What Stopford does

Stopford Information Systems Ltd is a privately held UK software company headquartered in Chester that develops online booking, appointment scheduling, diary management, and certificate management software primarily for UK local government councils. Its core platform, 'agenda for registrars', is the market-leading solution for UK civil registration services, supplying over 50% of all registration services in England and Wales and serving more than 100 local councils. The product portfolio is structured as a platform-plus-modules architecture: agenda for registrars anchors appointment booking, electronic diary management, and automated correspondence, while add-on modules cover ceremony planning, certificate management (RAFTS), copy certificates, certificate stock control, contact centre operations, digital notice display, self-serve check-in, and document uploads.

The company monetises through multi-year software subscriptions and implementation/professional services, with procurement facilitated by the UK Government's G-Cloud framework. Distribution is primarily direct enterprise sales to UK councils, supported by regional training sessions and industry events. All products carry ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and Cyber Essentials certifications, and are listed as approved G-Cloud suppliers. In November 2024, Stopford was acquired by European growth investment firm Brightmoat, joining a portfolio of over 20 software businesses while retaining the existing management team.

Name

Stopford

Legal name

Stopford Information Systems Ltd

Website

https://stopford.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stopford Information Systems is a UK-based software company providing online booking, diary management, and certificate management solutions to local government councils, with its 'agenda for registrars' platform serving over 50% of registration services in England and Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Booking Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (51321)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Appointment Scheduling & Reservation Management (HSACAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Registrar Operations (Records, Enrollment, Grades) (EDALAAAF), Booking Engines & Direct Web Booking (THALACAD)

Keywords

• Public sector booking software
• Registrars booking systems
• Council appointment scheduling
• Certificate management software
• Diary management solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Chester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing/Subscription: Stopford generates revenue through software licensing and subscription fees for their booking and diary management systems sold to UK local councils and public sector organisations. Solutions are procured through G-Cloud framework and direct contracts.
2. Implementation and Professional Services: Revenue generated from implementation projects, customisation, and ongoing support services for council deployments of their booking systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stopford develops and sells cloud-hosted online booking, appointment scheduling, and diary management software to UK local government councils, with deep specialisation in registration services (births, deaths, marriages, civil partnerships, citizenship ceremonies). Its flagship platform "agenda for registrars" is augmented by a suite of modules including Ceremony Planner, Certificate Management (RAFTS), Copy Certificates, and Contact Centre, alongside a broader Enterprise Booking offering for general council appointments, facilities, courses, and events.

Product overview

Stopford Information Systems provides a comprehensive suite of online booking solutions primarily serving the UK public sector, with a focus on local councils and registration services. The product portfolio consists of two main categories: Enterprise Booking solutions (spanning Appointment Booking, Facility Booking, Course and Event Booking, and Attractions Booking) designed for general council services; and Registrars Solutions, a platform-plus-modules architecture anchored by agenda for registrars as the core diary and booking management system, supplemented by specialized modules including Certificate Management (RAFTS), Ceremony Planner, Copy Certificates, Certificate Stock Management, Contact Centre, Self Serve/Mobile Check-In, Digital Notice Display, and Notice Document Uploads. The File Tracking (RAFTS) system provides physical records and asset management. The company claims to serve over 50% of all registration services in England and Wales, working with over 100 local councils.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• agenda for registrars: The UK's leading solution for registration services, providing online booking and electronic diary management for appointments, ceremonies, and related services.
• RAFTS
• Ceremony Planner
• Certificate Management

Products and services

• Enterprise Booking

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of birth registration appointments booked online at Islington Council
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature12 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Access Group (Local Government):
• Skedda: Booking platform for spaces and facilities (rooms, sports, community venues). Comparable to Stopford's Facility Booking and Attractions Booking products at the technology layer, though Stopford is specialised to local government.
• SimplyBook.me: Cloud-based appointment booking SaaS used across many verticals. Adjacent rather than direct: it lacks Stopford's depth in UK civil registration but represents the broader 'online booking' category.

Emerging players

• Granicus: Provider of digital government experience platforms (forms, notifications, bookings) widely adopted by US and increasingly UK local authorities. Overlaps with Stopford on citizen-facing booking and appointment workflows for government.

Broad incumbents

• NEC Software Solutions (UK): UK public sector software division of NEC, formed from the acquisition of Northgate Public Services. Provides a broad suite across housing, revenues, benefits, and citizen services that overlaps with Stopford's council booking stack.
• Capita: Large UK outsourcer and software vendor with significant local government contracts. While not directly focused on registrars, it competes for the same council digital transformation budgets and increasingly bundles citizen-facing booking services.
• Civica: One of the largest UK suppliers of software and services to local government and the wider public sector. Competes broadly with Stopford through bundled local-authority suites that increasingly touch registration and citizen appointment booking.

Direct peers

• Idox Group: UK software provider focused on local government, with established products for registrars, land charges, and other back-office council workflows. Directly comparable to Stopford in the registrars/bookings vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stopford