Pulse.Assent

• New Small Business Commissioner will support 208,000 small businesses in Wales to resolve payment disputes and tackle larger businesses unfair payment practices to drive culture change
• New guidance website to help small businesses with late payment issues
• Small businesses can now submit late payment complaints to the Commissioner

The Government has today (20 December 2017) launched the complaint handling service of the Small Business Commissioner to ensure fair payment practices for small businesses. This follows the appointment of Paul Uppal to the role of Small Business Commissioner.

Regulations made by Small Business Minister Margot James mean the Commissioner can now handle complaints from small businesses about unfair payment practices. The Commissioner’s website is also live, providing guidance to small businesses on payment issues including how to take action if a payment is overdue.

Margot James, Small Business Minister, said:

This Government’s Industrial Strategy is building a Britain in which small business can continue to thrive.

Over the last five years the amount owed to smaller businesses has more than halved from £30 billion to £14 billion. Today’s Small Business Commissioner service will empower small businesses in Wales to take action if they are paid late, potentially delivering a £2.5 billion annual boost to the economy.

Paul Uppal, Small Business Commissioner, said:

Having run my own small business for over twenty years I am well aware that integrity and trust are key to running and building a successful business. My mission is to help all small businesses nurture positive and lasting relationships with their customers that work in the best interests of both.

Today I am launching a new website so small businesses know their rights, as well as how to contact me if they need further action to be taken when the larger businesses they supply owe them money.

Mike Cherry, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said:

The UK is gripped by a poor payments crisis, over 30 per cent of payments to small businesses are late and the average value of each payment is £6,142. This not only impacts on the small business and the owner, it is damaging the wider economy.

The Small Business Commissioner is crucial to turning the tide on this late payments culture. FSB will be encouraging small businesses affected to use the service, and we hope then to see clear actions taken to tackle the worst examples of supply chain bullying.

Success will be a UK economic culture where a business that does a job promptly, is paid promptly.

The Small Business Commissioner’s website guides small businesses on how to “check, chase, and choose” how to deal with unfair and late payments, that is:

• Check if the right information has been provided to the right people in order for an invoice to be paid
• Chase effectively when a payment is overdue
• Choose how to take further action, including the option of submitting a complaint to the Small Business Commissioner

This is one of a number of measures Government is taking to tackle a late payment culture. Regulations came into force in April 2017 requiring large businesses to publicly report the average time they take to pay their suppliers. This allows suppliers, including small businesses, to make informed decisions about who they do business with. Firms can check when large businesses pay their suppliers on GOV.UK. So far over 200 of the UK’s largest businesses have submitted payment reports.

The Small Business Commissioner was appointed on 2 October 2017 and is based in Birmingham.

Notes to editors:

• A third of payments to small businesses are late.
• 20% of small businesses have run in to cash flow problems due to late payments.
• If small businesses were paid on time, this could boost the economy by an estimated £2.5 billion annually.
• Small businesses who wish to make a complaint can visit www.smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk
• Enquiries about the Small Business Commissioner can be directed to enquiries@smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk
• Complaints can be submitted to complaints@smallbusinesscommissioner.gov.uk

• New funding will enable the Post Office to further modernise its network and bring extra benefits to customers across the UK, with £2bn invested since 2010
• The Post Office has moved into profit for the first time in 16 years and branch numbers are the most stable they have been for decades
• Today 95% of small business customers can access day-to-day banking services in post offices, improving the business environment for small and medium-sized firms – a key part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy

The Government today (20 December) announced £370 million of funding to secure the future of the UK’s Post Office network.

Of that funding £210 million will be invested in continuing to modernise the network so it can continue to provide essential services and bring additional benefits to its 17 million customers across the UK, including extending opening hours and cutting queue times.

A further £160 million will help to protect ‘last shop in the village’ community branches and ensure everyone continues to have access to their local branch. Figures published today reveal the network has grown for the second year running, with 99.7% of people living within three miles of their local post office and number of rural branches rising to 6,185.

A key part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy is improving the business environment for our small and medium-sized firms and the Government is delivering on a manifesto commitment to extend the availability of banking services to SMEs and families through the Post Office network. Today 99% of UK personal bank customers and 95% of small business customers can access day-to-day banking services in branch and last year the Post Office helped customers carry out 110 million banking transactions, an average of 200 a minute.

The funding agreement, which will run from April 2018 to March 2021, comes as the Post Office moved into profit in 2017 for the first time in 16 years, making the business less reliant on Government subsidies.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said:

The Post Office is at the heart of communities across the UK, with millions of customers and small businesses relying on their local branch every day to access a wide range of important services.

With the network at its most stable in decades, this £370m of government funding will ensure it can continue to modernise and bring further benefits to customers across the UK.

Paula Vennells, Chief Executive of the Post Office said:

Making a profit for the first time in 16 years is a major milestone in the Post Office’s journey to a sustainable and successful business.

We’re fulfilling the promises we have made, and this is recognised by the Government’s further investment in the Post Office, which will enable us to continue transforming the business to meet our customers’ changing needs – a transformation that has already seen us make significant progress.

We are committed to making the Post Office matter as much tomorrow as it does today. For over 370 years, the Post Office has stayed relevant to communities the length and breadth of the UK by changing and adapting. With the Post Office now trading at a profit, we are better placed than ever to embrace the future. By continuing to invest in post offices, in our digital channels, in support services and – most importantly – by putting our customers first, I am confident that the Post Office is absolutely ready to take on the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Thanks to Government investment of more than £2bn between 2010 and 2018, the Post Office has:

• a stable network of around 11,600 branches;
• delivered its first profit in 16 years;
• modernised more than 7,500 branches;
• protected over 3,000 ‘last shop in the village’ community branches;
• extended opening hours on weekdays and at weekends, adding almost a million extra opening hours every month;
• become the largest Sunday retailer in the UK with more than 4,400 branches open on Sunday;
• ensured 93% of people live within 1 mile of their nearest branch.

The Government will also publish its response to the Post Office Network Consultation carried out in November 2016 which helped to inform the scale and nature of today’s funding announcement.

Notes to Editors

1. The Post Office has published its 2016/17 Annual Report, Financial Statements, and Network Report on its website

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The Prime Minister called President Trump earlier this afternoon. She began by offering her condolences over the loss of life in the terrible train crash in Washington state.

They discussed the different positions we took on the recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, and agreed on the importance of the US bringing forward new proposals for peace and the international community supporting these efforts.

The Prime Minister also raised Yemen, highlighting our ongoing deep concerns at the humanitarian situation. They agreed on the vital importance of reopening humanitarian and commercial access to prevent famine and alleviate the suffering of innocent Yemenis.

The Prime Minister updated the President on the recent good progress of the Brexit negotiations, and the President set out the progress he had made on his economic agenda. They agreed on the importance of a swift post-Brexit bilateral trade deal.

They wished each other a very Merry Christmas and looked forward to keeping in close touch.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

I am appalled by another attempted missile strike on Riyadh on 19 December. This is the second such shocking incident in six weeks, which yet again deliberately targeted a populated area.

I strongly condemn the Houthis for this attack, which they have claimed. Everyone will be outraged at the Houthi spokesman boast that they were targeting the Royal Palace.

I call upon all countries in the region to do what they can to implement UN Security Council Resolutions and prevent such attacks which are increasing regional tensions. I strongly support UN investigations into the origins of these weapons and welcome the UN’s suggestion of a joint discussion of the relevant UN bodies to look into these threats and consider action against those responsible. The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Saudi Arabia as it faces regional crises and security threats.

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Minister for Africa, Rory Stewart said:

“I condemn the attack on Saturday against a humanitarian convoy in Borno State, in which four people lost their lives. The UK continues to support the United Nations and humanitarian partners as they deliver essential food supplies to people affected by the current conflict – food that was lost in this attack.

“We call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and refrain from launching attacks against civilians or humanitarian operations. Life-saving assistance has been provided to 5 million people in the north east of Nigeria, this vital work to help people most in need must not be hampered.”

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn