Their own payment-practices filing · gov.uk
How long does Southern Water Services Limited take to pay its suppliers?
Self-reported figure from their statutory filing. How this is compiled.
On the public register · Companies House
Company record
- Status
- Active
- Type
- Private Limited Company
- Incorporated
- 1 Apr 1989
- Registered office
- SOUTHERN HOUSE, WORTHING, BN13 3NX
Terms vs reality
Stated terms: 14–60 days. Reported average: 42.
At a glance
The key figures
Vs peers · latest reported averages
The pattern
Getting slower
Average days to pay across their last 6 statutory reports.
Where their supplier invoices land · latest period
The read · computed from their figures
Southern Water Services Limited has filed 15 statutory payment periods (earliest H2 2018). Their latest report puts the average at 42 days against stated terms of 14–60 days.
The direction is slower: from 35 to 42 days over the window — about 7 days slower.
In the latest period 31% of invoices were paid outside their agreed terms, and 4% landed 61+ days out.
In their own words · from the filing
Standard payment terms
Southern Water policy is to establish any new contractual arrangement based on 60-day payment terms. However, as part of the regulated negotiated procurement process, we will consider the commercial benefit of negotiating shorter payment terms. In addition, as part of our approach to Corporate and Social responsibility we will consider the application of 30-day payment terms for appropriate Small and Medium Enterprises.
Dispute resolution
At Southern Water our aim is to resolve invoice queries or disputes in a timely manner and ensure payments are made at the earliest opportunity. All queries should be addressed in the first instance to [email protected] If the issue cannot be resolved by the accounts payable team, then the matter will be directed to the Purchase Order owner for resolution. Upon resolution of any queries or disputes if the invoice has become due it will be settled on the next payment run.
Other information
Southern Water operates a range of payment mechanisms including direct debit, Purchasing Cards and BACS. Our core system is SAP and we have a three-way match between the purchase order, goods receipt and invoice details. To avoid delays in payment Southern Water requests suppliers to: Ensure that they have a valid and current purchase order number Send all documents and credit notes by email to [email protected] in PDF format. If sending more than one invoice in the same email, please provide a separate file attachment for each document Only submitting them when goods or services have been delivered Not split invoices against multiple purchase orders If suppliers are unable to utilise email, invoices and credit notes should be sent direct to Accounts Payable, Southern
Every statutory report on record
Most recent first.
| Period | Avg days | Outside terms | 61+ days | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 2026 | 42 | 31% | 4% | 8 May 2026 |
| H2 2025 | 47 | 38% | 19% | 31 Oct 2025 |
| H2 2024 | 37 | 39% | 4% | 30 Oct 2024 |
| H1 2024 | 34 | 41% | 2% | 30 Apr 2024 |
| H2 2023 | 36 | 42% | 3% | 31 Oct 2023 |
| H1 2023 | 35 | 54% | 2% | 26 Apr 2023 |
| H2 2022 | 33 | 24% | 2% | 24 Oct 2022 |
| H1 2022 | 33 | 7% | 2% | 26 Apr 2022 |
| H2 2021 | 33 | 16% | 2% | 27 Oct 2021 |
| H1 2021 | 34 | 12% | 3% | 26 Apr 2021 |
| H2 2020 | 34 | 12% | 4% | 20 Oct 2020 |
| H1 2020 | 33 | 18% | 2% | 29 Apr 2020 |
| H2 2019 | 53 | 15% | 14% | 23 Oct 2019 |
| H1 2019 | 52 | 21% | 19% | 30 Apr 2019 |
| H2 2018 | 55 | 43% | 41% | 19 Oct 2018 |
Working-capital effect
What a 42-day cycle ties up
Illustrative. On a hypothetical £12k/month account, at a 42-day vs a 14-day payment cycle.
Late Payment Act. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act lets a supplier charge statutory interest and fixed compensation on invoices paid past agreed terms. Work out what a late invoice is worth → Whether it applies depends on your contract — check with an adviser.
Quick answers
Are they getting slower or faster?
What's their typical pay point?
Can I see what this means for my invoices?
Stay ahead
Watch Southern Water Services Limited (free)
Their next payment report is due ≈ 27 Oct 2026. We watch their public record and email you when something changes — a new payment report, late filings, insolvency markers, new charges.
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How UK payment reporting works
What is a Payment Practices Report?
What does "paid outside agreed terms" mean?
How often is this data updated?
Is this official government data?
How this is compiled. Built from official records only: Companies House and the gov.uk payment-practices service. The payment figures are self-reported — companies over the size threshold must file them by law and the board signs them off. No credit-agency data. The numbers are theirs; the plain-English read is ours. This is information compiled from public records under the Open Government Licence v3.0 — not a credit rating and not advice.
The 31-day comparison figure is the median across 6,185 companies with a current statutory report — every sector pooled, not an average of sector medians (how the figure is built).
Report PL-02366670 · latest period to 31 Mar 2026
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