Scotland's Payment Practices Put UK to Shame, But Trouble Spots Remain

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 243
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 68.7/100
• UK average: 50.0/100
• Difference between Scotland and UK average: 18.7 points
• Top 5 Payers average score: 100/100
• Bottom 5 Payers average score: 25.3/100

What Stands Out

Scottish companies, on average, are significantly better at paying their suppliers than their UK counterparts, exceeding the UK average by nearly 19 points. That said, a wide gulf exists between the best and worst payers, indicating considerable inconsistency in payment ethics across the Scottish business community.

Best Payers

Five companies achieved perfect PaymentCheck scores:

1. ABRDN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED - 100/100
2. FIRST SENTIER INVESTORS (UK) IM LIMITED - 100/100
3. ABRDN PLC - 100/100
4. INNER DOWSING WIND FARM LIMITED - 100/100
5. D.P.K. FOODS LTD. - 100/100

The consistent perfect scores suggest these organisations prioritise timely payments as a core business value.

Worst Payers

The bottom five companies present a contrasting picture.

1. DOBBIES GARDEN CENTRES LIMITED - 22.6/100
2. DIGITASLBI LIMITED - 25.1/100
3. ARCHER (UK) LIMITED - 25.8/100
4. KCA DEUTAG TECHNICAL SUPPORT LIMITED - 25.9/100
5. DINGBRO LIMITED - 27.15/100

These scores suggest potential issues with payment processes, cash flow management, or a deliberate strategy of delayed payment. Businesses facing delays can calculate the impact with this late payment calculator.

Sector Breakdown

While most sectors have too few data points to offer meaningful insights, financial services, with 20 companies averaging 89.6/100, shows a solid commitment to prompt payment within that industry. The standout sector for prompt payments seems to be software, but this is only based on two firms. We can't draw firm conclusions from that.

Ultimately, despite Scotland’s commendable 68.7/100 average, the disparity between the best and worst payers, where one group scores 100 and another scores 25, is a clear call for greater payment fairness across the board.

2025: The Story

Scotland's average payment score experienced a slight dip in 2025, falling by 0.3 points to 68.7/100, even as the number of reporting companies decreased from 271 to 243. While the overall picture saw a minor decline, individual performances varied significantly. THE MEDICAL AND DENTAL DEFENCE UNION OF SCOTLAND led the charge in improvement, boosting its score by an impressive 20.9 points to reach 91.5/100. Conversely, KEYLINE CIVILS SPECIALIST LIMITED showed a concerning trend, dropping 5.5 points to a low 28.7/100, highlighting potential red flags for its suppliers. Interestingly, two financial firms, BLACKROCK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (-6.3 points to 82.8/100) and BAILLIE GIFFORD & CO LIMITED (-5.5 points to 76.5/100), were among the biggest decliners. New entrant OPTICAL EXPRESS LIMITED (96.5/100) brought a strong score, though its impact on the average was balanced by 41 companies leaving the data. Suppliers in 2025 should continue to scrutinize individual payment reports, particularly given the overall slight decline and the reduction in companies providing transparency.