Boughey Distribution, Ceva Logistics and Travis Perkins have all cropped up on a list of late payers, described as “a systemic failure in corporate accountability”.
Mick George Earthworks was also named as a company paying invoices late, with the average time to pay calculated at 73 days and with 75% of invoices not paid within agreed terms.
The research, by campaign group Good Business Pays (GBP), found Boughey Distribution took an average of 51 days to pay invoices and 83% were not paid within agreed terms.
Ceva and Travis Perkins were labelled ‘serially late payers’ taking an average of 79 days and 47 days to pay invoices respectively.
Both companies were found not to pay up within agreed terms in over 50% of cases.
GBP’s Spring Watchlist examined over 6,000 companies’ payment performance and it said 67 businesses had been consistently reported for paying invoices late every year since reporting began in 2018.
However, there were also improvements. Samworth Brothers, which was commended last year for reducing the proportion of late payments from 67% to 7%, chipped the figure away even further to 6% this year.
GBP said there remained a higher number of companies reporting paying 70% or more of their invoices late and the number taking 100 days or more had increased to 32 in 2025.
“These findings are not just concerning – they are alarming,” said Terry Corby, GBP chief executive.
“With insolvencies at record levels and small businesses already struggling under economic pressures, delayed payments add unnecessary risk to their survival.
“The continued rise in slow payers highlights a systemic failure in corporate accountability.
“Large companies must do better – not just for their suppliers, but for the health of the entire UK economy.”
Tina McKenzie, policy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Patience has worn thin with serial late payers and it’s time for them to get their acts together, treat small businesses fairly and pay them on time.
“The government must now deliver its promised reforms, especially giving audit committees oversight of that company’s payment practices.”
None of the firms named had responded as we went to press.
