UK Education Sector Payment Practices in 2025: Well Above Average, But Stark Disparities Persist

The Numbers

• Companies Analysed: 179
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 80.3/100
• UK Average (all sectors): 50.0/100
• Education Sector Advantage: 30.3 points above UK average
• Top Score: 99.6/100 (achieved by three companies)
• Bottom Score: 18.7/100

What Stands Out

The UK education sector is, on average, paying its suppliers significantly faster than the rest of the UK economy. While this sector clearly leads the way, the significant gulf between the best and worst payers shows that not all suppliers benefit from these improved payment practices.

Best Payers

1. OAKHAM SCHOOL - 99.6/100
2. CRONER GROUP LIMITED - 99.6/100
3. PEREGRINE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED - 99.6/100
4. TRANSFORM TRUST - 99.4/100
5. CYGNUS ACADEMIES TRUST - 98.9/100

Worst Payers

1. DRUCK LIMITED - 18.7/100
2. ERIKS INDUSTRIAL SERVICES LIMITED - 33.2/100
3. LRQA GROUP LIMITED - 38.4/100
4. ARCO LIMITED - 39.9/100
5. CHURCHES FIRE SECURITY LTD. - 46.9/100

Regional Patterns

The data reveals striking regional disparities, but the limited number of companies analysed per region means we should take them with a pinch of salt. Wales, with only one company assessed, leads the way at 94.9, while the South East, with the largest sample size of 37 companies, scores a respectable but lower 81.1. The East of England, with 13 companies, scored 87.3. Yorkshire and The Humber (17 companies) landed at 83.8, and the South West (12 companies) averaged 84.1. This could indicate regional differences in payment culture, but more data is needed to draw definitive conclusions.

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While the sector's average PaymentCheck score of 80.3 is encouraging, suppliers dealing with companies like Druck Limited (18.7) are experiencing vastly different realities compared to those working with Oakham School (99.6).

2025: The Story

The Education sector experienced a marginal but noticeable dip in payment performance in 2025, with the average score falling by 0.9 points to 80.3/100, while the number of reporting companies also decreased to 179. Amidst this overall decline, individual stories stand out. Oakham School surged by an impressive 12.5 points to a near-perfect 99.6/100, demonstrating that significant improvements are achievable. Conversely, Twynham Learning saw a notable drop of 6.7 points, landing at 75.8/100, highlighting the potential for reversals in payment reliability. An emerging pattern among the decliners reveals several academy trusts, including Wellspring Academy Trust and Greenshaw Learning Trust, experiencing drops of 6.4 and 5.8 points respectively. Meanwhile, new entrant Peregrine International Limited immediately established itself as a top performer with a 99.6/100 score. Suppliers should closely scrutinize individual client payment trends, as the sector's slight overall decline masks critical shifts in organizational performance.