Cal Partners retains Fair Payment Code Gold until 2028

We're pleased to share that Cal Partners has been awarded Gold by the Fair Payment Code for a second time. The award recognises how promptly and fairly we pay our suppliers, and it now runs until the end of 2028.

What is the Fair Payment Code?

The Fair Payment Code sets standards for payment practices and is administered by the Office of the Small Business Commissioner on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Businesses apply independently of any contract, and awards are made strictly on whether they meet the criteria and keep to the Code's principles.

There are three tiers:

1. Bronze goes to businesses paying at least 95% of all invoices within 60 days.
2. Silver has the same 60-day threshold, but also requires at least 95% of invoices to small businesses to be paid within 30 days.
3. Gold, the highest tier, is for businesses paying at least 95% of all invoices within 30 days.

The Commissioner can also investigate complaints about awardees, and a business that falls short can have its award moved to a lower tier or be removed from the Code altogether. It's an award you have to keep earning, which is a big part of why we value it.

Why we reapplied

We first received Gold in May 2025 and the Fair Payment Code awards last for two calendar years, after which every business has to reapply and provide fresh evidence of how it pays its suppliers.

The Office of the Small Business Commissioner reviewed our renewal and accepted it at Gold level again, which means our award is now valid until the end of 2028.

Our latest figures show we paid 100% of our suppliers on the same day they invoiced us, well inside the 30-day Gold threshold and quicker than the four-day average we reported in 2025.

Why paying on time matters

Late payment is still a serious problem for UK businesses. Research published by the Department for Business and Trade in 2025 estimated that late payments cost the economy almost £11bn a year and contribute to around 38 business closures every day and a Hiscox survey of 1,000 small business owners earlier this year found that 23% of the payments they're owed arrive late.

As a small business ourselves, we know how much a late invoice can affect cash flow, planning and confidence. Many of our suppliers are small businesses too, so paying them promptly is one of the most practical things we can do to support them.

"Paying people on time is one of the simplest ways we can look after the businesses we work with. We know from our own experience how much cash flow matters to a small firm, and we'd much rather be the client people are pleased to send an invoice to."

– Chris Lucarelli, Director, Cal Partners

What it says about how we work

The same principle runs through our work with clients, we treat the firms we work with, and the suppliers who help us deliver for them, the way we'd want to be treated ourselves. Keeping our Gold award is one small, independently checked way of showing that.

If you'd like to find out more about working with Cal Partners, get in touch with the team at hello@calpartners.co.uk.