LEIGH ACADEMIES TRUST
Company number: 02336587
Reporting period:
1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026
Report filed on:
30 March 2026
Approved by:
Faye Reizopoulou
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: 22 days
Total value paid:
- within 30 days: £16,330,162 (65%)
- in 31 to 60 days: £6,279,626 (25%)
- in 61 days or more: £2,578,493 (10%)
Invoices paid:
- within 30 days: 77%
- in 31 to 60 days: 20%
- in 61 days or more: 3%
Late and disputed:
- total value of payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: £8,858,119
- payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: 23%
- not made in the reporting period due to a dispute: 0%
Payment terms
Shortest standard payment periods
14 days
Longest standard payment period
30 days
Standard payment terms
Payment terms are between 14 and 30 days. This is dependant on the supplier payment terms.
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
The current 23% late payment rate is directly attributable to the transition to a new accounting system, for which we have undergone rigorous learning. Fortunately, we are now getting accustomed to the system.
We are committed to maintaining this improved performance and bringing the late payment metric back in line with our standard operational targets. In the majority of cases, suppliers were contacted to inform them of the situation and confirm that their payment terms had not changed
Retention clauses
How does this business use retention clauses?
Retention clauses are used in specific circumstances:
Depends on value of projects, snagging terms and conditions
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: 3%
Does this business apply retention clause practices that are no more onerous than those applied to it on the same project?
No
Releasing money under a retention clause
Process for releasing money this business has deducted or retained under a retention clause
When the end of defects period is complete, the contract administrator / qs will sign this off and produce a certificate which will allow the contractor to invoice the final retention which we will then release payment for.
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
3%
Amount retained stated as a percentage of the total construction payments made by this business
3%
Dispute resolution process
Consultation with suppliers.
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