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Small Business Commissioner publishes guide to payment rights.

The Small Business Commissioner has published A Guide to Payment Rights for Small Businesses, designed to help firms understand and protect their rights when customers pay late. The guide covers legal rights, payment terms and deadlines, the statutory right to charge interest on overdue invoices, and fixed compensation for recovery costs. It also explains practical steps […]

Nearly four in five Western European firms are impacted by late payment.

Atradius reports that late payment remains widespread across Western Europe, with nearly four in five companies affected and around a quarter of B2B invoices paid after their due date. More than half of businesses cite customer cash flow issues as the main reason for payment delays. Greece records the highest share of working capital tied […]

Late payments force 62% of European firms to delay supplier payments.

Intrum’s European Payment Report 2026 says late payments are holding back growth across Europe. Around 12.1% of revenues are currently paid late, slightly above the 12.08% level businesses consider sustainable without disrupting operations. The report finds that 57% of companies have missed growth targets because of late payments, while 62% say delayed receipts force them to pay […]

UK manufacturing order books are at their weakest since 2020.

According to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey (ITS), UK manufacturing output volumes fell in the three months to May, extending a period of flat or falling volumes that began in late 2022. Manufacturers also anticipate output volumes falling again in the three months to August. Cameron Martin, CBI Senior Economist, said: “Against an increasingly uncertain global […]

80% of surveyed UK firms report an existing or expected impact from the Iran conflict.

British Chambers of Commerce research found that 80% of surveyed firms are already affected by, or expect to be affected by, the Iran conflict, mainly through higher energy prices, shipping disruption, and increases in raw material costs. More than 800 firms, mostly SMEs, took part. Manufacturing is most exposed, with 68% of firms already affected […]

Corporate insolvencies in April rose 2% to the highest level since June 2024.

Latest insolvency data indicate that corporate insolvencies in England and Wales rose to 2,085 in April 2026, up 2% from 2,037 in March and 3% higher than April 2025. The total was the highest since June 2024 and comprised 371 compulsory liquidations, 1,510 creditors’ voluntary liquidations, 183 administrations, 20 company voluntary arrangements and one receivership […]

UK business insolvencies rose 2% in May.

Creditsafe reports that 2,343 businesses across the UK and Northern Ireland entered insolvency in May 2026, a 2% increase from April but 7% lower than in May 2025. The rise follows a dip in April and is more modest than the increases recorded in February and March, with the overall pattern broadly consistent with last […]

Late payments affect two-thirds of UK businesses.

 Atradius’ latest report B2B Payment Practices Trends in the UK 2026 states that late payments affect around two-thirds of UK businesses and about 25% of invoiced B2B turnover, although Atradius says the problem is less severe than across Western Europe. UK companies continue to use trade credit cautiously amid high finance costs, uneven demand and cost pressures, […]

UK government introduces major late-payment reforms.

The UK government has introduced the Small Business Protections Bill to Parliament, describing it as the toughest late-payment regime in the G7. The Bill would impose a 60-day cap on payment terms for large firms paying smaller suppliers, make late-payment interest mandatory at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, and ban retention payments […]

Tokio Marine: The UK steel industry faces its toughest operating period since early 2022.

Tokio Marine HCC’s UK Steel Sector Report says H2 2026 will be the UK steel industry’s most challenging operating period since early 2022. The Iran conflict has pushed UK industrial electricity to a 77% premium over French and German competitors, up from around 25% before late February. Credit risk is rising as cost pressures, weaker demand and […]

Latest Atradius data shows the impact of the Iran war on the transport sector.

Insurance Edge reports that Atradius has warned of pressure on the transport sector, citing its monthly claims data showing a 70% rise in unpaid and late invoice claims between February and March 2026. Atradius said the Iran war has contributed to disrupted airspace, shipping instability and rising fuel costs, making the movement of goods slower and […]

Nearly four in five Western European firms are impacted by late payment.

Atradius reports that late payment remains widespread across Western Europe, with nearly four in five companies affected and around a quarter of B2B invoices paid after their due date. More than half of businesses cite customer cash flow issues as the main reason for payment delays. Greece records the highest share of working capital tied […]

Atradius strengthens its portfolio intelligence tool.

Atradius has announced enhancements to Atrium Insights, its portfolio intelligence dashboard for trade credit insurance customers. The upgraded platform gives policyholders clearer portfolio data and the ability to move from high-level analysis to detailed views. New and enhanced features include interactive world maps, filtering, trend monitoring, identification of anomalies, non-payment analysis and data export. Atradius […]

Trade credit insurance remains underused despite rising insolvency risk.

Writing on LinkedIn, Brent Stefiuk, VP Credit Risk Solutions at ATRAFIN and founder of Taku Risk Advisors, says trade credit insurance has existed since 1883 but remains unfamiliar to many US businesses. He notes that the product expanded in Europe after the Great Depression and later became part of the global trade infrastructure. Brent says […]

Almost half of global trade receivables are now in high-risk markets.

Insurance Business has reported that Allianz Trade has published the fourth edition of its ‘Collection Complexity Score and Rating’, which provides a snapshot of how companies try to recover unpaid invoices across 52 economies that represent 90% of global GDP and global trade. Allianz Trade estimated that 48% of international trade receivables are now in countries […]

Atradius discusses common late payment excuses and how to respond.

Atradius has published a guide on late payment that lists seventeen common excuses (from “we lost the invoice” to “cash-flow issues” and “bank delays”) and recommends clear, consistent follow-up. Practical steps include resending the invoice, confirming details, requesting evidence (payment confirmations or references), and pursuing partial payment for undisputed amounts. Atradius highlights three “golden rules”: […]

Coface expects global insolvencies to rise 2.8% in 2026.

As reported by Insurance Business, Coface predicts that worldwide business insolvencies will increase by 2.8% in 2026, but warns that a 25-basis-point increase in business lending rates, relative to current expectations, would be enough to push global insolvency growth back up towards 4% to 5% in 2026. “2026 should offer a respite rather than an improvement,” said […]

Atradius flags rising late payment rates in the automotive sector.

 Insurance Edge reports that Atradius has raised a red flag for the motor industry, with new data showing a sharp increase in claims linked to late and unpaid invoices. Failed and late payment claims against automotive businesses (including original equipment manufacturers, component manufacturers and dealerships) rose 78% year-on-year in November 2025. Claims across the wider transport […]

Only 3% of global businesses describe their supply chains as “very resilient”.

Supply chain resilience remains a major concern in the latest Allianz Risk Barometer. While cyber and AI disruption top the global rankings, business interruption including supply chain disruption ranks joint third for UK businesses — with only 3% of respondents globally describing their supply chains as “very resilient”. Against this backdrop, Allianz also suggests that […]

Atradius launches a Food & Drink Accelerator programme for UK SMEs.

Atradius has announced a free online Food & Drink Accelerator for UK SMEs, launching in early 2026, to help food and drink businesses build resilience and plan for growth amid rising insolvency risk. The programme offers short modules (around 45-60 minutes) covering supply-chain resilience, export confidence (regulation, currency and market exposure), late-payment protection (credit policies […]

Coface plans to scale its Business Information/data services.

Coface CEO Xavier Durand recently gave an interview to Le Point magazine, now available on Coface’s website, in which he highlights that Coface’s growth plan is to scale its Business Information/data services alongside trade credit insurance. He notes this activity already represents around 4-5% of group revenue and is growing by about 15% per year, helping Coface […]

A collapsed rescue deal leaves suppliers exposed, sharpening focus on trade credit insurance across hospitality.

Insurance Business reports that, with its suppliers facing limited recoveries after a proposed rescue deal collapsed, Revolution Bars’ administration is refocusing attention on hospitality trade credit risk. Parent company, The Revel Collective, entered administration after a potential purchaser withdrew following due diligence. Restructuring specialist Michael Lynch said buyers typically prefer to acquire businesses without legacy debt, […]

33% of small UK SMEs have not heard of trade credit insurance.

The Association of British Insurers’ (ABI) report, ‘Small Business, Big Risk: Tackling SME Underinsurance’, finds that awareness of trade credit insurance is lowest among the smallest firms: 58% of sole traders and businesses with 1-9 employees say they have never heard of it, while familiarity is higher among larger SMEs (50–249 employees). Across the full […]

Almost half of global trade receivables are now in high-risk markets.

Insurance Business has reported that Allianz Trade has published the fourth edition of its ‘Collection Complexity Score and Rating’, which provides a snapshot of how companies try to recover unpaid invoices across 52 economies that represent 90% of global GDP and global trade. Allianz Trade estimated that 48% of international trade receivables are now in countries […]

Atradius discusses common late payment excuses and how to respond.

Atradius has published a guide on late payment that lists seventeen common excuses (from “we lost the invoice” to “cash-flow issues” and “bank delays”) and recommends clear, consistent follow-up. Practical steps include resending the invoice, confirming details, requesting evidence (payment confirmations or references), and pursuing partial payment for undisputed amounts. Atradius highlights three “golden rules”: […]