The most recent survey of small businesses carried out by the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) has found that at least a third of small businesses have seen late payment of invoices increase over the last three months.
Its new chair, Martin McTague, has called on the Government to include in the long-delayed audit reforms a requirement for a board-level role with responsibility for payments.
Small Business Commissioner Liz Barclay has urged small firms to be more “brave” and reject unreasonable payment terms.
She said: “Some small businesses are beginning to say, ‘No, I’ll walk away. I’m not accepting 90 days’.”
Ms Barclay argues that small businesses have more power than they think because they drive the success of larger companies and the latter “are putting their reputations on the line by failing to pay smaller suppliers on time.”.
Fine words, but can you afford to walk away?
Perhaps the question should be “can you afford not to walk away?”
After all, if you have done work for a larger company and they are delaying to pay for it, then you are effectively giving away your services for free, and your business still has all its own costs to pay.
Why should you risk insolvency in order to prop up a larger business?
Of course, you still need to manage your own costs and finances, and we have a free tool to help you.
Download our Free Cash Management Tool.