6

Mandate the Fair Payments Code as minimum expectation for all large firms.

Conclusion
The Government is right to recognise the risks to SMEs posed by late payments. Until there is new legislation, the Fair Payments Code should become the minimum expectation, rather than an optional extra, for all firms over 250 employees. (Conclusion, Paragraph 38)
Addressee Bodies
Department for Business and Trade
Timeline
Recommendation age 0.3 yrs
Report published 11 Feb 2026