South West Businesses Outpace UK Average on Payment Practices, But Disparities Persist

The Numbers

• Companies analysed: 241
• Average PaymentCheck Score (South West): 71.5/100
• Average PaymentCheck Score (UK): 50.0/100
• South West advantage: 21.5 points above the UK average

What Stands Out

The South West shows a demonstrably better payment culture than the rest of the UK, according to this analysis, though it's not clear why. However, a wide range between the best and worst payers reveals significant inconsistencies in the region, highlighting that some businesses continue to struggle with timely payments.

Best Payers

These companies demonstrate exceptional payment practices, according to the PaymentCheck Score.

1. SANDERSON RECRUITMENT PLC - 99.6/100
2. PEOPLEPLUS GROUP LIMITED - 98.1/100
3. LAMBTRAD LTD - 98.1/100
4. BLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP - 97.7/100
5. THE GURKHA WELFARE TRUST - 97.6/100

Worst Payers

These companies need to significantly improve their payment practices; they fall far below the South West average.

1. SUNSEEKER INTERNATIONAL LIMITED - 22.5/100
2. OPTIMAS OE SOLUTIONS LTD - 23.5/100
3. PRINCESS YACHTS LIMITED - 25.2/100
4. NOKIA UK LIMITED - 27.7/100
5. MEARS GROUP PLC - 30.7/100

Sector Breakdown

While the overall South West average is strong, certain sectors stand out for their payment behaviour. Human Resources companies are the top performers, averaging 95.0/100 across seven companies, a notable lead, while the Primary Care sector also performs strongly with an average score of 93.9/100 across 3 companies. One should compare these numbers with other regions to see how they compare, however.

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Even though the South West average is a respectable 71.5/100, Sunseeker International's score of 22.5/100 is a clear outlier, showing a significant disparity in payment practices within the region.

2025: The Story

South West payment practices in 2025 showed a modest improvement, with the average score rising by 0.8 points to 71.5/100, based on a reduced pool of 241 companies. This year saw significant individual shifts, highlighting both strong commitment and serious backslides. ARK DATA CENTRES LIMITED led the charge for improvement, rocketing up by 22.4 points to an impressive 88.4/100, demonstrating what focused efforts can achieve. Similarly, INTEL CORPORATION (UK) LIMITED advanced by 14.8 points to 90.2/100. On the flip side, NISBETS LIMITED experienced a concerning decline of 5.3 points, landing them with a very poor 37.6/100.

An interesting trend emerged within financial services, where COMPUTERSHARE MORTGAGE SERVICES LIMITED (+18.8 points to 83.4/100) and HOMELOAN MANAGEMENT LIMITED (+13.8 points to 78.2/100) both posted significant gains. Furthermore, new entrants like LAMBTRAD LTD (98.1/100) set an exceptionally high bar, contributing positively to the regional landscape. Suppliers should closely monitor individual company performance, especially given the considerable shifts and the notably smaller reporting pool for 2025.