BEDFORDSHIRE SCHOOLS TRUST LIMITED
Company number: 07546141
Reporting period:
1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026
Report filed on:
17 March 2026
Approved by:
Alan Lee
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: 27 days
Total value paid:
- within 30 days: £4,548,192 (69%)
- in 31 to 60 days: £1,736,653 (26%)
- in 61 days or more: £345,833 (5%)
Invoices paid:
- within 30 days: 79%
- in 31 to 60 days: 15%
- in 61 days or more: 6%
Late and disputed:
- total value of payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: £2,082,486
- payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: 21%
- not made in the reporting period due to a dispute: 0%
Payment terms
Shortest standard payment periods
30 days
Longest standard payment period
Answer not provided
Standard payment terms
Standard terms of 30 days after the date of the invoice
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
30 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:
Where a formal JCT contract is entered into.
Does this business only use retention clauses in construction contracts above a specific contract sum?
Yes: £50,000
Does this business use a standard percentage rate in retention clauses?
Yes: 3%
Does this business apply retention clause practices that are no more onerous than those applied to it on the same project?
Yes:
If the client applies 3% we apply the same
Releasing money under a retention clause
Process for releasing money this business has deducted or retained under a retention clause
12 months after practical completion the contract administrator issues a payment certificate for the retention sum. The supplier issues a corresponding invoice which we then pay.
Is the money released in stages?
No
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
3%
Dispute resolution process
We follow a dispute resolution process to resolve disagreements efficiently, preserve business relationships and avoid legal costs
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.
No, this business has not signed up to a code of conduct or standards on payment practices.
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.
No
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