Every large UK company has to report how long it takes to pay its suppliers. Look up any of the 10,302 that have filed, free, before you agree terms.
Average days, last 5 reportsPeriod end
A real record: Royal Mail Group Limited's latest report, as filed. The typical figure is the median of 6,220 current filers.
Typical figures are medians across the 6,220 companies whose latest period ended between 31 May 2025 and 31 October 2026.
Terms on an invoice are what you hope for. A payment report is what the customer actually did, across every invoice it paid in six months.
Inbox Invoice 1042, net 30
Cash flow sheet Planned on 30 days
| Invoice | Terms | Days out | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1042 | Net 30 | 51 | Paid late |
| 1057 | Net 30 | 38 | Chased twice |
| 1063 | Net 30 | 33 | Chased once |
| 1071 | Net 30 | 12 | Not yet due |
Overdraft used to cover wages in week 6.
What you can do with that
The inbox and sheet are an illustration. The record side is Royal Mail Group Limited's filed report for 29 Sep 2025 to 29 Mar 2026.
What a supplier can do at each stage, with the record and the law on your side.
Average days to pay, the share paid within 30 days, the share paid late and the trend since the last report.
Large companies report twice a year, within 30 days of each period end. We check for new filings every Monday.
The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 applies to business invoices. On construction work, the Construction Act adds payment notices, pay less notices and the right to suspend.
Statutory interest is 8% over the Bank of England base rate, plus a fixed sum of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt.
Bank Rate of 3.75% plus 8%, simple daily interest to 3 Nov 2026.
Work out yoursThe typical large company averages 31 days, but 481 average more than 60. The record shows which side of the line your customer is on.
From each company's latest report. Companies whose latest figures look inconsistent with their earlier filings are counted but not named here.
Longest average time to pay
Shortest average time to pay
Newest reports, to 3 Nov 2026
Typical days, by registered office
No account and no download. It takes a couple of minutes.
Type the company name or its Companies House number. Groups often file under several companies, so pick the one named on your contract or purchase order.
Average days to pay, the share paid within 30 days and after 60, the share paid late, and how each has moved since the company's last report.
Price in the wait, ask for staged payments or a deposit, and put the payment date in writing before the work starts.
Free to use and free to link to. Both calculators can be embedded on your own site.
Statutory interest and fixed compensation on a late business invoice, with wording for your letter.
Work out your claim Calculator5%usual retentionHow much is held back on a construction contract, when it comes back and what the wait costs.
Open the calculator Guide1996Construction ActPayment notices, pay less notices, the right to suspend and what the Scheme fills in when a contract is silent.
Read the guide Guide465offer itHow early payment schemes and long standard terms work, and what to ask before you join one.
Read the guideThe latest statutory reports from 6,220 large companies show the median paying 64% of invoices within 30 days, with 745 paying half or more late against agreed terms.
The first reports to include the question show 815 of 1,453 construction reporters using retention clauses, with a typical standard rate of 5%.
2,377 large companies took longer to pay suppliers than a year earlier and 2,582 paid faster; Vestas-Celtic Wind Technology Ltd. cut 104 days.
Free and independent. Every report links to the original filing.
Fair Payment is independent. It is not affiliated with Build UK, the former NSCC Fair Payment Campaign, the OSBC Fair Payment Code or government. About Fair Payment · How we use the data