NI councils slowest to settle invoices
Mon, 16 Nov 2009
Councils in Northern Ireland (NI) are by far the worst in the UK at paying their suppliers and contractors on time, it has been reported.
A study conducted by the Forum of Private Business (FPB) indicates that UK councils pay their bills within an average of 19 days, although this figure rises to 37 in NI.
Just 11 per cent of invoices are settled within a ten-day period, it was reported, while 54 per cent are paid within 30 days.
The next-worst performing area for payment within a month is Scotland, where 86 per cent of invoices are settled within a month.
Commenting on the findings, FPB spokesman Phil McCabe said that local authorities in NI are "easily the slowest" in the UK at paying the firms they do business with.
He added: "The figures for Northern Irish councils compare unfavourably to authorities in the rest of the UK by every single measurement.
"When Peter Mandelson urged local authorities and public bodies to implement ten-day payment wherever possible a year ago, it applied to the whole of the UK, so we're unsure why the message hasn't filtered through to the six counties."
Earlier this year, the Federation of Small Businesses demanded an end to late payment culture in the UK.
Posted by Alex Boardman
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