Professional Services Payment Practices Report 2021
UK Professional Services Payments are Good, But Show Wide Disparities
The Numbers
- Companies analysed: 173
- Average PaymentCheck Score: 71.0/100
- UK average PaymentCheck Score: 50.0/100 (Professional Services is 21 points above)
- Top PaymentCheck Score: 100/100 (VIRGO HEALTH PR LIMITED)
- Bottom PaymentCheck Score: 20/100 (APLEONA UK LIMITED)
- South West average: 82.4 (6 companies)
- London average: 72.8 (101 companies)
What Stands Out
Professional Services firms, on average, pay suppliers significantly faster than the UK average. However, the range of scores, from a perfect 100 to a dismal 20, demonstrates that not all firms are created equal. The South West of England appears to be a payments hotspot, although this is based on a small sample size.
Best Payers
- VIRGO HEALTH PR LIMITED - 100/100
- EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND LEGAL SERVICES LIMITED - 99.77/100
- STHREE PARTNERSHIP LLP - 99/100
- INTERPUBLIC LIMITED - 98.55/100
- L.A. INTERNATIONAL COMPUTER CONSULTANTS LIMITED - 98.5/100
Worst Payers
- APLEONA UK LIMITED - 20/100
- KENNEDYS LAW LLP - 21.49/100
- FIRSTPORT GROUP LIMITED - 23.35/100
- MINSTER LAW LIMITED - 24.4/100
- ARCUS FM LIMITED - 29.8/100
Regional Patterns
London firms, making up the majority of the sample at 101 companies, scored an average of 72.8, only slightly above the sector's overall average of 71. This suggests that while London firms contribute to the positive sector average, smaller regional clusters, particularly in the South West with an 82.4 average, are leading the way in prompt payments, although more data would be needed to confirm this trend.
Suppliers struggling with late payments can use a late payment calculator to assess potential interest charges.
The stark difference between the top and bottom payers – a massive 80-point gap – shows that while the average is good, payment practices are far from consistent across UK Professional Services.
