Almost three quarters (73%) of businesses have been paid late in the last 12 months, according to a new paper by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and for the majority (77%), it is by other businesses. 

 

Small firms do not have the same cash-flow buffers as larger businesses and so being paid late causes a vicious circle, meaning that 38 per cent of members that are paid late say they then pay their suppliers late.