Northern Ireland Payment Practices Outpace the UK, But Wide Gaps Remain

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 66
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 66.8/100
• UK average: 50.0/100
• Difference between Northern Ireland and UK average: 16.8 points
• Top score: 100/100 (achieved by two companies)
• Lowest score: 22/100
• Highest sector average: Hardware (91.5/100)
• Lowest sector average presented: Energy (85.2/100)

What Stands Out

Northern Ireland's average payment performance is significantly stronger than the UK average, suggesting a more disciplined payment culture. However, the considerable difference between the top and bottom performers shows that this positive average masks some serious laggards in the region.

Best Payers

Two companies topped the charts with perfect scores: NEO ENERGY ZNI LIMITED and ARITY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED. Close behind, ALLSTATE NORTHERN IRELAND LIMITED scored 98.6/100, followed by N.I.I.B. GROUP LIMITED at 97.85/100 and NORTHERN IRELAND WATER LIMITED with 96.2/100. These scores show that punctual payment is achievable in Northern Ireland, at least for some.

Worst Payers

At the other end of the spectrum, THOMPSON AERO SEATING LIMITED scored a concerning 22/100. CUBIS SYSTEMS LIMITED didn't fare much better with 24.2/100. DIAGEO GLOBAL SUPPLY IBC LIMITED (26.5/100), SHORT BROTHERS PLC (26.9/100), and GE GRID SOLUTIONS (UK) LIMITED (28.8/100) also demonstrated payment practices that could negatively impact their suppliers, demonstrating how important it is to use a late payment calculator when facing late invoices.

Sector Breakdown

The hardware sector showed the strongest payment performance with an average of 91.5/100, but it is only based on a single company, limiting the insight. The software and financial services sectors had strong averages of 87.8/100 and 86.0/100 respectively, but with a small sample size. The energy sector, with a relatively larger sample size of six companies, averaged 85.2/100, which is a good score.

Northern Ireland punches above its weight on payments overall, but the 78-point range between best and worst payers demands increased scrutiny of individual company practices.