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Prompt payment reporting: how quickly we pay our suppliers

Published: 3 March 2022

Last updated: 3 March 2022

We are committed to creating a supportive environment in which businesses can flourish.

Late payment is an important issue for business, especially smaller businesses, as it can affect their cash flow and put at risk their ability to trade.

We recognise that the public sector should set an example by paying promptly.

About our payment reporting

  • we have one scheduled payment run per week
  • we will publish the percentage of their invoices paid within 5 days and 30 days, on a quarterly basis
  • we will publish all interest liable, under the late payment legislation, on a quarterly basis

Prompt payment report: April 2023 to March 2024

Period Percentage of invoices paid within 30 days Percentage of invoices paid within 5 days Date paid v date input: monthly average days
April to June 2023 100% 91.40% 1.52
July to September 2023 99.27% 87.59% 2.66
October to December 2023 100% 85.52% 3.31
January 2024 to March 2024 99.31% 87.71% 2.79
Average 99.65% 88.06% 2.57

Date paid is the date we made the payment, whether by cheque, Bacs or CHAPS.

Date input is the date a valid invoice was received and then processed, by our finance team, into our accounting system, usually within 24 hours of each other.

Government guidance on managing public money (section 4.6, procurement) says that public sector organisations are bound by the late payment of commercial debts act 1988 (amended by the late payment of commercial debt regulations 2002, SI 1674): "payment is regarded as late if made outside of the agreed terms, or 30 days after receipt of a valid invoice where no terms are agreed".

We define an undisputed invoice as a supplier invoice that quotes a valid purchase order (PO) number, the goods have been received and receipted, and the invoice has been physically received by the finance team.

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