confirmation email to your registered email address

Paying for booking slots

    1. First, go to 'Bookings' and then click on 'Available bookings'

    2. If you have more than one child using sQuid at school, please ensure that you select the correct user before proceeding

    3. All available booking slots will be displayed for you. There is the option to review all bookings onscreen or to use the search bar to find the booking you want

    4. Once you have selected the desired booking, click 'View'

    5. You may have the option to book slots individually or book slots in bulk

      Book slots individually
      Select the booking slot(s) you require and click 'Add to basket'

      Book slots in bulk
      - Use the date range bar to select the timeframe you want to purchase booking slots for
      - A message will be displayed asking you to confirm your choice. Click 'Add to basket' to confirm the slots

    6. If you have funds already available in your Trips & Offers purse you can use these to purchase the slots. Alternatively select 'Skip and pay with card'

    7. Next go to 'View basket' and review the summary of the booking slots you have selected. If this is correct click 'Checkout'

    8. Enter the payment card details requested. Once payment has successfully been made a confirmation message will be displayed and you will receive a confirmation email to your registered email address

  • An invoiced booking is a booking slot you have been invoiced for by the school, but you have not yet paid for. For example, if you are running late to pick up your child, you may contact the school and ask if they can accept your child in an after-school club. If accepted, the school will invoice you for the place which you can pay for retrospectively.

  • To pay for an invoiced booking simply log in to your sQuid account and then:

    • Go to Bookings

    • Click on Invoiced Bookings where you will see a bell icon to identify that there is an outstanding invoice

    • You will see the booking slot details and an option to Add to basket

    • Go to your basket and follow the onscreen instructions to make payment

Using Childcare Vouchers

  • If your child's school allows Childcare Vouchers to be used a payment towards their offers, they will need to enable this on your sQuid account.

    If you have a Childcare Voucher purse in your sQuid account, it means the school has enabled this payment option for you.

  • Your child's school will highlight any items that can be paid for using your Childcare Voucher allowance.

  • To pay for an offer using your Childcare Voucher allowance simply:

    1. Select the eligible offer to be paid using Childcare Vouchers and click 'Add to basket'

    2. To use your Childcare Voucher allowance to make payment, select the Childcare Voucher option when it is displayed. The amount to pay will either be determined for you or you will have the option to choose the amount yourself

    3. Select 'Confirm and add to basket' to either continue purchasing further items or go to Checkout

Refunds & Transfers

  • If you have another child using sQuid at school, you can transfer any remaining balance to them from your older child's sQuid account. Alternatively, if you require a refund, simply click on the Request a balance withdrawal for this purse link and enter the amount you want to withdraw from your sQuid account, before clicking the Withdraw button. You should also contact our Support team to request that the account is closed on our system.

    Funds will be returned to the payment card used to top up or make payment to sQuid. If for any reason we are unable to refund the balance back to your payment card, we will contact you to request your bank account details.

    Before you submit your Balance Withdrawal request, please ensure that Auto top up has been disabled, any stored payment card details have been removed and any direct debits have been cancelled.

    sQuid reserves the right to charge an administration fee for this request. Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for further details.

    1. Go to 'Top up' in the menu bar

    2. Next, click on 'Balance Transfer'

    3. Use the drop-down boxes to select the user and purse that you would like to transfer the funds from, and the user and purse you would like to transfer the funds to

    4. You will have the option to either transfer the entire balance or a specific amount:

      • If you would like to transfer a specific amount go to the Enter Amount to Transfer box and enter the required amount

      • To transfer the entire balance click the Transfer All button

    5. All of the transfer details will be displayed in the Transfer box at the bottom of the screen. Please check these details before clicking the Transfer button

    6. A message will be displayed confirming the purses you are transferring funds from and to, as well as the amount to be transferred

    7. Please ensure that you carefully check the details onscreen before clicking the 'Confirm Transfer' button. Kindly note that it may take up to 3 days for the transferred funds to appear on your purse


Account Management

  • If you use a sQuid card:

    1. Contact your sQuid issuer to report the card as lost

    2. Your sQuid issuer will organise a replacement card for you

    3. Log in to your online account and go to 'Users'

    4. Delete the 'Active' status

    5. Select 'Add user' and enter your new sQuid registration number and CVV code when you receive your new sQuid card

    If you use a biometric identifier (Fob)

    1. Contact your sQuid issuer to report the identifier as lost

    2. Your sQuid issuer will organise a replacement identifier for you

    3. Your replacement identifier will automatically be linked to your sQuid account so you can start using it straight away

  • Yes a lost or stolen travelcard can be replaced. Please contact the card issuer so that they can ensure the lost card is hotlisted for you. This will place a block on your card should it be found and attempted to be used.

    The card issuer will then arrange for a replacement card to be sent out to you and any remaining funds from the old card can be transferred to the new card.

  • To change your personal information, simply:

    1. Click 'Settings' in the pink navigation bar

    2. Click 'Personal Details'

    3. Select 'Change personal details'

      Make the desired changes and click the 'Save' button

  • To change your password simply:

    1. Go to 'Settings'

    2. Under 'Security Settings' click on 'Change password'

    3. You will be asked to confirm your current password before entering and confirming a new password

    4. Once you have confirmed your new password click the 'Save' button

  • Yes you can change your security details on sQuid.

    1. Go to 'Settings'

    2. Under 'Security Settings' select 'Change security question'

    3. First, you will be asked to confirm your account password

    4. You can then use gthe dropdown to select a new security question before entering and confirming your new security answer

    5. Click 'Save' to confirm these changes

  • If you no longer have access to the email address you used to register your sQuid account by following the steps below.

    Please note, that changing your email address will temporarily log you out of your sQuid account. We will send you a confirmation email to your new email address. Please follow the instructions in the email carefully to successfully log back into your sQuid account.

    1. Go to 'Settings'

    2. Under 'Security Settings' select 'Change email address'

    3. Enter your sQuid account password and then eneter and confirm your new email address

    4. To confirm the changes click on the 'Save' button

  • When the child moves to a new carer, they will need to re-register the sQuid account so they may log in and top up as required.

    Dependent on the age of the child, it may be best for them to register the account themselves, in their own name and using their school email address, as this would mean they are the registered account holder and will be able to seamlessly continue using their account.

    Should you register the account with your own details, please contact sQuid or the child's school so that their sQuid registration number can be disassociated with your details.

    If you have any remaining funds on the account which you would like to be refunded, please click on the 'Request a balance withdrawal for this purse' link and follow the onscreen instructions.

    The child's new carer will then be able to create another account and re-register the sQuid registration number.

    Please ensure you have removed any stored payment card details, disabled Auto top up, and stopped any standing orders to the sQuid account.

  • You can access the sQuid site from any web browser, however, please note that earlier versions of Internet Explorer 10 are not supported.

    We would suggest making either Google Chrome or FireFox your preferred web browser when using sQuid.

  • Yes there is a sQuid app! Go to your app store (iOS or Google Play) and search for sQuid mobile app.

    Once you download thye app, you will be able top up, make payments and manage your account from the palm of your hand.

  • For auditing and security purposes, we are required to record all communication, which is why we kindly ask that all queries are emailed to our customer services team.

    As certain information is confidential, and may only be provided to the registered account holder, email correspondence allows us to verify who we are communicating with.

    However, please feel free to include a telephone number when you submit your query to us, and if the nature of the query cannot be easily handled via email, we will endeavour to contact you by phone, as requested.

    Please be assured that all queries are dealt with promptly.

Need more help?

If your question is not listed above, please contact our customer service team at customerservice@squidcard.com