UK Software Sector Payments: Generally Good, But With Stark Divides

The UK software sector, on average, pays its invoices significantly faster than the rest of the UK economy. But dig deeper and you'll find some companies are dragging the average down dramatically.

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 132
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 75.9/100
• UK average PaymentCheck score: 50.0/100
• Software sector average above UK average: 25.9 points
• Top PaymentCheck Score: 100/100 (3 companies)
• Lowest PaymentCheck Score: 20.6/100

What Stands Out

The gap between the best and worst payers is extreme, with some companies achieving perfect scores while others languish significantly below even the national average. That the average is so high shows there's no fundamental reason not to pay on time in this sector. If you're struggling with late payments, perhaps use our late payment calculator to work out what you could claim.

Best Payers

1. FIRST SENTIER INVESTORS (UK) IM LIMITED - 100/100
2. RBS INVOICE FINANCE LIMITED - 100/100
3. EXPERIAN TECHNOLOGY LIMITED - 100/100
4. ALLSTATE NORTHERN IRELAND LIMITED - 99.6/100
5. ALPHA FX LIMITED - 99.2/100

Worst Payers

1. RM EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES LTD - 20.6/100
2. NIKKEI FT LEARNING LIMITED - 25.2/100
3. AGILISYS LIMITED - 32.07/100
4. ADVANCED 365 LIMITED - 34.2/100
5. ARROW ENTERPRISE COMPUTING SOLUTIONS LIMITED - 34.8/100

Regional Patterns

The regional data is perhaps too sparse to draw firm conclusions, but the East Midlands, with an average of 100.0 from a single company, tops the list. Scotland (99.0 across two firms) and the North East (98.2, one company) also show incredibly strong payment practices, while Northern Ireland's average of 89.9 across four businesses suggests a generally positive, though less exceptional, picture. The South West lags with 82.8 from three companies.

The Takeaway

While the UK software sector boasts an average PaymentCheck score of 75.9/100, far exceeding the UK average of 50.0, the presence of companies like RM Educational Resources at 20.6/100 highlights a critical need for improvement and consistent adherence to fair payment practices across the board.

2025: The Story

The software sector experienced a slight but notable decline in average payment scores in 2025, dropping 1.3 points to 75.9/100 across 132 evaluated companies. While the overall picture softened, individual performance varied dramatically; THE FINANCIAL TIMES (M-M UK) LIMITED showcased an extraordinary leap, improving by 65.6 points to achieve an impressive 95.6/100. Similarly, REVOLUT LTD also made significant strides, increasing its score by 14.6 points to 69.9/100. On the other end, MAMAS & PAPAS (DIGITAL) LIMITED saw the steepest fall, decreasing 6.7 points to a concerning 57.9/100. The sector also welcomed strong new entrants such as XTX MARKETS TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED (94.5/100) and SAS SOFTWARE LIMITED (91.5/100), highlighting that high standards are still being set by some. This mixed landscape, featuring both impressive gains and significant declines alongside a shrinking dataset, signals increasing payment volatility within the industry. Suppliers should therefore closely monitor specific company payment trends.