Northern Ireland Payment Trends: 2020 vs 2021
Northern Ireland Payment Performance: Slight Improvement Observed – Up 3.4 Points
The Comparison
- 2020: A sample of 59 companies yielded an average payment performance score of 58.5 out of 100.
- 2021: A slightly larger sample of 66 companies showed an improved average score of 61.8 out of 100.
What This Means
While the number of companies analysed increased from 2020 to 2021, the average payment performance score only rose marginally. This small improvement suggests a gradual shift towards better payment practices, however the change might not be significant enough to indicate a fundamental overhaul. You can calculate the potential impact of late payments on your business using a late payment calculator.
Overall, Northern Ireland's payment performance saw a small upward tick, moving from an average score of 58.5 (59 companies) in 2020 to 61.8 (66 companies) in 2021.
Read next
Late payment in the UK is quietly improving — but your invoice still depends on who you sell to
We analysed over 100,000 published UK payment-practice reports. Late payment is falling — from 20% of invoices paid outs
UK Company Payment Practices 2025: Biggest Risers, Fallers & New Entrants
How UK companies' payment practices changed in 2025 — the biggest improvers, the firms slipping, and the strongest new e
Agriculture Payment Practices Report 2025
The UK agriculture sector is significantly outperforming the UK average for payment practices, suggesting a degree of fi
Northern Ireland Payment Trends: 2024 vs 2025
The year-on-year decline of 0.1 points, while statistically insignificant, suggests a stagnation in payment performance