With late payments still a major challenge for the construction industry, the appointment of a new Small Business Commissioner to help tackle late payments and unfair payment practices could indicate a growing commitment to provide the support and guidance needed by small contractors and subcontractors across the UK.
Emma Jones CBE, founder of Enterprise Nation, took up the role of Small Business Commissioner at the end of June 2025. The Office of the Small Business Commissioner helps to support the UK’s small businesses by working to ensure they are treated as fairly as possible by larger companies. Additionally, it provides practical resources and advice to help small and medium business owners resolve payment disputes and navigate commercial challenges.
Ms Jones replaced the outgoing Liz Barclay, following the end of her own four-year term. It was Ms Barclay who had been instrumental in designing and launching the Fair Payment Code – aimed at helping smaller construction firms identify reliable and trusted partners while focusing heavily on reducing late payments and lengthy payment terms.
While the Fair Payment Code has begun to increase transparency across the industry, especially when it comes to financial management, there is still much to be done to tackle the issue of late and unfair payments. This was highlighted by research undertaken by Intuit Quickbooks in 2024 which revealed small and medium businesses were each owed an average of £21,400 in late payments.
Ms Jones’ appointment could prove to be a major boon for the construction industry, highlighting the Government’s commitment towards tackling the problem of late payments. As someone vastly experienced in running their own business, the new Small Business Commissioner knows too well the pressure of not only starting a business but ensuring it remains financially stable throughout its life.
As part of her announcement, Ms Jones revealed discussions with business founders had highlighted a major issue with spending too much time on non-productive work like chasing debt. This is where the utilisation of technology, such as Payapps’ automated application for payment software, is so crucial.
By ensuring standardised and automated calculations, Payapps increases accuracy, expedites authorisation, and saves time – reducing the risk of over- or under-spending, payment disputes, or project delays.
Furthermore, the real-time visibility and ability to track and monitor payment application status at-a-glance enables all involved in financial management to keep on top of payment deadlines, remain compliant with the UK Construction Act, and reduce the number of late payments to contractors or subcontractors.
Indeed, Payapps not only cuts out inaccuracies in application for payment data but also ensures an easy-to-follow audit trail for comprehensive record-keeping and significantly reduced administration time.
Barney McKeown, Senior Business Development Manager at Payapps, suggested the recent appointment of Emma Jones would be a positive step forward for the construction industry. He said: “In the construction sector, where subcontractors often wait weeks or even months for payment, the need for change is urgent. This new appointment signals renewed commitment to ending the culture of late payments that hits SMEs hardest.
“With a rise in adjudications heavily attributed to procedural errors around payment notice dates, digitisation is becoming increasingly promoted by the Government and industry experts as a way of avoiding delays and disputes.
“Payapps was designed to unite contractors and subcontractors to work more collaboratively around payment, by ensuring faster approvals, fewer disputes, and improved cashflow for everyone involved. In turn, this supports the Government’s mission to build more streamlined and fairer business practices for the entire sector.”
