NATIONAL GRID ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION PLC
Company number: 02366977
Reporting period:
1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025
Report filed on:
17 November 2025
Approved by:
Tom Williams
Contracts and payments
Do any of this business's construction contracts with its suppliers include retention clauses? Yes
Payment statistics
Average time taken to pay invoices: 30 days
Total value paid:
- within 30 days: £1,411,697,163 (76%)
- in 31 to 60 days: £421,021,975 (23%)
- in 61 days or more: £32,044,625 (2%)
Invoices paid:
- within 30 days: 47%
- in 31 to 60 days: 51%
- in 61 days or more: 2%
Late and disputed:
- total value of payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: £16,779,611
- payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: 1%
- not made in the reporting period due to a dispute: 0%
Payment terms
Shortest standard payment periods
0 days
Longest standard payment period
Answer not provided
Standard payment terms
42 days from invoice date
Were there any changes to the standard payment terms in the reporting period?
No
Were suppliers notified or consulted about these changes before they were made?
N/A
Maximum contractual payment period agreed
60 days
No further comment provided
Any other information about payment terms
No further comment provided
Retention clauses
How does this business use retention clauses?
Retention clauses are used in specific circumstances:
Retention causes are used only in specific circumstances on agreement between National Grid and the contracting party. Retention clauses are based on delivery of agreed milestones, set out in contracts. The incidence of retention is reducing significantly, being replaced by bonds held.
Does this business only use retention clauses in construction contracts above a specific contract sum?
No
Does this business use a standard percentage rate in retention clauses?
Yes: 5%
Does this business apply retention clause practices that are no more onerous than those applied to it on the same project?
Yes:
We don't act as a sub-contractor, so retention clauses aren't placed on us by clients.
Releasing money under a retention clause
Process for releasing money this business has deducted or retained under a retention clause
Retention balances are released on agreed achievement of stated contractual milestones and/or on the completion of specified time periods following the contracted activity. All retention release is agreed between contracted parties and is aligned with the contract schedule
Is the money released in stages?
Yes:
Milestone achievement and final balance following elapse of agreed time period following completion
Amount retained from suppliers in the reporting period
Amount retained stated as a percentage of the money retained from this business by its clients
0%
Amount retained stated as a percentage of the total construction payments made by this business
1%
Dispute resolution process
All disputes raised will be handled by a combination of the dedicated Purchase to Pay team, the Procurement team and the business unit working with the supplier
Other payment information
Has this business signed up to a code of conduct or standards on payment practices? If so, which?
For example, signatories to The Fair Payment Code must commit to paying 95% of their invoices within 60 days.
Yes, this business has signed up to: Prompt Payment Code
Does this business offer e-invoicing in relation to qualifying contracts?
This is where suppliers can electronically submit and track invoices. It's not just allowing suppliers to email them an invoice.
Yes
Does this business offer supply chain finance?
This is where a supplier who has submitted an invoice can be paid by a third-party finance provider earlier than the agreed payment date. The business would then pay the finance provider the invoiced sum.
No
Under its payment practices and policies, can this business deduct sums from payments under qualifying contracts as a charge for remaining on a supplier list?
No
During the reporting period, did the business deduct sums from payments as a charge for remaining on a supplier list?
No