Published reports

THE ATHELSTAN TRUST

Company number: 07699625

This information is as reported by the business, and responses are in their own words.

Reporting period:

1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026

Report filed on:

31 March 2026

Approved by:

Keval Shah


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: 24 days

Total value paid:

  • within 30 days: £6,755,331  (69%)
  • in 31 to 60 days: £2,366,656  (24%)
  • in 61 days or more: £703,840  (7%)

Invoices paid:

  • within 30 days: 79%
  • in 31 to 60 days: 16%
  • in 61 days or more: 5%

Late and disputed:

  • total value of payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: £4,642,266
  • payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: 45%
  • not made in the reporting period due to a dispute: 1%

Payment terms

Shortest standard payment periods

0 days

Longest standard payment period

30 days

Standard payment terms

Most frequently we use 30 days and 0 days for expenses. We work to supplier payment terms in actioning payments. We are not fully confident in 45% figure reporting the payments outside of standard payment terms. This is a standard report from SAGE 200, we are working to understand the underlying and supporting data.

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

To re-iterate we are investigating the underlying data supporting this report. SAGE 200 is an older system with limited reporting capability.

Retention clauses

How does this business use retention clauses?

All construction contracts include retention clauses.

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?

No

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 have a formal policy, but is a standard practice that is applied when we negotiate contracts.

Releasing money under a retention clause

Process for releasing money this business has deducted or retained under a retention clause

As agreed with suppliers

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

4%

Dispute resolution process

This is handled on ad-hoc basis at school level and escalated to the Trust when required, with Trust wide spend including Central contracts, handled by the Trust.

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