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Large UK companies take a median of 31 days to pay suppliers, and 481 average more than 60
The 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.
- Median days to pay: 31
- Companies reporting: 6,220
- Averaging over 60 days: 481
- Median paid within 30 days: 64%
Large UK companies took a median of 31 days to pay their suppliers in their latest statutory reports. Across the 6,220 companies with a report for a period that ended on or after 4 May 2025, 481 averaged more than 60 days on the figures they filed and 1,352 more than 45.
The median company paid 64% of its invoices within 30 days, and said 15% were not paid within the terms agreed with the supplier. 745 companies said half or more of their invoices were paid late against those terms.
The slowest average was reported by Petrofac Engineering Limited: 242 days in the six months to 30 June 2026. It was followed by Wavemaker Global Limited (193 days), Proserv UK Limited (186 days), Ernst & Young (Emeia) Services Limited (138 days) and Ferraris Piston Service Limited (132 days).
Of the 5,715 companies that also reported for a period ending about a year earlier, 2,582 were paying faster on average and 2,377 slower.
476 of the current reporters said they take part in a payment code, such as the Fair Payment Code run by the Office of the Small Business Commissioner.
The full rankings are in the tables of slowest payers, fastest payers and invoices paid late.
About these figures
Figures are what each company filed on the government's Check payment practices service, as downloaded on 3 November 2026. Large companies and limited liability partnerships must report every six months under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017. Unless stated, each company's latest report is used, counting only periods that ended on or after 4 May 2025, and reports with figures that cannot be right are left out. Companies whose latest figures look inconsistent with their earlier filings, such as an average more than double their previous report, are not named in our stories; they stay in the tables with a note. How we use the data.
Written by Fair Payment's data desk from the filed figures, without a human writing step. Source: Check payment practices, under the Open Government Licence v3.0.