In today’s episode of Debt Matters, we look at a UK business debt story showing how late payments are putting more pressure on companies, cash flow and credit control teams.

A new update based on R3’s Business Health data says late payment pressure intensified in Q1 2026. Overdue invoices rose to 17.48 million, up 3% compared with the same period last year, while 1.57 million businesses had overdue bills on their books. Insolvency-related activity fell 6% compared with Q1 2025, but rose 9% compared with Q4 2025, reaching 7,212 cases.

Why this matters

Late payment is not just an admin issue. For many businesses, it is a direct cash flow problem.

When invoices are not paid on time, firms can struggle to pay suppliers, wages, rent, tax bills and day-to-day costs. One unpaid invoice may be manageable, but when la ...