Half of main contractors now paying in 30 days or less – list

The sharp improvement in average payment of invoices among the 34 leading contractors quashes fears the industry was set to return to poor payment practices as a result of the pandemic

Much of the improvement is being driven by a cluster of contractors paying much faster at 25 days or less.

There are also now fewer outliers clinging on to draconian payment regimes as the Government seeks to roll-out construction playbook best practice.

Main contractor payment days on average improved by four days over the last six months to 30.4 days, some 15 days quicker than when trade body Build UK first started collating payment data in July 2018.

Main contractor payment performance – source Build UK
Firm	Average days to pay invoices	% invoices not paid within terms	% paid invoice within 60 days
Amey	14	15	98
ISG	15	6	99
Canary Wharf Contractors	18	0	100
Costain	21	13	97
Vinci	24	11	96
Morgan Sindall	25	7	98
Wates	25	25	96
Lendlease	26	2	100
Morrison Utility Services	26	6	89
Murphy	27	20	91
Bouygues	27	22	93
Galliford Try	28	8	98
Willmott Dixon	28	11	99
Mace	29	17	94
VolkerWessels	29	23	95
Osborne	29	30	93
Sir Robert McAlpine	30	10	96
Laing O’Rourke	30	19	93
McLaren Construction	30	38	99
Tilbury Douglas	30	39	95
Novus Property Solutions	33	10	94
BAM Construct	33	28	95
Kier	34	19	90
Robertson Construction	35	17	98
Balfour Beatty	36	25	93
Multiplex	37	21	90
Bowmer and Kirkland	37	27	95
Winvic Construction	38	6	96
John Sisk & Son	38	23	97
Seddon	39	11	97
Skanska	39	14	87
Graham Construction	40	10	96
BAM Nuttall	41	23	88
Engie	42	1	97

Despite seeing a strong recovery in profits, house builders’ payment records now lag main contractors.

Among the volume builders Barratt, Redrow and Persimmon are paying under 30 days according to their reported accounts.

House builder	Average days to pay invoices	% invoices not paid within terms	% paid invoice within 60 days
Barratt Developments	24	20	98
Redrow Homes	24	8	97
Persimmon Homes	26	18	97
Bellway Homes	31	20	97
Taylor Wimpey	34	15	96
Crest Nicholson	36	21	94
Bloor Homes	38	4	90
Miller Homes	39	27	88
Vistry Homes	44	35	85

Jo Fautley, Build UK Deputy Chief Executive, said: “Our benchmarking of payment performance has resulted in significant changes in behaviour within the industry.

“The results over the last three years show that construction is serious about changing the way it does business and Build UK members are leading the way.”