UK Digital Entertainment Payment Practices: Big Names Lag Behind in 2022

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 107
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 72.1/100
• UK average: 50.0/100
• Top score: 100/100 (achieved by two companies)
• Lowest score: 35.6/100
• Highest regional average: 84.6/100 (Yorkshire and The Humber)
• Lowest regional average: 72.4/100 (London)

What Stands Out

The UK Digital Entertainment sector’s average PaymentCheck Score of 72.1 is substantially above the UK average of 50, suggesting generally healthier payment practices than the norm. However, some major players, including Amazon Digital UK Limited and Universal Pictures Productions Limited, sit firmly at the bottom, indicating that size and brand recognition don't guarantee prompt payments. It's certainly worth checking out a late payment calculator if your invoices are overdue.

Best Payers

1. TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION (U.K.), LTD. - 100/100
2. ITV DIGITAL CHANNELS LIMITED - 100/100
3. WARNER CHAPPELL PRODUCTION MUSIC LIMITED - 98/100
4. UK PROGRAMME DISTRIBUTION LIMITED - 98/100
5. CE EUROPE LIMITED - 97.25/100

Worst Payers

1. AMAZON DIGITAL UK LIMITED - 35.6/100
2. RED BEE MEDIA LIMITED - 37.8/100
3. UNIVERSAL PICTURES PRODUCTIONS LIMITED - 38.8/100
4. VIDENDUM PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS LIMITED - 39.5/100
5. BUZZ GROUP LIMITED - 40.8/100

Regional Patterns

While London houses the majority of the companies analysed (83 out of 107), its regional average PaymentCheck Score of 72.4 is the lowest, implying that a higher concentration of companies doesn't necessarily correlate with better payment behaviour. Yorkshire and The Humber, despite having data from just one company, boasts the highest regional average at 84.6, hinting at potentially strong payment ethics within that specific business. The limited sample sizes for regions outside of London makes broad conclusions challenging.

Despite outperforming the UK average by 22.1 points, the wide range between the sector's best and worst payers – from 100/100 to 35.6/100 – highlights inconsistencies that businesses need to be aware of.