Their own payment-practices filing · gov.uk
Mercia Learning Trust pays suppliers in 23 days on average — 9 days past its stated terms
Their H1 2026 filing puts the average 9 days past the 14-day term they state.
- Their stated terms
- 14 days
- Paid outside agreed terms
- 15% of invoices
- Paid after 61+ days
- 4%
- Reporting period
- 1 Mar 2026 – 31 Aug 2026
- Source
- their gov.uk filing, filed 29 Sept 2026
Self-reported figures from their statutory filing. How this is compiled.
Terms vs reality · their H1 2026 filing
Paid 9 days past their stated terms
Where their invoices landed · share of all invoices
The pattern · last 6 of 17 reports
Holding steady around 23 days
The read · computed from their figures
Mercia Learning Trust's H1 2026 filing puts their average at 23 days against stated terms of 14 days; 15% of invoices were paid outside agreed terms and 4% took 61 days or longer. Filed 29 Sept 2026.
The pattern is steady — their reported average moves within about ±9 days period to period.
On the latest reported averages: Faster than 59% of the 309 large companies reporting in education.
That is 17 statutory periods on record (earliest H1 2018) — a historical record, not a promise for a new invoice.
In their own words · from the filing
Standard payment terms
Payment within 30 days
Dispute resolution
When a supplier contacts us regarding a payment, we promptly check our finance system to verify the status of the invoice and determine if it has been processed, is pending, or requires further action. If the invoice is approved and scheduled for payment, we provide the supplier with an estimated payment date, ensuring transparency and managing expectations. If the invoice is under dispute, the supplier would have already been contacted regarding the issue. However, if they follow up, we clearly explain the situation, outline any outstanding concerns, and confirm that payment will be withheld until the dispute is fully resolved. Throughout this process, we maintain open communication with the supplier to work toward a fair and timely resolution.
Every statutory report on record
Most recent first.
| Period | Avg days | Outside terms | 61+ days | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 2026 | 23 | 15% | 4% | 29 Sept 2026 |
| H1 2026 | 36 | 21% | 2% | 30 Mar 2026 |
| H1 2025 | 18 | 9% | 1% | 8 Sept 2025 |
| H1 2025 | 23 | 15% | 3% | 13 Mar 2025 |
| H1 2024 | 21 | 14% | 2% | 1 Oct 2024 |
| H1 2024 | 22 | 11% | 2% | 5 Mar 2024 |
| H1 2023 | 20 | 10% | 1% | 5 Sept 2023 |
| H1 2023 | 23 | 16% | 2% | 13 Mar 2023 |
| H1 2022 | 21 | 11% | 1% | 5 Sept 2022 |
| H1 2022 | 27 | 22% | 5% | 15 Mar 2022 |
| H1 2021 | 23 | 19% | 4% | 10 Sept 2021 |
| H1 2021 | 23 | 14% | 2% | 9 Mar 2021 |
| H1 2020 | 27 | 33% | 4% | 7 Sept 2020 |
| H1 2020 | 21 | 12% | 2% | 12 Mar 2020 |
| H1 2019 | 21 | 16% | 2% | 2 Sept 2019 |
| H1 2019 | 30 | 25% | 7% | 4 Jul 2019 |
| H1 2018 | 13 | 7% | 1% | 29 Mar 2018 |
On the public register · Companies House
Company record
- Status
- Active
- Type
- PRI/LBG/NSC (Private, Limited by guarantee, no share capital, use of 'Limited' exemption)
- Incorporated
- 26 Jun 2012
- Registered office
- 79 GLEN ROAD, SHEFFIELD, S7 1RB
Illustrative · working-capital arithmetic
What a 23-day cycle ties up
A worked example, not a finding. On a hypothetical £12k/month account, at a 23-day vs a 14-day payment cycle.
Late Payment Act. The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 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 · Mercia Learning Trust
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More large companies in education
Merchant Taylors' School · Methodist Independent Schools Trust · Maritime Academy Trust · Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership · Manor Multi Academy Trust · Millfield
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 6,104 companies with a current statutory report — every sector pooled, not an average of sector medians (how the figure is built).
Report PL-08119703 · latest period to 31 Aug 2026
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