How fast companies in London pay their suppliers
2,201 large companies and LLPs with a registered office in London have filed a payment practices report for a period ending since May 2025. The typical one takes 27 days to pay an invoice, 4 days shorter than the UK figure of 31 days.
27 daysTypical average time to pay (median)
76%Typical share of invoices paid within 30 days
132Companies averaging more than 60 days
237Construction reporters with retention clauses
Each company's latest report, for periods ending between 29 June 2025 and 5 October 2026. Location is the registered office on the Companies House register, which is not always where a company trades.
Council areas
| Council area | Companies | Typical days to pay | Typical % paid within 30 days | Averaging over 60 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havering | 6 | 57.5 | 28.5% | 2 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 9 | 41 | 36% | 2 |
| Richmond upon Thames | 17 | 38 | 50% | 0 |
| Harrow | 6 | 35.5 | 38.5% | 1 |
| Sutton | 12 | 35 | 43% | 0 |
| Brent | 19 | 34 | 58% | 1 |
| Merton | 10 | 34 | 62.5% | 1 |
| Croydon | 8 | 33.5 | 53.5% | 0 |
| Lambeth | 31 | 33 | 63% | 3 |
| Ealing | 10 | 32 | 51% | 1 |
| Hounslow | 52 | 32 | 63% | 2 |
| Camden | 200 | 31 | 67% | 12 |
| Hillingdon | 47 | 31 | 62% | 8 |
| Greenwich | 8 | 30.5 | 69.5% | 1 |
| Wandsworth | 16 | 29.5 | 77% | 0 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 76 | 29 | 73.5% | 4 |
| Southwark | 167 | 28 | 71% | 15 |
| City of London | 602 | 26 | 81% | 33 |
| Islington | 110 | 26 | 78.5% | 5 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 21 | 26 | 74% | 0 |
| Tower Hamlets | 185 | 26 | 79% | 8 |
| Westminster | 497 | 26 | 77% | 28 |
| Bromley | 8 | 25 | 76.5% | 0 |
| Hackney | 36 | 25 | 76.5% | 4 |
| Newham | 21 | 22 | 91% | 0 |
| Barnet | 13 | 14 | 94% | 0 |
Council areas with at least 5 companies filing, slowest typical payer first.
The 50 slowest payers registered in London
* Figures look inconsistent with the company's earlier filings, for example an average more than double its previous report, so may contain a filing error. Shown as filed.
Download all 2,201 companies as a CSV.
Smaller areas
Council areas with fewer than 5 companies filing. Their companies are in the regional figures above.
- Barking and DagenhamNicholls & Clarke Limited
- BexleySolstor UK Limited, Stanmore Contractors Limited
- EnfieldJJ Food Service Limited, Fairview Estates (Housing) Limited, Children First Academy Trust
- HaringeyTottenham Hotspur Limited, Tottenham Hotspur Football & Athletic Co. Ltd, Aldridge Education
- LewishamHaberdashers' Aske's Federation Trust, Cis Security Ltd, L.A.B. International Limited
- RedbridgeMilkwood Care Ltd
- Waltham ForestLion Academy Trust
420 companies here reported construction contracts and 237 said they hold back retention money, typically at 5%. All retention clauses.
Source: payment practices reports published by the Department for Business and Trade on Check payment practices, Open Government Licence v3.0. Registered office from Companies House. Free to use with credit to Fair Payment and a link to this page. Notes for journalists.