Every business owner knows that cash flow is the fuel that keeps the company moving. When customers pay late, that fuel runs low — and suddenly growth stalls, stress rises, and the smooth running of the business becomes choppy.

Suddenly rather than focusing on driving your business forward, you are distracted by dealing with late payers and finding capital to keep your business running.

CPA is the engine that can help pull your cash flow forward, helping you regain momentum even when late-paying customers are dragging behind, freeing you up to focus on what will you drive your business forward.

Think of your late payers. You may think “Oh they will pay eventually” and accept it as a cost of doing business. But if that cash was in your account now, instead of theirs, can you think of ways to use it to drive your business on?

At the Credit Protection Association, we’ve been navigating cash-flow challenges for UK businesses since 1914. While trading conditions change, one thing never does: your business needs to be paid on time to thrive.

Here’s how membership with CPA gets your cash flow moving again — efficiently, effectively, economically, and ethically.

1. We help you avoid future late payers before you trade

Before you extend credit, CPA’s Creditcare reports give you deep insight into potential customers — including ratings, limits, financials, payment behaviour and warning signs.
This helps you trade confidently and set the right credit terms from day one.

Result: Fewer risky customers. Fewer late payments. Better cash flow.

2. We monitor your customers so you can avoid being blindsided

Our monitoring alerts you to changes in a customer’s credit status: CCJs, credit limit changes, negative events, new risks.

Result: You can act early — tightening terms or pausing supply before a problem becomes a bad debt.

3. Just being members can improve your customer payment behaviour.

Put our artwork on your invoices and correspondence letting your customers know you are a member of the credit protection association.

  • Just the knowledge that you are members can encourage prompter payments.
  • It tells your customers that late payments risk being referred to the Credit Protection Association
  • It lets your customers know you take payment seriously and you are there to supply them with goods and services, not free cash-flow.

Result: Faster payments, more respect.

4. We chase overdue invoices for you — and direct payments straight to you

Unlike conventional debt collectors, CPA’s Overdue Account reminder service:

  • encourages your customer to pay you directly
  • preserves goodwill
  • resolves 80% of overdue accounts
  • costs nothing extra (included in membership)

Result: Faster payments, strengthened relationships.

5. For stubborn debts — escalation without headaches

If an account doesn’t respond to our Overdue account reminder service, our collections department can escalate the matter ethically and professionally.

We do the heavy lifting — you stay in control.

6. Fixed annual subscription — no surprises

CPA membership is a simple, predictable annual cost regardless of how many:

  • reports you pull
  • accounts you monitor
  • overdue invoices you send

That alone is a cash-flow boost: clarity, control, and no unexpected bills. Only if a debt is escalated to our collections department will we charge extra. But we work on a fixed percentage fee based on the debt collected so there won’t be any nasty surprises.

7. We reduce your need to borrow

Instead of plugging cash-flow gaps with expensive loans or overdrafts, CPA helps you solve the real issue: late payment behaviour.

  • When your customers pay faster, everything becomes easier:
  • Easier payroll
  • Easier investment decisions
  • Easier growth
  • Easier sleep at night

Let CPA power your cash flow

If late-paying customers are holding your business back, CPA is the partner you want at the wheel.

Call ️ 020 8846 0000 (business hours) and speak to Peter Uwins, National Sales Manager, or email nsm@cpa.co.uk