Late Payment Statistics
Last updated: June 2026 · 9 sourced statistics
Late payment is the single most persistent cash-flow problem in B2B trade. Credit insurer Atradius surveys thousands of businesses every year for its Payment Practices Barometer, and the pattern is remarkably stable: roughly half of all invoiced B2B value arrives after the due date. The statistics below come from Atradius, Intuit QuickBooks, the UK's Federation of Small Businesses, and EU legislation — each linked to the original source.
Key takeaways
- Around 40–53% of B2B invoice value is overdue at any time, depending on region (Atradius, 2025).
- 56% of US small businesses are owed money on unpaid invoices — about $17,500 each on average (QuickBooks, 2025).
- EU law entitles suppliers to a flat €40 minimum compensation plus interest on every late commercial payment.
At a glance
Every figure on this page in one table, each linked to its named source. Scroll down for the full context behind each number.
| Figure | What it measures | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47% | 47% of the value of B2B invoices in Western Europe was overdue, according to Atradius' 2025 Payment Practices Barometer. | Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, Western Europe | 2025 |
| 40% | 40% of B2B invoices in North America were overdue in Atradius' 2025 survey of US and Canadian businesses. | Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, North America | 2025 |
| 53% | 53% of B2B sales on credit in Central and Eastern Europe were affected by overdue invoices — the worst-performing region Atradius surveyed. | Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, CEE | 2025 |
| 47% | 47% of B2B invoices in the United Kingdom were overdue in 2025, per Atradius' UK barometer. | Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, UK | 2025 |
| $17.5K | 56% of US small businesses reported being owed money on unpaid invoices, averaging $17,500 per business, in Intuit QuickBooks' January 2025 survey of 2,487 firms. | Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Late Payments Report | 2025 |
| 47% | 47% of US small businesses had invoices overdue by more than 30 days — nearly 1 in 10 of all their invoices on average (QuickBooks). | Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Late Payments Report | 2025 |
| 50,000 | Around 50,000 UK businesses close each year because of late payments, according to the Federation of Small Businesses. | Federation of Small Businesses (UK) | 2023 |
| ~1 week | Small-business invoices are settled roughly a week late on average, according to Xero's Small Business Insights payment-time tracking. | Xero Small Business Insights | 2024 |
| €40 | EU Directive 2011/7/EU entitles creditors to a minimum flat compensation of €40 per late commercial invoice, plus statutory interest of the ECB reference rate + 8 percentage points. | EU Late Payment Directive 2011/7/EU | 2011 |
The statistics
47% of the value of B2B invoices in Western Europe was overdue, according to Atradius' 2025 Payment Practices Barometer.
Source:Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, Western Europe2025
40% of B2B invoices in North America were overdue in Atradius' 2025 survey of US and Canadian businesses.
Source:Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, North America2025
53% of B2B sales on credit in Central and Eastern Europe were affected by overdue invoices — the worst-performing region Atradius surveyed.
Source:Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, CEE2025
47% of B2B invoices in the United Kingdom were overdue in 2025, per Atradius' UK barometer.
Source:Atradius Payment Practices Barometer, UK2025
56% of US small businesses reported being owed money on unpaid invoices, averaging $17,500 per business, in Intuit QuickBooks' January 2025 survey of 2,487 firms.
Source:Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Late Payments Report2025
47% of US small businesses had invoices overdue by more than 30 days — nearly 1 in 10 of all their invoices on average (QuickBooks).
Source:Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Late Payments Report2025
Around 50,000 UK businesses close each year because of late payments, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.
Source:Federation of Small Businesses (UK)2023
Small-business invoices are settled roughly a week late on average, according to Xero's Small Business Insights payment-time tracking.
Source:Xero Small Business Insights2024
EU Directive 2011/7/EU entitles creditors to a minimum flat compensation of €40 per late commercial invoice, plus statutory interest of the ECB reference rate + 8 percentage points.
Source:EU Late Payment Directive 2011/7/EU2011
When these numbers don't apply
Aggregate statistics hide a lot. Read these caveats before quoting a figure as if it describes your specific situation.
- Atradius measures overdue invoice *value*, not the count of invoices — a single large late invoice skews the figure more than many small ones.
- Regional averages hide industry extremes: construction and government routinely run far worse than the headline rate, professional services often better.
- The QuickBooks $17,500 figure is a US small-business average; medians are lower and a handful of large unpaid invoices pull the mean up.
How we compiled this data
Figures were compiled in June 2026 from the linked third-party publications: Atradius' regional Payment Practices Barometer surveys (2025 editions), Intuit QuickBooks' January 2025 survey of 2,487 US small businesses, FSB campaign publications, Xero Small Business Insights, and EU legislation. Always consult the linked source for the most current edition.
We hand-collected each figure from its original publisher rather than recycling secondary round-ups, cross-checked the headline numbers against the source documents in June 2026, and link every statistic to the report it came from so you can verify it yourself. Where a publisher issues annual updates, we cite the report edition and flag the year inline.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of invoices are paid late?
Regional surveys by Atradius (2025) put the share of overdue B2B invoice value at 40% in North America, 47% in Western Europe and the UK, and 53% in Central and Eastern Europe.
How much money do late payments tie up for small businesses?
QuickBooks' 2025 survey found 56% of US small businesses are owed money on unpaid invoices — about $17,500 per business on average.
Can I legally charge for late payment?
In the EU, Directive 2011/7/EU grants a €40 minimum flat fee plus interest at ECB + 8 points. In the US, late fees are enforceable in most states when disclosed in advance — 1.5% per month is a common rate.
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