# How long do large companies take to pay their suppliers? Large UK companies take a median of 31 days to pay their suppliers. Large Australian businesses take a median of 25 days to pay small business suppliers. UK figures cover payments to all suppliers, from payment practices filings. Australian figures cover payments to small business suppliers, from the Payment Times Reporting Scheme. Compare the two with care. To follow up on your own late invoices, see [UK credit control software](https://www.paidnice.com/credit-control-software) or [debtor management software in Australia](https://www.paidnice.com/debtor-management-software). The wider picture is in our [accounts receivable statistics](https://www.paidnice.com/accounts-receivable-statistics). ## Key findings ### Which UK industry pays suppliers slowest? Manufacturing is the slowest UK sector, at 45 days. That is 14 days slower than the UK median. Financial and insurance is the fastest UK sector at 22 days. ### How many invoices are paid late? About 1 in 4 small business invoices in Australia is paid late. At the median large Australian business, 26% of small business invoices miss the payment term. In the UK the figure is 15%. ### Which industry has the most insolvencies? Construction has the most UK insolvencies: 3,866 in 12 months. In Australia, construction has the most, at 3,976. UK figures cover England and Wales. ### Are insolvencies rising? Australian insolvencies rose 66% in a year. 1,808 companies entered external administration in August 2026, against 1,090 a year earlier. Insolvencies in England and Wales fell 3%, to 1,946. ## United Kingdom: median days to pay suppliers, slowest first Manufacturing is the slowest UK sector at 45 days. Financial and insurance is the fastest at 22 days. The median is 31 days. 1. [Manufacturing](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/manufacturing): 45 days, slower than the median. 2. [Water, sewerage and waste](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/water-and-waste): 37 days, slower than the median. 3. [Wholesale and retail trade](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/wholesale-and-retail): 37 days, slower than the median. 4. [Accommodation and food service](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/hospitality): 36 days, slower than the median. 5. [Transport and storage](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/transport-and-storage): 35 days, slower than the median. 6. [Construction](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/construction): 33 days, slower than the median. 7. [Mining and quarrying](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/mining): 32 days, slower than the median. 8. [Agriculture, forestry and fishing](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/agriculture): 31 days. 9. [Other service activities](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/other-services): 31 days. 10. [Professional, scientific and technical](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/professional-services): 30 days. 11. [Information and communication](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/information-and-communication): 29 days. 12. [Arts, entertainment and recreation](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/arts-and-recreation): 28 days. 13. [Administrative and support services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/administrative-and-support): 27 days. 14. [Real estate](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/real-estate): 27 days. 15. [Electricity and gas supply](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/energy): 26 days. 16. [Human health and social work](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/health-and-social-care): 26 days. 17. [Education](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/education): 25 days. 18. [Financial and insurance](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/financial-services): 22 days. ## Australia: median days to pay small business suppliers, slowest first Manufacturing is the slowest Australian industry at 31.8 days. Financial and insurance services is the fastest at 14.6 days. The median is 25 days. 1. [Manufacturing](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/manufacturing): 31.8 days, slower than the median. 2. [Construction](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/construction): 30 days, slower than the median. 3. [Mining](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/mining): 28 days, slower than the median. 4. [Wholesale trade](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/wholesale-trade): 27 days, slower than the median. 5. [Transport, postal and warehousing](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/transport-postal-warehousing): 27 days, slower than the median. 6. [Retail trade](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/retail-trade): 25.9 days, slower than the median. 7. [Professional, scientific and technical services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/professional-scientific-technical-services): 25.4 days, slower than the median. 8. [Health care and social assistance](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/health-care-social-assistance): 24.6 days. 9. [Other services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/other-services): 24.6 days. 10. [Information media and telecommunications](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/information-media-telecommunications): 24 days. 11. [Agriculture, forestry and fishing](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/agriculture-forestry-fishing): 23 days. 12. [Rental, hiring and real estate services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/rental-hiring-real-estate-services): 22.7 days. 13. [Public administration and safety](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/public-administration-safety): 22.1 days. 14. [Accommodation and food services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/accommodation-food-services): 21.7 days. 15. [Electricity, gas, water and waste services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/electricity-gas-water-waste-services): 21.3 days. 16. [Administrative and support services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/administrative-support-services): 19.6 days. 17. [Arts and recreation services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/arts-recreation-services): 19.3 days. 18. [Financial and insurance services](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/financial-insurance-services): 14.6 days. ## Are company insolvencies rising? England and Wales recorded 1,946 company insolvencies in August 2026, down 3% on a year earlier. Australia recorded 1,808, up 66%. ## Tools - [Search a UK company](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/late-payers): How fast a named large company pays - [Search an Australian business](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/late-payers): Days to pay and % paid late - [UK insolvency tracker](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/uk/insolvencies): 1,946 in August 2026, England and Wales - [Australian insolvency tracker](https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times/au/insolvencies): 1,808 in August 2026 ## Related guides ### United Kingdom - [UK credit control software](https://www.paidnice.com/credit-control-software) - [Credit control for UK small businesses](https://www.paidnice.com/blog/credit-control-software-uk-small-businesses) - [What is credit control?](https://www.paidnice.com/dictionary/credit-control) - [UK accounts receivable statistics](https://www.paidnice.com/accounts-receivable-statistics/united-kingdom) - [Late payment interest calculator](https://www.paidnice.com/late-payment-interest-calculator) - [Late payment fees in the UK](https://www.paidnice.com/blog/late-payment-fees-uk) - [The UK late payment law changes](https://www.paidnice.com/blog/commercial-payments-bill-uk-late-payment-law) ### Australia - [debtor management software in Australia](https://www.paidnice.com/debtor-management-software) - [Debtor management in Australia](https://www.paidnice.com/blog/debtor-management-software-australia) - [What is debtor management?](https://www.paidnice.com/dictionary/debtor-management) - [Australian accounts receivable statistics](https://www.paidnice.com/accounts-receivable-statistics/australia) - [Late fees in Australia](https://www.paidnice.com/blog/late-fees-in-australia) - [Collecting debt in Australia](https://www.paidnice.com/blog/full-guide-collecting-debt-in-australia) ### Both countries - [Accounts receivable statistics](https://www.paidnice.com/accounts-receivable-statistics) - [Accounts receivable software](https://www.paidnice.com/accounts-receivable-software) ## Cite Paidnice (2026). Payment times data. https://www.paidnice.com/payment-times. Sources: UK payment practices filings (March 2025 to August 2026), Australian Payment Times Reporting Scheme (March 2025 to June 2026), Insolvency Service, ASIC. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.