The government has appointed Emma Jones CBE as the new small business commissioner responsible for tackling late payments and unfair payment practices in the private sector.
Jones is the founder of Enterprise Nation, a network supporting small businesses.
She takes over from Liz Barclay, who led on the design and delivery of the new Fair Payment Code launched in December last year.
This replaced the Prompt Payment Code with a tiered system with rewards for companies that pay their supply chain promptly.
Data shows that in the UK, small businesses are owed, on average, an estimated £22,000 in late payments, accounting for around 18% of invoices. The average time to pay was 32 days in 2023.
Research estimates that SMEs spend 56.4 million staff hours each year chasing late payments, costing £6.3bn a year. The cost of additional finance to cover cashflow shortfalls as a result of late payment to SMEs is £684m a year.
Small business minister Gareth Thomas said: “I’m delighted that in Emma Jones’s appointment, we have someone who has long championed small firms and entrepreneurs right across the UK. I am confident that her passion and expertise will ensure small firms have a powerful advocate fighting in their corner.”
Jones said: “Through the Office of the Small Business Commissioner, we will make life easier for small business owners by leveraging technology to speed up payments and access to support.
“This work will be delivered in partnership with government and industry with a shared desire to enable founders to focus on what they do best and retain the UK’s status as a great place to start and grow a business.”
Jones will start in her new role on 23 June 2025, following the completion of Barclay’s four-year term as the current commissioner.
