North East Businesses Buck UK Payment Trend with Strong Scores

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 118
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 62.7/100
• UK average PaymentCheck Score: 50.0/100
• North East average is 12.7 points above the UK average.
• Software sector boasts a 98.2 average with one company analysed.

What Stands Out

The North East is significantly outperforming the rest of the UK in payment practices. While a single software company skews the sector averages, it's notable that the best payers include diverse industries from travel to student loans.

Best Payers

The region's top payers demonstrate a commitment to timely payments, potentially fostering stronger supplier relationships. Here are the top 5 performers, all scoring above 96/100:

1. HAYS TRAVEL LIMITED - 99.4/100
2. TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN SUNDERLAND LIMITED - 99.37/100
3. SUNDERLAND CARE AND SUPPORT LIMITED - 98.24/100
4. EVERFLOW LIMITED - 98.2/100
5. STUDENT LOANS COMPANY LIMITED - 96.43/100

Worst Payers

A significant gap exists between the best and worst performers in the region. Several companies are lagging behind, potentially impacting their suppliers' cash flow:

1. GAP GROUP LIMITED - 29.42/100
2. TECHNIP UK LIMITED - 32.6/100
3. LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY LIMITED - 37/100
4. CMP PRODUCTS LIMITED - 37.63/100
5. TECHNIPFMC UMBILICALS LTD - 37.7/100

Sector Breakdown

Sector averages reveal varying payment performance across industries in the North East:

• Software: 98.2 avg (1 companies)
• Care Services: 86.5 avg (2 companies)
• Events And Venues: 82.0 avg (2 companies)
• Financial Services: 81.6 avg (6 companies)
• Human Resources: 74.9 avg (2 companies)

The software sector shows exceptional performance but with only one company accounted for, general conclusions about the sector are impossible to draw. It’s worth noting that care services and financial services have relatively high averages, suggesting a possible regional focus on ethical financial practices.

If you are facing late payments, you can use a late payment calculator to determine any potential charges.

While the North East shows an encouraging average PaymentCheck Score of 62.7, the presence of companies scoring below 40 highlights the need for continued improvements in payment practices across all industries.

2025: The Story

The North East's average payment score saw a slight dip in 2025, falling by 0.5 points to 62.7/100, reflecting a minor regional softening despite fewer companies reporting. This overall decline masks significant individual movements across the region. EDF ENERGY RENEWABLES HOLDINGS LIMITED demonstrated an outstanding improvement, rocketing by 33.0 points to a strong 94.8/100, showcasing a remarkable turnaround in their payment practices. Other notable positive shifts included NORTH EAST AUTISM SOCIETY (+19.1 points to 74.8/100) and ARRIVA PLC (+17.3 points to 74.8/100), suggesting targeted efforts are paying off for some organisations.

Conversely, ATOM BANK PLC saw the largest drop among reporting companies, declining by 6.7 points to 74.1/100, while EQUANS REGENERATION LIMITED also fell significantly by 6.6 points to 51.9/100. This indicates a challenging year for some, potentially due to operational shifts or market pressures. With 18 companies leaving the dataset and 5 new additions like TRUE POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS LLP entering strong at 92.4/100, the landscape is clearly shifting. Suppliers in the North East should pay close attention to individual company trajectories, as volatility remains a key characteristic of regional payment performance.