The Payment Practices and Performance Reporting (Amendment) Regulations 2026 expand the scope of the Payment Practices and Performance Reporting Regulations 2017 from October 2026. The scheme — which requires large companies (turnover exceeding £36 million, balance sheet exceeding £18 million, and more than 250 employees) to publish their payment statistics every six months — now captures medium-sized companies (turnover exceeding £10 million) for the first time.
Each report must state the average time taken to pay supplier invoices, the percentage of invoices paid within 30, 60, and 60+ days, and whether the company is a signatory to the Prompt Payment Code. Reports are published on the GOV.UK payment practices portal, which is publicly searchable — enabling suppliers to check a potential customer's payment record before entering a contract.
Small business suppliers owed money by large companies can already claim statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate (currently 13.5%) and a fixed debt recovery cost under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. The Small Business Commissioner can investigate complaints about late payment free of charge. ACAS and the British Business Bank both provide guidance on cashflow management for small businesses affected by slow-paying customers.