With Brexit dominating the economic spectrum, Small businesses in the UK are under major cash flow pressure which in turn is leading to increased financial instability as a direct result of the Countries endemic late payments culture.
Whilst this is not exactly a revelation to most, according to Duff & Phelps, Global Business Advisers, it is a growing problem that Small Business Owners need to be very aware of.
Recent research shows that small businesses in the UK are facing a collective bill of £6.7bn per annum due to late payments by other companies, up from £2.6bn in 2017. Quite clearly this is increasingly serious issue for SME’s across the UK
Research shows that the implication of late or non paying customers can be extremely significant. It is reported that the latest increase in Business late payment is causing significant productivity issues and financial instability for SMEs, with staff wasting hours chasing down late payments and businesses becoming preoccupied with short-term cash flow problems, according to the global financial advisor, Duff & Phelps. Paul Williams, Managing Director of Duff & Phelps, said “Our concerns follow recent research by Bacs Payment Schemes which claimed that small businesses are facing a collective bill of £6.7bn per annum in outstanding payments owed by other companies, up from £2.6bn in 2017.” The UK Government currently promotes its voluntary Prompt Payment Code (PPC) to encourage good practice, but late payments by larger companies remain a common problem for a large proportion of the UK’s SMEs
“Late payments are a financial challenge for many SMEs. Delays in payments can lead to cash flow problems for small businesses, and consequently difficulties in paying their own creditors on time. Approximately 50,000 small businesses fail each year because of late payments, amounting to a £2.5bn shortfall to the UK economy. The average value of each late payment now stands at £6,142.”
“Additionally, late payments can also greatly diminish productivity and growth for SMEs, as business owners become preoccupied with managing short-term cash problems rather than focusing on long-term growth initiatives. Small businesses preoccupied with cash flow problems are also less likely to invest in company resources or staff, further limiting their opportunities to grow.”
“Cash flow is the lifeblood of a business and late payments add to the daily stress and worry that many small business owners already have. Added to that, businesses also end up wasting hours of unproductive time chasing payments. In this modern era of technology, which is designed to enable business agility, late payments are particularly galling as there are no excuses. The day of the ‘cheque is in the post’ is long over!”
“Paying companies late shouldn’t be the accepted norm. Organisations facing such financial uncertainty should promptly seek professional advice, but more can be done to avoid businesses reaching this situation in the first place.”
“SMEs underpin the economy, so prioritising timely payments will help allow business owners to focus their time and energy on providing good quality products and services and adding value to the customer experience, rather than chasing outstanding payments.”
“Lack of cash flow can have a negative impact on supply chains, staff and, ultimately, customers. We would urge any business facing late payment and cash flow issues to get in contact with Duff & Phelps and our experts can guide you through what options are available to improve cash flow and address the issue of late payments.”
A growing solution for many Businesses is the use of Debt Collection Agencies. The London Post’s recent news article highlighted the significant increase in the use of Business Debt Collection in London
A reputable B2B Debt Collection Agency can carry massive positives for any Businesses ledger and should always be a considering when confronted with non paying customers.
