Orkney, Shetland and Aberdeen most likely to settle their bills on time, according to survey of SMEs

Invoicing firm Solna finds north south divide in late payment of dues

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Hamish Burns

15:33, 4 MAR 2019

Shetland was named as best place to get your bills settled on time

Lerwick, Kirkwall and Aberdeen have been named as the UK's best places for traders' bills being settled on time in a study of three million businesses.

Invoicing platform Solna analysed the data to rate SMEs in 121 areas on how credit worthy they are. The Outer Hebrides, Falkirk and Dumfries were also in the top 10.

The company shamed west central London, Bolton and east central London as the worst areas for late payment of bills to small firms or freelancers.

Inna Kaushan, co-founder of Solna, said: "Getting invoices paid on time is one of our users' biggest priorities, so we used credit data to find out which regions of the UK are the highest and lowest risk when it comes to fast payment.

"Some of the most northerly parts of Scotland are the lowest risk, and towns in Surrey, Dumfries and Galloway, Hertfordshire, and Dorset make up the rest of the top 10.

"Remote Scottish islands, including Orkney, the Outer Hebrides, and Shetland, came out on top in our research. Living and working in such a small community can give businesses a big incentive to pay on time - they're more likely to bump into their suppliers!

"Small businesses in Kirkwall on Orkney and Lerwick on Shetland are some of the most reliable payers in the UK. It’s no wonder a 2016 survey found 56% of Shetland start-ups have a lifespan of at least five years, making it the best area in the UK for start-up survival."

Areas most likely to pay on time

1. Lerwick

2. Aberdeen

3. Kirkwall

4. Hemel Hempstead

5. Redhill

6. Outer Hebrides

7. Swindon

8. Falkirk

9. Dorchester

10. Dumfries

Areas that take longest to pay up