Small companies throughout the UK have recovered £10 million in late and overdue funds with the assistance of the Workplace of the Small Enterprise Commissioner, marking a serious milestone in efforts to deal with damaging fee practices by bigger organisations.
Virtually £1 million has been recovered to this point within the present monetary 12 months alone, with greater than £500,000 secured in December 2025, highlighting an acceleration in enforcement and case decision in contrast with earlier years.
Since its institution in 2017 underneath the Enterprise Act 2016, the Small Enterprise Commissioner’s workplace has acted on behalf of small corporations dealing with unpaid invoices or unfair fee behaviour. It opinions enquiries, investigates formal complaints and works immediately with bigger corporations to resolve disputes and launch excellent funds.
The dimensions of the issue stays important. Authorities analysis exhibits late funds price the UK economic system round £11 billion a 12 months, contributing to the closure of roughly 4,000 companies yearly — the equal of 38 corporations every single day. Earlier this 12 months, ministers launched a session on strengthening the powers of the Small Enterprise Commissioner as a part of a wider crackdown on late fee tradition.
One small IT enterprise supported by the Commissioner this 12 months mentioned intervention proved decisive after months of failed makes an attempt to get well an overdue bill from a big journey firm.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Small Enterprise Commissioner for serving to us get well a long-overdue fee after many unsuccessful makes an attempt via electronic mail, cellphone calls and web site varieties,” a spokesperson mentioned. “Being a microbusiness of simply 4 individuals, we merely weren’t excessive on their radar. Because of the SBC’s assist, we have been in a position to make payroll this month.”
Emma Jones, the Small Enterprise Commissioner, mentioned the £10 million milestone underlined each the size of the issue and the significance of small corporations coming ahead.
“What an unimaginable achievement,” she mentioned. “Over £10 million retrieved for small corporations, with nearly £1 million recovered this monetary 12 months alone — 3 times the quantity secured final 12 months. Late fee shouldn’t be solely unhealthy for enterprise, it additionally takes a critical toll on founders’ psychological well being as they fear about paying payments and maintaining their enterprise going.”
Jones added that the workplace may solely ship outcomes when companies raised instances and urged extra small corporations to hunt assist in the event that they have been being paid late by bigger clients.
Small companies with unresolved fee disputes that they’ve been unable to settle immediately are inspired to contact the Small Enterprise Commissioner for recommendation and assist.
