Category: <span>SMEs</span>

How is economic uncertainty in the UK affecting debt?

According to a recent study, bad debt write-offs have gone up from 1.5% to 2.5% year-on-year due, in part, to economic uncertainty. The Western Europe Payment Practices Barometer research report, carried out by trade credit insurer Atradius, examined how today’s economic uncertainty is affecting payment practices in the UK. Key findings from the study included:…




What is the difference between bad debt and doubtful debt?

Knowing the difference between bad debt and doubtful debt can help to prevent financial loss to your business. Today’s uncertain economic climate is having a negative effect on UK business payment practices, with a recent study finding that 35% of invoices remain overdue on their due date. Late or non-payment of an invoice is an…




3 common late payment excuses and how to handle them

Learn how to deal with these three common late payment excuses efficiently to get paid quicker. If your client is constantly deflecting your requests for payment and you’re beginning to worry that your invoices are never going to get paid, it’s time to tackle the problem head-on. Before you make another phone call to chase…




What tax relief can be claimed on bad debts?

Write-off bad debt and claim bad debt relief to avoid paying tax on income that you have not received. Most businesses will eventually encounter a non-paying customer, especially during today’s difficult economic climate. Bad debts can be very damaging to businesses of all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to minimise your losses by claiming…




Funeral debt rises as funeral costs continue to soar

Funeral debt rises as the average cost of a funeral in the UK continues to increase. According to SunLife Insurance, the cost of funerals has risen every year for the last 14 years, equating to a 122% increase since 2004. In 2019, the average cost of a funeral in the UK stands at £4,271, and…




Consumers vulnerable to aggressive debt collection if their energy supplier goes bust

Customers who owe money to energy suppliers are left vulnerable to aggressive debt collection companies if their supplier goes bust. Since January 2018, 11 energy suppliers have collapsed, including Gen4U, One Select, Future Energy, Spark Energy, Brilliant Energy and National Gas and Power. This has left at least 32,000 customers in debt and at risk…




6m Brits would pay for financial advice if it was cheaper

A study has found that almost 6m British adults would be willing to pay for financial advice if it was more affordable. As both households and businesses in the UK face a debt crisis, the results of a study suggest that many people are not getting access to the financial advice they require. The report,…




How do late payments affect small businesses?

Chasing late payments wastes time and money for small businesses, as well as posing a serious threat to their survival. Late paying customers are a frustrating and worrying problem that most small business owners are all too familiar with. In fact, research shows that on average small UK businesses are owed £24,841in late payments, and…




What is the government’s ‘breathing space’ scheme?

The government’s ‘breathing space’ scheme could offer those in debt a valuable 60 day respite period to seek help and get their finances in order. The breathing space scheme, also known as the debt respite scheme, was first announced by the government in October 2017. The scheme is intended to give people time to get…




3 steps to determining a customer’s creditworthiness

If you supply customers with a product or service, then offering a credit facility is a great selling point, but it doesn’t come without its risks. Whilst it is impossible to completely safeguard yourself from non-paying customers, it pays to have a system in place for checking a company’s credentials before you commit to working…