Prospering Economy Shrinks Bad Debt Losses, Reveals Intrum in European Payment Report 2018

LONDON, May 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Businesses in the UK have reported decreasing bad debt losses in a sign of a strengthening economic environment. On average, businesses wrote off 2.0 percent of annual revenue due to non-payment in the past 12 months; a decrease from the 4.7 percent reported by UK companies in 2017. 

The findings, which are part of the European Payment Report 2018, released by the pan-European credit management firm Intrum, also show that fewer businesses report negative consequences of late payments.

Clients still pay late, but businesses seem to have become slightly more positive about their ability to handle that. That said, 42 percent of respondents say late or non-payments hinder growth, while 32 percent are unable to hire new staff as a result. In the UK 24% of polled companies cite late payment as a threat to their survival - much higher than the European average of 10%.

"More needs to be done to ensure prompt payment as it has a significant impact on the vulnerability of small and medium-sized enterprises," said Intrum's UK Managing Director Eddie Nott. "There is still a long way to go to ensure the growth of UK businesses is not held back by poor payment."

The report is based on 9,607 surveyed businesses around Europe, including 452 in the UK. More than half (54 percent) of businesses in the UK say that that have been asked to accept longer payment terms than they are able to manage in their daily operations and 48 percent admit to having accepted these demands.

The European Late Payment Directive has had a positive impact on payments, according to 37% of the UK businesses polled. While this is promising, too many businesses still struggle to be paid on time.

"Legislation is important, but clearly a change in attitude and behavior is needed so that there is a willingness to do the right thing and stop taking advantage of sub suppliers who are dependent on their larger clients," says Eddie Nott.

He adds: "Payment within 30 days. That is what the directive and local regulations stipulate. Fair payment terms are a significant ingredient in a sound economy."

Meanwhile, British businesses were more likely than their European counterparts to say that GDPR will have an impact on payment routines. In the UK 30% of all companies surveyed expect an impact, compared with 14% across Europe. However, 21% of UK businesses also expect GDPR legislation to have a positive impact on their business.

The UK is also leading the way in cryptocurrencies in Europe, with 15% saying they already accept cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum as payment from their customers, compared with the European average of 2%. Of those in the UK who do not yet take these payments, 16% expect to do so within two years - much higher than the European average of 3%.

About Intrum's European Payment Report 2018 

The European Payment Report 2018 is based on a survey that was conducted simultaneously in 29 European countries between January 24 and March 23, 2018. In this report, Intrum gathers data from a total of 9,607 companies in Europe, including 452 in the UK, to gain insights into the payment behavior and financial health of European businesses. The survey was conducted among persons that have identified themselves as either CFO, head of credit, business controller or similar.

In the UK Intrum has achieved top Investor in Customers (IIC) ratings for four consecutive years and has won a string of awards for its ethical approach. It is a registered firm of the Lending Standards Board and the first business of its kind to achieve an ISO standard for dealing with vulnerability.

Intrum is the industry-leading provider of Credit Management Services with a presence in 24 markets in Europe. Intrum helps companies prosper by offering solutions designed to improve cash flows and long-term profitability and by caring for their customers. To ensure that individuals and companies get the support they need to become free from debt is one important part of the company's mission. Intrum has more than 8,000 dedicated and empathetic professionals who serve around 80,000 companies across Europe. In 2017, the company generated pro forma revenues of SEK 12.2 billion. Intrum is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and the Intrum share is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange. For further information, please visit http://www.intrum.com.

For further information, please contact:

Heather Greig-Smith
E-mail: heather@hgsmedia.co.uk

Lizzie Singer, Executive assistant and marketing coordinator
Email: lizzie.singer@intrum.com