Which UK public bodies pay their suppliers late? What 675 official payment reports say (2026)
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 24 February 2025. One of its quieter rules (section 69) says a contracting authority must publish a payments compliance notice for every six-month period. The notice says what share of invoices it paid within 30 days, within 31 to 60 days and after 60 days, its average days to pay, and how much of what fell due it…
The Procurement Act 2023, implemented in February 2025, introduced a requirement for UK public bodies to publish payment compliance notices six-monthly. These notices detail the percentage of invoices paid within various timeframes, average payment days, and the portion of due payments not made. As of October 2026, 675 current reports were available from 620 authorities.
The data reveals that a typical public body paid 94% of invoices within 30 days, with an average of 17 days to pay. Most bodies paid within the 30-day window, with 45.9% achieving 95% or higher, and 50% paying entirely on time. Notably, one in six bodies paid less than 80% of invoices on time. Among the slowest respondents were universities and housing associations, with median payment rates of 81.5% and 87.4% within 30 days, respectively.
Central government bodies and national bodies reported the fastest payment times, averaging just 10 days, while councils averaged 14 days. London councils, however, lagged behind other councils, with a median of 92.8% within 30 days. Of the 41 authorities that submitted two reports, 14 worsened their payment times and 9 improved them. The most significant declines were observed at Newlon Housing Trust (-15 points), Connexus Homes (-14.3), and the Victoria and Albert Museum (-10.3).
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