London Firms are Prompt Paymasters, But Some Big Names Lag Behind

London companies, on average, appear to prioritize timely payments, but some well-known businesses need to up their game.

The Numbers

• Companies Analysed: 1,000
• Average PaymentCheck Score (London): 89.3/100
• UK Average PaymentCheck Score: 50.0/100
• London Average Above UK Average: 39.3 points

What Stands Out

The 39.3-point gap between London's average payment score and the UK average is striking, suggesting a more disciplined payment culture in the capital. However, even within London, there's significant variation, indicating that a high average score doesn't guarantee good payment practices across the board.

Best Payers

Five companies achieved perfect scores of 100/100: SH EURO FINANCE PLC, FLEETCOR EUROPE LIMITED, BROOKFIELD GLOBAL BUSINESS ADVISOR LIMITED, OUTDOOR MEDIACOM LIMITED and OPET INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. It's a diverse mix, ranging from finance to media, proving good payment practices aren't limited to a single sector.

Worst Payers

The bottom five companies, while still scoring relatively well, highlight that even established firms aren't immune to payment delays: BARINGA PARTNERS LLP (77.4/100), ALLEN OVERY SHEARMAN STERLING LLP (77.44/100), JCDECAUX UK LIMITED (77.5/100), CITADEL SECURITIES (EUROPE) LIMITED (77.63/100) and MIMECAST SERVICES LIMITED (77.68/100). These are all reputable businesses, so their scores suggest a need for internal review of their payment processes. Late payments impacting your business? Use this late payment calculator.

Sector Breakdown

The Travel and Transportation sector leads the pack with an average score of 93.3 across 13 companies, hinting at the importance of timely payments in that industry. Human Resources (91.6 avg, 28 companies) and Life Sciences (91.5 avg, 6 companies) also perform strongly, but the small number of companies in Life Sciences means we can't definitively say there is a significant advantage. The Energy sector, with 43 companies, is just below the average at 90.9 suggesting there are no major challenges in this sector for payment.

While London scores strongly, individual companies and even some sectors aren't immune to issues, with the lowest recorded score being 77.4, more than 20 points below the London average of 89.3.