# The Impact Of Late Payments On SME Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2019-04-02 Category: FINANCE Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/finance Meta Title: The Impact of Late Payments on SMEs Meta Description: Discover the shocking statistics and detrimental effects of late payments on SMEs, hindering economic growth and survival. Learn how to tackle this crisis now. URL: https://financedigest.com/the-impact-of-late-payments-on-smehtml By **Jade** at [Total Processing](https://www.totalprocessing.com/), a payment solution supplier Late payments may just seem like a small annoyance to most, but, the detrimental effect it’s having on SME’s is no small annoyance. There is a mountain of debt that is owed to SME’s and this is preventing them from investing and growing. If you’re a small to medium-sized enterprise owner, then you may relate to this. Late payments are having a larger effect on SME’s than we realise. It’s posing a threat to their survival as well as [economic growth](https://www.financedigest.com/economic-growth-risks-jolt-inflation-obsessed-markets.html "Economic growth risks jolt inflation-obsessed markets"). **The Late Payment Crisis** There are 5.7 million SMEs all over UK. According to Gocardless, only [4.7%](https://gocardless.com/blog/stuck-at-home-smes/) of large businesses pay all their invoices within 30 days. It’s a shocking statistic that highlights a real problem that is being experienced by SME’s. [Liberis’ research](https://www.liberis.co.uk/blog/Small-Business-Survey-Aged-Debt) finds that small UK businesses are chasing £14.9 billion in late payments. That’s [almost a billion’s](https://www.financedigest.com/sulphur-recovery-technology-market-value-to-grow-by-almost-1-2-billion-during-2021-2031.html "Sulphur Recovery Technology Market Value to Grow by Almost .2 Billion During 2021-2031") increase compared to the last 6 months. Why are late payments increasing? probably because those who are late [paying SME’s also have late payments pending from their own clients](https://www.financedigest.com/impact-com-closes-2021-with-new-google-pay-integration-150m-in-funding-and-51-increase-in-clients-yoy.html "impact.com closes 2021 with new Google Pay integration, 0M in funding and 51% increase in clients YoY"). A vicious cycle starts and next thing, the whole chain is affected. Liberis also found that 50% of SME [owners say](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-manchester-united-fans-want-more-say-under-any-new-owners.html "Soccer-Manchester United fans want more say under any new owners") that aged debt is hindering them from investing in their business. It’s no wonder there are so many SME’s hindered by debt as 58% of them are currently owed up to £10,000 along with 27% of them being owed over £20,000. That’s a staggering amount of outstanding money owed. Their research also revealed that the [Retail](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-has-10-days-to-save-christmas-retail-sector-says.html "Britain has 10 days to save Christmas, retail sector says") sector is the most affected sector due to aged debt. **Sector****Percentage of Sector Affected**Telecommunications1%[Building and Construction](https://www.financedigest.com/building-and-construction-to-continue-accounting-for-nearly-half-of-tower-cranes-sales-globally-fmi.html "Building and Construction to Continue Accounting for Nearly Half of Tower Cranes Sales Globally: FMI")6%Food and Hospitality4%Consultancy4%Education and Charity2%Finance and Law11%Auto and Transport4%Health and Beauty1%Healthcare and Vet3%Travel and Leisure1%IT and Technology15%Manufacture and Engineering6%Marketing and Creative9%Other10%Property2%Retail21% **Debt Repercussions** [Late payments from large businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/technology-is-a-tonic-for-late-business-payments.html "TECHNOLOGY IS A TONIC FOR LATE BUSINESS PAYMENTS") not only impact smaller enterprises, they also affect the economic pillar as a whole. Non-payment or [late payments from larger businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/why-late-payments-are-hurting-your-customer-as-well-as-your-business.html "Why late payments are hurting your customer, as well as your business") hamper the smooth cash flow for SME’s. A study by [FSB](https://www.fsb.org.uk/standing-up-for-you/policy-issues/finance-and-the-economy/late-payment) revealed 37% of SME’s have run into cash flow issues and 30% of SME’s have considered using their business finance to cover cash flow issues. As a result of this, 20% of the SMEs suffer a slowdown in [profit growth due to rough cash flow](https://www.financedigest.com/covestro-sees-lower-2023-profit-cash-flow-as-macro-challenges-prevail.html "Covestro sees lower 2023 profit, cash flow as macro challenges prevail"). A SME relies on every penny they can get in terms of investment into their business. The first five years are crucial to [growth and instead of putting their profit back into their business](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-needs-to-make-politically-unpopular-reforms-to-boost-growth-business-group-says.html "UK needs to make politically unpopular reforms to boost growth, business group says"), they’re using it to sustain cash flow issues. A study by [Xero revealed](https://www.xero.com/blog/2018/11/cash-mountain/) that the total amount owed to small businesses due to late payments is around £24,871. The study also revealed that [late payments cause a cash-flow](https://www.financedigest.com/the-late-payments-toolkit-how-to-keep-the-cash-flow-strong.html "THE LATE PAYMENTS TOOLKIT – HOW TO KEEP THE CASH-FLOW STRONG") squeeze which contributes to some 50,000 small business failures each year. Not only is late payments affecting the success of SME’s, late payment debt can also harm a firm’s [credit score](https://www.financedigest.com/benefits-of-a-good-credit-score.html "credit score"). This makes it harder for [small businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/government-assisted-financing-schemes-for-small-businesses.html "Government Assisted Financing Schemes For Small Businesses") to raise capital for investment, especially in times where they’re struggling. [Small businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/4-ways-small-businesses-can-save-money-while-outsourcing.html "4 Ways Small Businesses Can Save Money While Outsourcing") account to almost 50% of the GDP. The FSB study previous mentioned also found that if all payments were [made on time 50,000 more businesses could be kept open each year](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-financial-literacy-or-luck-the-year-small-time-traders-made-a-big-impact.html "Analysis-Financial literacy or luck? The year small-time traders made a big impact"). The UK economy would also receive a £2.5 [billion cash boost](https://www.financedigest.com/spains-top-soccer-clubs-to-get-cash-boost-from-3-2-billion-la-liga-deal.html "Spain’s top soccer clubs to get cash boost from .2 billion La Liga deal"). **How to Solve the Late Payment Crisis** Half of the time, late payments are simply down to [busy schedules that lead to payment dates](https://www.financedigest.com/date-palm-market-detailed-survey-on-key-trends-leading-players-business-opportunities-2026.html "Date Palm Market – Detailed Survey On Key Trends, Leading Players & Business Opportunities 2026") being forgotten. If you want to avoid late payments, you have to make payments to you easy and effortless. Direct Debit is simply a prior instruction given to the [banks by organisations that authorises various other organisations to collect their payments](https://www.financedigest.com/could-the-npa-be-the-catalyst-banks-need-to-transform-their-payment-networks.html "Could the NPA be the catalyst banks need to transform their payment networks?"). SMEs can directly get paid against their services through an agreed direct debit. Benefits of Direct Debit: - Automated payment - On-time payment - No need to follow up - Uninterrupted cashflow - Peace of mind If you’re an SME owner, insist your clients opt for a [Direct Debit system so that you get your dues](https://www.financedigest.com/why-due-diligence-is-so-important-for-direct-debit-customers.html "Why due diligence is so important for Direct Debit customers") paid on time.Direct Debit allows SME’s to take control of their [cash flow](https://www.financedigest.com/xerox-shares-slide-as-annual-revenue-cash-flow-forecasts-take-a-hit.html "Xerox shares slide as annual revenue, cash flow forecasts take a hit") and business. Direct debits are easy to set up and efficient for both the SME and clients due to their flexible and reliable nature. SME’s can take control and not let cash flow can jeopardise the [success of their businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/why-start-ups-fail-5-barriers-to-business-success-and-how-to-overcome-them.html "Why start-ups fail: 5 barriers to business success and how to overcome them"). --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---