APSCo backs Government crackdown on late payments

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo UK), has welcomed the UK Government’s latest consultation on tackling poor payment practices, praising the inclusion of several measures long advocated for by the organisation and its members.



In its response to the 'Late payments consultation: tackling poor payment practices', which closed last week, APSCo expressed broad support for the proposed reforms, which aim to improve transparency, accountability, and fairness in business-to-business payment practices. The trade association noted that many of the recommendations it submitted in 2022 – and raised in ongoing discussions with Government decision makers – are now being addressed under the current proposals.



The consultation, launched by the Department for Business and Trade, outlines plans to introduce board-level oversight of payment performance, statutory limits on payment terms, and enhanced powers for the Small Business Commissioner. These reforms are designed to ease the financial pressure on SMEs and second-tier suppliers, particularly those operating in the recruitment and outsourcing supply chain.



Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo commented:



“We are pleased to see the Government taking meaningful steps to address the persistent issue of late payments. Our members have long reported the strain caused by extended payment terms, especially when they are required to pay contractors within days while waiting months for reimbursement from end clients. These proposals reflect many of the changes we’ve called for, and we’re encouraged by the direction of travel.”



“We particularly welcome the move to separate disputed invoices from standard payment reporting, and the emphasis on greater transparency in director reports. However, we continue to urge the Government to ensure that complex billing processes and ‘pay when paid’ terms are also addressed, as these pose significant risks to supply chain stability.”



“APSCo has reiterated its call for further clarity around payment terms in supply chain finance in its submission to the latest consultation. We believe that robust regulation and accurate reporting are essential to safeguarding the financial health of SME recruitment businesses and ensuring fair treatment across the staffing supply chain.”







Press contact

Vickie Collinge

vickie@bluesky-pr.com

01582 790 705



About APSCo

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) is the trade association for the professional recruitment market. APSCo Global comprises APSCo South East Asia, APSCo Australia, APSCo Deutschland and APSCo United Kingdom as well as APSCo OutSource, the trade body for the RPO and MSP sectors.

Find out more: www.apscouk.org www.apscouk.org