Stewarts Care is a community-based organisation supporting over 2,000 individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism in Ireland. As a Section 38 disability service provider, Stewarts Care receive public funding from the Health Service Executive (HSE) to deliver essential residential care, respite services, day programmes and therapeutic support.
Before Soldo, finance teams physically handled large volumes of cash, staff had to travel to collect cash, and residents often had limited access to their own money. The result? Hours lost on admin, security risks and unnecessary stress for everyone involved.
Stewarts Care needed a modern, flexible system that would improve efficiency, reduce risk and – most importantly – give care teams more time to focus on quality of care.
We spoke with Sarah Dempsey, Finance Manager, about how Stewarts Care improved spending, security and care quality at Stewarts Care.
The challenge: Time-consuming, cash-heavy processes
Before Soldo, Stewarts Care relied on cash for nearly everything. Each of its 70+ resident homes received a weekly cash float to cover groceries and household essentials. Care staff has to physically collect cash from the finance office, track spending manually, and store paper receipts, creating a slow and inefficient system.
However, this was only part of the challenge – residents also needed access to their money. They had to plan purchases in advance and request cash withdrawals, which meant they often couldn’t make independent spending decisions.
“Before Soldo, residents had to plan their activities in advance and request cash – that limited spontaneity in their daily lives.” – Sarah Dempsey, Finance Officer
Key challenges:
- Manual cash handling: Staff had to physically collect and distribute money, wasting valuable time.
- Security risks: Large amounts of cash were stored and moved across locations, increasing the risk of theft or loss.
- Restricted financial freedom for residents: Spending had to be planned in advance, limiting spontaneity, choice and independence.
- Endless admin for finance teams: Manual reconciliations, spreadsheets and endless paper receipts created a constant burden. Staff spent hours cross-checking, chasing missing receipts and sifting through paperwork.
Stewarts Care needed a modern, flexible way to manage spending, allowing staff to focus on care rather than admin.
The solution: A smarter way to spend and manage money
Stewarts Care introduced Soldo’s spend management platform in three phases:
Phase 1 Household budgets:
In 2020, prepaid Soldo cards replaced weekly cash floats for each care home, automatically topped up at set intervals. The main objective was to facilitate spending for resident activities and social inclusion.
Phase 2 Resident spending:
In 2021, Stewarts Care offered personal cards for Residents who wanted more control over their individual funds for instant access to money.
Phase 3 Day services and departments:
In 2024, the focus was on enhancing control and reducing cash reliance. Soldo was rolled out across day centres and programmes, improving budget management
Soldo gave Stewarts Care the flexibility and security they needed:
- Cards for households and residents: No more carrying cash or manual withdrawals.
- Real-time spending insights: Finance teams track expenses instantly, cutting out paper receipts and spreadsheets.
- Automatic top-ups: Homes and residents receive funds weekly or monthly, ensuring money is always available when needed.
“Soldo allowed us to remove so much manual work. There’s no more chasing receipts, no more cash handling. It’s all online, and everyone has full visibility.” – Sarah Dempsey, Finance Officer
The impact: More time, more security, more independence
At Stewarts Care, choice, dignity and community are at the heart of everything they do. They empower people with intellectual disabilities and autism to live enriched lives based on their own decisions and life choices. Financial management is key in ensuring that residents and staff have the resources they need to support independence and high-quality care.
Time savings for finance and care staff
Stewarts Care values empowerment and inclusion, ensuring staff can focus on care rather than being bogged down by financial admin. Removing time-consuming cash processes has freed up time for both finance and care teams.
- Finance teams save 50+ hours per month by eliminating manual cash handling and reconciliation.
- Reliance on cash has significantly decreased, with further reductions expected as Soldo is fully rolled out.
- From 100% to 2% for care homes
- From 100% to 5% for individuals
- From 100% to 30% for day services
- Care staff save 160 hours per week by removing the need to collect cash and complete manual transactions.
- Grocery shopping is now done online instead of taking staff two hours per week per house.
A safer, more transparent way to manage money
Committed to trust and accountability, Stewarts Care strives for secure and transparent financial processes. Moving away from cash has reduced financial risk, giving staff and residents peace of mind.
- Before Soldo, large amounts of cash were stored in predictable locations, creating a security risk. If cash was lost, it was gone for good.
- With Soldo, money is stored securely. If a card is misplaced, it can be locked instantly.
“We had a set day each week when staff would collect cash, which was a security risk. Now, with Soldo, there’s no cash handling at all.” – Sarah Dempsey, Finance Officer
Greater financial freedom for residents
One of Stewarts Care’s core values is respect, which means giving residents control over their lives – including how and when they spend their money. Shifting from a system that required planning and approvals has given residents more financial independence and autonomy.
- Residents can access their money instantly instead of waiting for approval.
- Spending is no longer restricted – residents can choose in the moment instead of planning weeks ahead.
- If a resident’s card balance is low, money can be added instantly without delays.
“This isn’t just about convenience. It’s about dignity and independence. Residents should be able to access their own money when they choose to.” – Sarah Dempsey, Finance Officer
Improved visibility and control
Stewarts Care upholds integrity and transparency in everything it does. Real-time oversight means that decisions are clear, accountable, and traceable.
- Finance teams have instant visibility into every transaction, ensuring compliance and eliminating financial guesswork.
- Care staff and auditors can access spending records in real-time, reducing paperwork and making financial reporting more efficient.
By embedding choice, dignity, trust, and accountability into their financial processes, Stewarts Care has created a system that empowers everyone involved. Soldo has been a key enabler of this transformation, helping Stewarts Care reduce risk, streamline administration and focus on what matters most.
A game-changer for social care finance
For Stewarts Care, Soldo has transformed how money is managed, making spending easier, safer and more transparent.
“Soldo has been a game-changer for residents, staff, and the organisation as a whole.” Sarah Dempsey, Finance Officer
With plans to expand Soldo to more areas, including fuel cards for transport, Stewarts Care continues to modernise financial management while keeping residents at the heart of everything they do. For social care providers, every moment matters. Soldo is giving that time back.
