Experts expect company collapses business news 5 October 2020.

James Salmon, Operations Director.

Experts expect company collapses, viable firms drowning under the weight of debt, business fears the second wave more than no deal brexit, covid-19, market and other business news.

Here are CPA we want to share the business news stories we have seen that we think will affect our members and readers. Many of us are busy fighting to protect our businesses and therefore might have missed some of the news that could impact small businesses, their owners and those that sell on credit.

Experts expect company collapses

Concern has been raised that a wave of insolvencies could be on the horizon, with the Institute of Directors warning that companies face collapse because a temporary relaxation of rules regarding directors’ personal responsibility for “wrongful trading” has now come to a close. Michelle Thorp, chief executive of the Insolvency Practitioners Association, says she is braced for a “bow curve” of insolvencies, saying that Government support means 2,500 have probably been prevented so far. Julie Palmer, regional managing partner at Begbies Traynor, says data shows a “wall of distress”, with 527,000 businesses showing signs of strain by the end of June. Begbies Traynor analysis shows there were just 778 company insolvencies in England and Wales in August, a 43% decline on August 2019.

Viable firms will drown under weight of debt

Punch Taverns founder Hugh Osmond warns that the billions in support loans designed to help companies through the pandemic could turn “once-viable businesses into zombie basket cases”. In a piece for the Times he says that the Chancellor’s loan schemes were “the morphine masking the pain of a life-threatening wound”, adding: “What the economy needs now is more equity investment. Equity, not debt, is the engine of recovery and growth.” He goes on to say that it remains unclear how much of the debt would be paid back. “Thanks to all the well-intentioned state interventions there are too many businesses carrying too much debt – all of which will need to be paid off, written off or restructured. The contractual obligations of debt are a millstone around the neck of businesses.”

Businesses fear second wave more than no-deal

Research conducted by BDO indicates that over two-thirds of businesses see a second-wave of COVID-19 as a bigger threat to their existence than a no-deal Brexit. The accounting firm’s survey found that the pandemic had pushed preparations for Brexit down the list of priorities for British businesses, with just a third of bosses considering adapting their business for Brexit as a top priority. Despite the current challenges, 41% of medium-sized businesses intend to invest, particularly in technology, over the next six months, and 40% plan to hire graduates or apprentices.

Brexit

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said that major disagreements remain between the EU and UK in the Brexit talks describing these as “serious divergences”. French President Emmanuel Macron is  reluctant to make concessions on fishing and could sink efforts to reach a wider trade accord as negotiators begin a two-week period of intense talks today. This follows Saturday’s call between Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The two sides are nervous that major compromises on the key disagreements of fishing rights and state aid are still to be made.

Economy likely to have grown 5% in August

Figures released later this week are expected to show that the economy grew 5% in August. This would mark a decline on the 6.6% month-on-month rise recorded in July and the 8.7% increase seen in June. Howard Archer, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said that if the forecast of 5% month-on-month in August is correct, “this will cut the decline in economic activity from 11.7% in the year to July to 7.1% in the year to August.” Analysis from research group Consensus Economics shows that the average forecast from analysts for GDP over 2020 has slipped from a fall of 9% three months ago to 9.9% a month ago to 10.1% now. However, growth projections for 2021 have risen from 6.1% to 6.4% to 6.5% now.

Economists tell Sunak to learn from history

An open letter to Rishi Sunak organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) urges the Chancellor to look to the tax policies of the 1990’s for inspiration when returning the economy to growth in the aftermath of the pandemic. The signatories, who include over 30 economists, academics, business people and politicians, say cuts top corporation tax, a top rate of income tax of 40%, stamp duty of no more than 4%, VAT at 17.5% and a “light regulatory burden on all productive sectors” helped to generate productivity growth and strong GDP during that decade. Neil Record, chairman of the IEA and author of the briefing paper, said: “I have looked back at periods of UK economic success and growth within the past 40 years. I have identified the best decades within that period, and analysed the taxation, fiscal and regulatory policies that helped create those successful periods. If decisions made now can recreate that success, then despite the terrible damage wrought on the economy by COVID-19, the future can be bright.” The IEA’s director-general Mark Littlewood further explains the think-tank’s reasoning in a piece for the Times.

Covid-19 general news

Global infections pass 35 million as the World Health Organization estimates 10% of the global population may have been infected with Covid-19, outstripping the official estimates from governments around the world.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he accepts the public is angry with his handling of the pandemic after officials confirmed thousands of positive cases had been missed from Covid test results, and warned that the country still faces a “very tough winter” ahead. Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that less than half of the U.K.’s population can expect to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, tested negative for Covid-19 on Friday after being exposed to President Donald Trump at the debate on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump was taken to hospital “out of abundance of caution” after being diagnosed with covid-19 , a spokesperson said, and started taking an experimental antibody treatment. His wife Melania also tested positive. Meanwhile, the coronavirus has struck other members of Mr Trump’s party. Kellyanne Conway, a former counselor; Ronna McDaniel, the head of the Republican National Committee; and two senators, all tested positive. Mr Trump, who is being treated in hospital for covid-19, posted a video saying he was feeling “much better” but that the “real test” of his condition would come over the next few days. On Sunday his doctors revealed that he had been given supplemental oxygen yet might be discharged as early as today.

Paris and New York reversed the relaxation of their coronavirus strictures, after caseloads in both cities crept up. As France is recording over 12,000 new infections a day, its capital crossed a maximum-alert threshold; starting tomorrow, its bars will be shut

Cineworld will close all its cinemas in America, Britain and Ireland this week due to the impact of the covid-19 pandemic.

Markets.

UK stocks ended higher on Friday as investors took the view that Donald Trump’s Covid 19 infection, was not a factor likely to hurt corporate profits. US stocks fell in volatile trading on Friday after President Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis fuelled concerns about the election and a worsening pandemic. Yen and Dollar weaken in general as Asia markets recover on positive news on the situation of US President Donald Trump’s coronavirus infection.  Asian Markets were broadly higher overnight, although markets in China were closed for a national holiday.

US Jobs

The return of US jobs slowed in September as the country’s fiscal-stimulus package expired in the summer. Only 661,000 jobs were added to non-farm payrolls in September, compared with a monthly average of 1.6m in July and August. Only 11.4m of the 22.2m jobs lost because of the covid-19 pandemic have been replaced since April.

Turn to defence in fight for the UK’s future

Charles Woodburn, chief executive of BAE Systems, explains in the Telegraph how the defence and security sector can help revive Britain’s economy. The return on investment makes a compelling case in its own right, but the opportunities for training and supporting advanced SME manufacturers will “help the UK emerge stronger, fitter and better placed to counter whatever challenges we face in the future.”

Freelancers see pay fall 30%

Figures used by the Bank of England to track UK-based freelancers show that average incomes dropped by more than 30% in the first half of the year. A report from the freelancer trade body IPSE says the self-employed saw their average earnings fall from £22,742 per quarter at the start of the year to £15,709 at the end of June. Andrew Chamberlain of IPSE has called for broader Government support for freelancers, including around taxation. He said IR35 tax rule changes, due to come into force in April but delayed until 2021 because of the coronavirus crisis, should be scrapped. The reform is set to shift the responsibility of assessing the tax status of contractors from the individual to the employer.

Britain’s self-employed need help to ride second Covid-19 wave

IPSE CEO Derek Cribb urges the Government to support the self-employed through the next stage of the pandemic or face further drastic falls in their numbers.

Ministers working on jobs programme

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said the Government is working to provide more support to people facing long-term unemployment because of the coronavirus crisis, revealing that the Department for Work and Pensions is looking to develop a new version of the Work Programme launched in 2011. He said ministers are “actively looking” at a version of the initiative that would provide “intensive support to find new opportunities for those who have been unemployed for a long time”.

Rishi Sunak to launch new scheme for medium-term unemployed

The Chancellor has pledged that anyone left without work as a result of the pandemic will be offered “fresh opportunities” as he prepares to address the Conservative Party Conference. Rishi Sunak is expected to announce Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS), a £238m scheme to help the medium-term unemployed left jobless due to COVID-19. Mr Sunak is also expected to use his speech to promote the Government’s “Building Back Greener” policy, which will create more green jobs and provide “a vote of confidence in the UK economy as it recovers.”

Transport boost to put economy on the right track?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched a review aimed at improving transport links across the UK, with the move part of a plan to boost the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The PM hopes that enhancing transport infrastructure will not only bring the UK’s member nations closer together but also create more jobs. The review, which will be conducted by Network Rail chairman Peter Hendy and report its findings in summer 2021, will explore improvements to road, rail and air links, including a possible bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Hospitality firms need rent cut to survive

A survey has found that 82% of hospitality businesses say they need a reduction in rent to survive the coming months after the Government imposed a 10 pm curfew on pubs, bars and restaurants and encouraged people to stay at home. A survey of companies operating more than 2,000 venues across the UK found that four in five do not believe their current terms of lease will allow them to continue trading. The number rises to 86% in London, where central areas remain thinly-populated compared to pre-coronavirus times. “I don’t think people fully appreciate the magnitude of the fallout that’s still to come,” said Tom Kidd, director and co-founder of Adventure Bar, which has nine bars around central London. “Up to 80% of the hospitality sector is locked in a Mexican stand-off when it comes to rent renegotiations.” The figures, compiled by commercial property advisers Cedar Dean, also reveal that more than 69% of hospitality and leisure companies are considering restructuring or insolvency, with the figure rising to 73% in London.

WhatsApp initiative seeks to help SMEs

Private messaging service WhatsApp has launched a new initiative designed to help smaller firms, with its WhatsApp High Street enabling SMEs to connect easily with customers. A pilot scheme being carried out in Watford sees experts from the tech firm training local businesses on how to use its free-to-download business app as a shopfront for their products and services. This comes as a poll by WhatsApp reveals that two thirds of businesses have seen footfall decline since the coronavirus lockdown. The poll also found that while 82% of firms with 100-248 employees have increased their use of online tools during the pandemic, for those with fewer than 10 employees, this drops to 48%.

Experts needed to fulfil emissions ambitions

With Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Business Secretary Alok Sharma under pressure to deliver policy that will put the UK on course to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, Simon Virley, head of energy at KPMG, suggests: “The bandwidth to do this in Whitehall is now heavily constrained by Covid and Brexit. So there is a growing case for an independent energy agency to provide that expert advice to government.”

McGuinness in Brexit warning for the City

Mairead McGuinness, who is expected to become the EU’s financial services commissioner, says Brussels will refuse the UK access to the EU market unless Britain details how it intends to diverge from the bloc’s financial rules once the transition period comes to an end. She said the EU is looking for the UK to offer “some idea of their vision for their financial services sector”, saying that while Brussels does not know the UK’s intentions, particularly on financial services, it does “know they plan to diverge.” Ms McGuinness said that without “clear answers” from the UK, it will be hard for the EU to grant equivalence, warning that trade in financial services between the City of London and the EU will be “less fluid” post-Brexit, with the UK becoming a third country.

Uncertain times for the City as Brexit nears

Jill Treanor in the Sunday Times looks at the climate for financial services firms in the City, saying that with talks over a trade deal between Britain and the EU entering their final stage, it remains unclear whether the end of the Brexit transition period will prompt an exodus of firms to the continent. While EY estimates that 7,500 roles have left Britain, the firm’s Omar Ali comments: “It is conceivable that this is simply the starting point and as we come out of the pandemic, [when] travel and moving people become easier, you could see those numbers rising.”

IWG agrees rent cuts but faces legal fight

Office provider IWG has persuaded more than half of its UK landlords to accept rent cuts. A company source has told the Sunday Telegraph that the firm had been in negotiations with 40 landlords in regard to 70 of its offices, with most of those city centre sites hit by the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown. Of these, around 60% have so far agreed to accept a combination of “relatively small” cuts and variable rents. The paper’s Russell Lynch says some landlords are considering legal action over the plan, with a source saying “aggrieved landlords are pooling resources”. Mr Lynch notes that IWG has caused “outrage” in the property industry with its plan to put Jersey-based subsidiary Regus – which holds lease guarantees worth almost £800m – into administration.

Pandemic insurance case goes to Supreme Court

The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) test case over coronavirus-related insurance claims will head to the Supreme Court after the High Court agreed to a fast-track appeal. The case was brought by the FCA against eight insurers to clarify policy wordings and whether policyholders were due payouts. With insurers and the regulator set to take disputed claims to the Supreme Court, small firms face waiting until next year to find out if they will receive payouts for pandemic-driven disruption. Sonia Campbell of law firm Mishcon de Reya, who is leading one of two action groups of policyholders, said insurers opting to appeal was another “nail in the coffin for small businesses”.

More complaints against the taxman upheld

Figures from the Adjudicator’s Office show that 44% of complaints made about HMRC were found to have merit in the 12 months to April, up from 35% in the year before. Analysis from Price Bailey found that the Adjudicator’s Office resolved 1,024 complaints against HMRC in 2019/20, of which 61 were substantially upheld and 297 were partially upheld. Price Bailey’s Jay Sanghrajka described the increase as “startling”. The firm warned that HMRC is “under political pressure to maximise tax revenues, which means that it doesn’t always give complaints the individual care and attention they deserve”. HMRC commented: “We take complaints very seriously and resolve the majority ourselves. There’s always room to improve, so we work with the adjudicator to provide the best possible service.”

HMRC should delay tax return date

Blick Rothenberg ’s Mark Levitt is urging HMRC to give people more time to file their 2019-20 tax returns following COVID-19 disruption this year. He said: “It is essential to taxpayers and government that tax returns are accurate so the right amount of tax is levied, and the chancellor can start to refill his coffers. But taxpayers may not be able to get all their information ready for the January 31 deadline. Thousands of employees, including at HMRC, have been working from home and may not have all the information that they need. HMRC should extend the deadline to March 31 2021.”

Surrey the UK’s IHT capital

HMRC figures show that Surrey pays the most inheritance tax in the UK, with the English county paying more than the whole of Scotland. Analysis reveals that residents in the county pay around £234,000 on average in death duties, with a total of £259m in IHT paid in 2017/18. This exceeds the £209m paid in Scotland. Surrey’s overall bill was also higher than the combined total for Wales and Northern Ireland, with Wales accounting for £82m and estates in Northern Ireland paying £25m. Geoffrey Todd of law firm Boodles Hatfield said rising property prices meant more people are having to pay the taxes, commenting: “It is not just the super-rich who pay inheritance tax nowadays.” Meanwhile, HMRC data also show an increase in earnings from inheritance tax investigations, with the Revenue pulling in £274m from over 5,000 investigations in the 2019/20 tax year.

Cost of climbing the ladder hits record high

A surge in house prices in the aftermath of the coronavirus lockdown has driven the cost of upsizing to a record high. Data from Rightmove shows that the average buyer needed to pay an additional £67,761 to move from a two-bedroom flat to a three-bedroom home in August, marking a £4,000 year-on-year increase. With London figures extracted, the average asking price for a two-bedroom flat was £171,751 in August, while the typical three-bedroom home cost £239,512. While the step up from a two-bed flat to a three-bed home costs almost £68,000, the next step up – to a four-bedroom home – costs £183,000 on average, with the typical four-bed costing £422,605.

Ministers look to press ahead with regional paper rescue

The Sunday Telegraph reports that the Government is exploring a rescue package for local newspapers, with ministers said to be considering options for a fund to support the sector after a £2m pilot ended in June. This comes as Bullivant Media, publisher of the Coventry Observer, confirmed it has called in Mazars to carry out a CVA. The firm saw advertising sales fall amid the coronavirus crisis and has had to reduce its workforce by a quarter and restructure debts of about £1m.

NCA: Criminals exploiting loan scheme

The National Crime Agency (NCA) says organised criminals are targeting the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, the Government’s emergency loan scheme for small businesses hit by the coronavirus crisis. The NCA said it has shared “red flag indicators” with banks in an effort to help them tackle fraudulent loan applications. This comes just days after it was revealed that the CEO of the British Business Bank wrote to Business Secretary Alok Sharma ahead of the launch of the initiative, warning that it carried “very significant fraud and credit risks”, pointing to a PwC review which classified the risk of fraud as “very high”.

Interest hit for those spreading tax payments

Small business owners, self-employed workers and landlords who opt to spread their annual tax bills across monthly payments will pay more as a result. As of October 1, those who pay taxes in a lump sum have been able to apply online to spread payments due in January over monthly instalments, with HMRC having raised the threshold for fast online applications for Time to Pay payment plans from £10,000 to £30,000. While Rishi Sunak said this will give freelancers and self-assessment taxpayers more breathing space, the Chancellor failed to note that those breaking payments down over the year will be charged interest of 2.6% on their outstanding tax debts from February. Dawn Register of BDO said that while the increased threshold will make life easier for those whose finances have been stretched amid the coronavirus crisis, “thi s is effectively a loan from HMRC – and they are not going to lend money for free.”

Starmer: More tax for top 5% a ‘priority’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says plans to raise taxes for the top 5% of earners are among his top priorities. Having pledged the move during the Labour leadership contest, he was asked by HuffPost UK if his stance on pledges set out while campaigning had since shifted. Mr Starmer said that the pledges are “very important” and insisted “they remain my priorities.” He went on: “The next General Election is in 2024, so I don’t think it’s prudent at this stage to set out tax arrangements for 2024, when we don’t know the size of the debt, we don’t know the damage that has been done.” He added that work on tax policy will have to be conducted closer to the election, adding: “We will then set it out in full detail and in a costed way.”

Analyst: Tax rises will be needed

Tom Selby, senior analyst at AJ Bell, believes taxes will have to rise to cover the cost of coronavirus-related support measures. He comments: “The hope will be that a rapid economic bounceback driven by improved Covid testing and the development of a vaccine might do some of the legwork. But this is likely to be coupled with hard decisions on taxes and state spending. Various ideas have already been floated, including raising CGT, breaking the state pension triple-lock and doing away with higher-rate tax relief on pension contributions.”

Asda owners’ tiny tax bill

Wal-Mart has agreed the sale of ASDA to a consortium consisting of TDR Capital and the Issa brothers for £6.8bn. Chancellor Rishi Sunak wished the Issa brothers, owners of a Blackburn based chain of petrol stations, the “best of luck”.

Neil Craven in the Mail on Sunday says brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, founders of petrol forecourts firm EG Group and the new owners of Asda, have built an empire “fuelled by billions of pounds of debt, low tax bills and links to a string of global tax havens”. He says figures show that the firm’s structure means the lossmaking group has paid just £55m in tax over five years – including two years when the company paid no corporate tax at all – despite total revenues for the period hitting £37.5bn.

Don’t let Covid-19 bust your business!

It will if your cash flow dries up, either sooner or later.

The Credit Protection Association (CPA) has been assisting thousands of UK businesses to get paid since 1914. We have seen many financial crises, this one will be particularly deadly for suppliers for sometime to come.

CPA eases cash from tardy debtors – Efficiently, Effectively, Economically and Ethically. Above all tactfully, because maintenance of goodwill is paramount.

To meet the needs of creditors in the current crisis, we have designed a “critical care” package especially tailored for the situation.

  • The annual package costs start at very low rates
  • A minimum performance warranty is provided
  • Several complimentary services included

Clients instruct CPA on-line via their PC or phone, completely user-friendly. Your late paying customers are told to pay you direct (not to us).

A very recent report shows a 23% increase in the number of unpaid invoices since March 11th THIS YEAR – are you getting a build-up of late payers?

Right now, overdue accounts must be a concern and CPA has a great track record of encouraging slow-payers to pay their suppliers quickly.

It takes less than 17 minutes to see how you would benefit, do you have the time now?

No face-to-face meeting required – just call Peter Uwins, CPA’s National Sales Manager, on 020 8846 0000 (business hours) or email nsm@cpa.co.uk today.

When you see your money come in, you will be so glad you used CPA.

Do you sell on credit?

With pressures on the cash flow it is essential that you stay on top of the credit limits you grant customers and watch carefully for any late payments.

Those customers will look for the easiest option to boost their cash-flow. Don’t let it be you.

You can’t just assume your customers can and will pay you eventually, no matter how big their name is.

It is essential to have credit management systems in place to monitor and check your customers credit worthiness.

It is also best practice to use a trusted third party like CPA to make sure you are paid on time by customers, no matter how good a name they have.

About CPA

The Credit Protection Association can help!

Formed in 1914, CPA has been providing credit management services to SMEs for over 100 years.

At the Credit Protection Association, we provide first class credit information that can help you avoid being over extended to customers who are at risk. Our monitoring service can flag up warning signs long before the end, giving you the chance to adjust and reduce your exposure. We provide recommended credit limits and credit scores on a traffic light system and can help you set appropriate credit policies for your customers.

We regularly publish lists of the latest insolvencies but by then it is too late. Our credit reports however predict approximately 96% of company insolvencies long before they arrive.

Companies in trouble usually have very bad cash flow and they try to deal with it by delaying payment to their suppliers, increasing your exposure to them.

If you supply on credit, help us help you identify the risks.

Why use a third party collector?

As a third party collector, we can also get your payments prioritised over those who are not as hot on collections. When your customer receives a letter from the Credit Protection Association regarding their outstanding account, they are going to want to get that resolved as a priority. Our overdue account recovery service can get your unpaid invoices to the top of their “to do” list and get your invoice paid.

Over the years we have collected billions in overdue invoices for our customers.

Our debt recovery and credit management services give our members the financial freedom needed to grow and prosper, while our new Late Payment Compensation department could unlock hidden potential and offer the compensation needed to springboard your business to success.

You might be hesitant about contacting a debt collection agency. What are they going to be like?

Can they help your particular type of business?

There is no need for concern. CPA are courteous, helpful and very probably have had direct experience of working with your type of business.

Debt collection agencies are not all alike.

Success lies in both recovering money and keeping customers happy. The Credit Protection Association was founded in 1914 and has helped tens of thousands of UK businesses to collect outstanding payments and reduce the risk of incurring bad debt. We believe that creditors deserve to be paid for the work or goods they have supplied but we fully understand the need to maintain
the best possible relationship with customers!

At The Credit Protection Association, we provide solutions, advice and back-up in all areas relating to the supply of services or goods on account. Client-members receive everything they need from a single source to reduce debtor days and write-offs.

The Credit Protection Association has helped has assisted tens of thousands of UK businesses with their credit control requirements, since the First World War.

We are polite, firm and efficient when it comes to recovering outstanding debt.

“We have used CPA for a number of years now. The website is easy to navigate around with lots of helpful reports. The staff are always at hand and very friendly. CPA has helped us reduce our debt over the years and keep track of potential issues with our customers.”
~ CPA client in Buckinghamshire

“The service from CPA has proved to be everything that you said it would be. We have already seen a huge benefit. We have had a number of overdue accounts paid promptly and directly to us. It is also a huge weight off our mind to know that once we have passed an overdue payment over to you, you take care of everything whilst keeping us informed.
~ Credit Controller client in Warrington

The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections

 

Ready to speak to an advisor?

For help or advice on credit management, entirely without obligation.

Call us today

0330 053 9263

CPA is passionate about late payment

The Credit Protection Association has been protecting smaller firms against poor payment practices for over 100 years.

We are extremely passionate about breaking the late payment culture that holds back the UK economy and threatens many SMEs, with cash flow difficulties being the single biggest killer of Britain’s small businesses.

If you were regularly paid late we can help. Those former customers used you to boost their own cashflow, regularly paying you late.

As a result you had extra costs, you had the distraction of having to chase payment, you had opportunity costs because your capital was tied up in their late invoices.

Under little used legislation, you are entitled to compensation for those late payments.

You put up with the PAIN – now claim the GAIN!

Now you can boost your own cash-flow.

CPA can help unearth the those hidden treasures.

We have the technology to reveal the compensation you are due and we have the extensive experience and expertise to then turn those claims into cash.

Did you know that your business is entitled to a minimum of £40 for every commercial invoice paid late to you over the past 6 years?

How many of your invoices are paid late each month – 20, 50, 100 or more?

At £40 per invoice that’s claim of £57,600, £144,000, £288,000 plus interest. The more invoices the bigger the claim! 

At £100 per invoice it’s £144,000, £360,000, £720,000 plus interest.

For over 20 years, CPA has calculated and recovered Late Payment Compensation on behalf of Clients!  

Yes, CPA can help you boost your business cash-flow.

Don’t let your bankers control you, contact CPA today.

The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.

Read our blog here on how to crack down on the late payment culture.

Read our blog here on how to give late payers the slap they need.

The “Why” of the late payment culture.

New PM should walk the walk and back small firms over late payments

Paying late is “crack cocaine” to big business.

Late payment culture risks “spiraling out of control”

visit our late payment compensation page

See our full blog and FAQ on late payment compensation

Do you realise you could be sitting on a fortune?

Late payments often result in a cash flow crunch and leave SMEs in need of a cash injection.

If you sold B2B on credit then there may be a hidden source of capital you can call on.

If you fancy an bit of extra cash in your business, rather than jumping through hoops with your bank, you could look to uncover the resources from an unexpected source within your own business.

Not many are aware but there could be a hidden fortune within your business, sitting there, just waiting to be uncovered and released.

We can help you uncover the pile of gold, you didn’t even know you were sitting on.

If you trade with other businesses and were often paid late then you could be entitled to significant compensation.

Under little known and under-utilised legislation your business could be due huge amounts in compensation that you didn’t even know about.

Let’s be clear – this is not a way to weaken any customer relationships you value. It is one that identifies who’s been paying late and then recover the potentially significant sums in compensation using Late Payment Legislation from businesses where the relationship has already ended.

You can pick and choose who you want us to follow up – but once we’ve agreed which companies you’d like to pursue compensation from it’s a fast process and there’s no financial outlay to you whatsoever. My team at CPA put its expertise to work to recover the compensation due and fight late payment culture.

That compensation could provide the cash boost your business needed.

But don’t delay, that compensation evaporates if not claimed within six years of the late payment.

How can CPA help?

CPA has developed a unique technology to dig into your accounting records and discover the cash injection you are due by means of compensation. The software does all the hard work. Our software interacts over the cloud with over 300 different software packages, working directly with your accounts package, just so long as it’s stored on a computer.

We recognise that most companies do not have the resources to spend time on the identification and calculation of Late Payment Compensation. Our service can produce an Analyses within just a few days with (usually) less than 30 mins of co-operation from our clients. We work directly with over 300 accounting packages but can also work with bespoke accounts packages. Indeed, speed is essential as the oldest invoices may fall foul of the 6-year time limit.

Once the Sales Ledger Analyses is made available to clients, all that is required is that management decide which commercially sensitive ex-customers to remove from the list and return it to us.

CPA then uses its years of collection experience to explain and recover the Late Payment Compensation Claims. Clients do not handle any part of the recovery process as our team will take all communications from the companies against who the claims has been made. Often, it’s simply a case of explaining the legislation, sometimes we have to go all the way and enforce the legislation through the courts.

The result is that we are realising clients’ claims worth tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds which, of course, is pure net profit. You may also be among the recipients of “hundreds of thousands of pounds” should you elect to take advantage of our services.

We do the work, you receive the cash.

If you have supplied goods and services to businesses on credit and were regularly paid late then you could be due significant sums in late payment compensation.

We are talking to companies and unearthing claims in the hundreds of thousands from former business customers who paid them late. Large business customers who abused their power to inflict unfair and sometimes illegal payment practices.

We are helping business owners who are looking to boost the returns from their business before they retire. We are helping businesses who have lost major clients after years of loyal service to get properly compensated for systematic late payment. We are helping companies that were looking to close down, who looked insolvent and finding that cash injection they need to avoid insolvency.

Those former clients who regularly paid you late can finally be made to pay.

Ready to speak to an advisor?

For help or advice on credit management, entirely without obligation.

Call us today

0330 053 9263

The Credit Protection Association is a credit management company established in 1914. If you supply goods or services on credit then we can help you!

The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.

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Housekeeping: Opening a New Account

Late payments are never good for business. What can you do?

Get paid earlier by understanding why late payments happen.

Protecting Your Business isn’t Half As Painful As You Think

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – recognising the types of payers you do business with!

See our blog on how to communicate with your debtor early and clearly to set the framework for prompt payments

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Debt Recovery (But Were Afraid To Ask)

Understand the “why” behind late payments

Read our blog on what to do when not paid on time

10 Bad Habits Every Credit Controller Should Give Up

The Credit Controller’s Best Friend

Debt Recovery: It’s Easier Than You Think!

How Managing Your Cash Flow Can Make You (and Your Business) A Success

Avoid insolvency – Don’t let your money go up in smoke

Read our blog here on how to crack down on the late payment culture.

Read our blog here on how to give late payers the slap they need.

25 excuses for late payment and how to get around them.

Read our Cash Flow Advice

Read about our overdue account recovery service

Read our blog – What is credit management?

Read our blog – How to select a debt collection agency

20 ways to avoid identity theft

see our blog – 15 steps to avoid invoice fraud

Overcoming 5 common reasons for disputed invoices

As insolvencies rise, could you spot these warning signs in your customers?

The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.