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Late payments pushing UK small firms close to the edge

The challenging economic conditions the country is experiencing due to rising inflation, has caused a significant crash, the biggest slump since April 2020 when the pandemic began, as reported by Xero’s Small Business Index.

Small businesses had to wait an average of 29.9 days to be paid in April, with late payment times rising by 1.8 days on average to 7.7 days.

Managing Director of Xero; Alex von Schirmeister, commented “This is a warning sign of what’s to come. Small firms are being hammered by a slowdown in consumer spending and a slowdown in getting paid what they are owed. Small businesses are being forced to a cliff edge by large firms who hold on to suppliers’ money”. He called for the Government to offer appropriate incentives for large businesses to pay their suppliers on time and enforce stricter penalties for paying late.

To help you understand the trading behaviour of your customers and access credit ratings, limits and get insights into how often businesses are paying their suppliers, visit identeco.co.uk. The online portal provides company information, financial insights and b2b marketing data on over 4 million UK companies and businesses. For more information or a free trial, call 01527 386 607.

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