// payment practices, as filed · company 01085646
J.N. Bentley Ltd: how it pays its suppliers, from its own filing
J.N. Bentley Ltd reports paying its suppliers in an average of 35 days, with 7% of invoices paid later than the agreed terms, for the period 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026. Across the 1,496 companies that report on construction contracts, the median is 31 days and 14% late. Every figure below is the company’s own, approved by a director and published on the government register; this page reproduces it and says what it means for a subcontractor.
35 days
Average days to pay
longer than 59% of the 1,496 filers; median 31 days
7%
Paid later than agreed
a higher share than 26% of filers; median 14%
39%
Paid within 30 days
3% took longer than 60 days
The terms it declares
- Standard payment terms
- 25 to 45 days
- Maximum contractual period
- 45 days
- Paid in 31 to 60 days
- 58%
- Paid after 60 days
- 3%
- Not paid because of a dispute
- 70%
- Filed on
- 28 July 2026
Their standard terms, in their words
Payment terms will differ depending on the type of supply. Unless otherwise agreed in the purchase order, the company will send payment for any valid invoice for materials or services which it received from the supplier within 45 days from receipt of payment for suppliers who are large or medium sized companies, and within 25 days from receipt of invoice for suppliers who are small companies. Payments to subcontractors will be made at the end of the period stated on the subcontract order from the assessment date. Payments for Agency services will be made from invoice date and are agreed indiv…
Their explanation
J N Bentley is committed to fair payment practices and aspires to pay all suppliers within contractual terms. In 2022 we amended our standard payment terms which resulted in a significant reduction in the average time taken to pay invoices, especially benefitting our small suppliers who we now pay within 25 days of receipt of invoice. These initiatives are captured in an improvement plan which is formalised, approved by a Board Director and regularly monitored to ensure objectives are achieved. In certain circumstances, we are precluded from paying within terms due to discussions with suppli…
Every filing since Jun 2018
J.N. Bentley Ltd has filed 17 times. The share paid late is down 1 points on the previous filing, and the average days to pay unchanged. The first filing, for the period to 30 June 2018, reported 52 days and 99% late.
| Period to | Days to pay | Paid late | Within 30 days | Over 60 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 June 2026 | 35 | 7% | 39% | 3% |
| 31 December 2025 | 35 | 8% | 41% | 3% |
| 30 June 2025 | 36 | 10% | 38% | 4% |
| 31 December 2024 | 35 | 8% | 40% | 3% |
| 30 June 2024 | 37 | 17% | 38% | 5% |
| 31 December 2023 | 35 | 18% | 40% | 5% |
Retention
- Retention clauses in construction contracts
- yes
- Standard retention rate
- not stated
- In all construction contracts
- no
- Same terms they receive from their own client
- yes
- When they apply retention
- Since 2025 our default policy for all new subcontract orders is that no retention is applicable. Our new orders contain retention clauses in limited circumstances only. This evaluation would be performed using risk based criteria. Nearly all retentions deducted during the reporting period were made under legacy orders which were agreed before our policy changed. These will diminish over time. As evidence of our commitment to reduce retentions, during the reporting period we released £2.2m of historic retentions, being £1.0m more than we retained.
- On parity with their client
- Since 2025 our default policy for all new subcontract orders is that no retention is applicable. Our new orders contain retention clauses in limited circumstances only. This evaluation would be performed using risk based criteria, rather than by reference to any retention clauses applied to us on the same contract by our clients.
What this means if you are pricing work for them
The share paid later than agreed is the number to read first, because a short term makes an invoice late sooner and a long one hides lateness inside the term. J.N. Bentley Ltd is at or below the median on that measure. The average days to pay sits over the median.
A worked example on a 30-day term: an invoice of £10,000.00 paid on this company’s average, 5 days after the final date, carries £16.10 of statutory interest at 11.75% plus the fixed sum, £116.10 in all, which the law lets you add without a clause. Run your own figures.
Against the official benchmark: the Department for Business and Trade’s statistics for 2025, published 14 July 2026, put large construction businesses at 33 days to pay with 14% of invoices late by number (13% by value), and all large businesses at 32 days and 15% late. J.N. Bentley Ltd is slower than the sector figure. Its late share is at or below the sector figure.
What the register does not show: it is self-reported, large companies only, and the filing covers the whole company, not your contract. Read it alongside the notice rules that decide what you are actually owed, and keep your own dates.
Questions subcontractors ask about J.N. Bentley Ltd
- How long does J.N. Bentley Ltd take to pay its suppliers?
- J.N. Bentley Ltd reported an average of 35 days to pay an invoice for 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026, with 39% of invoices paid within 30 days and 3% taking longer than 60 days. The official 2025 figure for large construction businesses is 33 days.
- Does J.N. Bentley Ltd pay late?
- By its own filing, 7% of J.N. Bentley Ltd's invoices were paid later than the agreed terms, against 14% across large construction businesses in 2025 and a median of 14% among the 1,496 companies on this register that declare construction contracts. That is down 1 points on its previous filing (8% for the period to 31 December 2025).
- Does J.N. Bentley Ltd hold retention?
- Yes. J.N. Bentley Ltd declares retention clauses in its construction contracts, though not in all of them. The filing's own wording is quoted above.
- Can I charge J.N. Bentley Ltd interest on a late invoice?
- Yes, under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, from the day after the final date for payment, at 8% over the Bank of England base rate plus a fixed sum per invoice, without any clause in the contract. The calculator works it out for your figures.
Source: the company’s own report on the government’s payment practices service, report 114061, made under the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 and reproduced under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Register copy taken 2 October 2026; comparisons are against the latest filing of each of the 1,496 companies declaring construction contracts. Figures are as filed, not judged. Not legal advice.
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- Late payment interest rate UK: how the 8% over base rule works, and why the date mattersUK late payment interest is 11.75% for business invoices due from 1 July 2026. How it is set, the £40/£70/£100 fixed sums, and a worked example on £18,400.
- Which main contractors pay late? What the payment practices register saysTen UK main contractors' filed payment figures: average days to pay, share paid late, report links. Median of 1,496 construction filers: 31 days, 14% late.
- Every company that files on construction contractsThe full A to Z, 1,496 filers, each with its own page.