Is late payment a big problem in the energy and utilities sector?

The energy and utilities sector is slightly better than the UK average, with 17% of invoices paid late compared to 24% nationally. However, late payment still affects freelancers and suppliers in this sector.

Can I charge interest on late invoices?

Yes. Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act 1998, you can charge statutory interest at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate on any overdue business-to-business invoice. You can also claim fixed compensation of £40 to £100 per invoice. You do not need to include this in your contract for it to apply.

How can I check if a specific company pays on time?

Use the PennyFetch payment checker tool to search over 9,000 large UK companies and see their actual payment record, including average days to pay, percentage of invoices paid late, and whether their payment speed is improving or getting worse.

Industry Data

Late payment in energy and utilities

How the UK energy and utilities sector compares on payment practices, based on official government data from 374 reporting companies.

Overview

The energy sector generally has a better payment record than many other industries, driven partly by regulatory oversight and the size of the companies involved. However, the sector includes a wide range of businesses from large utilities to smaller renewable energy firms, and payment practices vary significantly.

Key statistics

Avg. days to pay

UK median: 32

Invoices paid late

17%

UK average: 24%

Companies reporting

374

of 9,336 total

Energy and Utilities companies pay their suppliers in 33 days on average, which is 1 days slower than the UK median of 32 days. 17% of invoices in this sector are paid after the agreed terms.

Slowest payers in energy and utilities

These are the energy and utilities companies with the highest percentage of invoices paid after the agreed terms, based on their most recent government filing.

Company	Avg. days	% paid late
EDF EN UK LIMITED	210	100%
SHELL CLAIR UK LIMITED	70	100%
POWER LEISURE BOOKMAKERS LIMITED	16	95%
FORUM ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (UK) LIMITED	45	89%
ORMONDE ENERGY LIMITED	51	88%
DUNLOP OIL & MARINE LIMITED	51	87%
WINGATE ELECTRICAL PLC	44	83%
BRUSH ELECTRICAL MACHINES LIMITED	53	77%
LEGRAND ELECTRIC LIMITED	44	76%
AMEC FOSTER WHEELER ENERGY LIMITED	40	76%

Advice for freelancers working in energy and utilities

Energy companies tend to have formal procurement processes. Make sure your invoices match their purchase order requirements exactly, as discrepancies are a common reason for payment delays. If you are working in the renewable energy sector, check the company's payment record as newer firms may not have an established track record.

Frequently asked questions

Based on official government data, energy and utilities companies take an average of 33 days to pay their suppliers. 17% of invoices in this sector are paid later than the agreed terms.

Related tools and guides

Company payment checker

Look up a specific company to check their payment record.

All industry statistics

Compare late payment across every UK sector.

Late payment interest calculator

Work out what you are owed in interest and compensation.

How to chase an unpaid invoice

Step-by-step guide with email templates.

Data from the UK Government Payment Practices Reporting service. Published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Industry classification and analysis by PennyFetch. This page is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial or legal advice.

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