National Federation of Builders says Build UK鈥檚 take on top contractor鈥檚 payment performance 鈥榓n insult鈥�
The National Federation of Builders has labelled rival trade body Build UK鈥檚 stance on the payment performance of some of the firms it represents as 鈥渋nsulting鈥�.
Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol (pictured) said the release of figures showing how long it takes firms to pay its supplier was a 鈥渂old first step鈥�.
And she added it underlined the group鈥檚 members 鈥� which include some of the industry鈥檚 slowest payers 鈥� were 鈥渟erious about changing the way they do business鈥�.
But Neil Waters, the national chair of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), which represents the interests of smaller contractors, said her comments were 鈥渋nsulting鈥�.
He added: 鈥淪eeing Build UK portray tier one contractors like industry pioneers is the ultimate insult. Build UK members, who make up less than 1% of the construction industry, are failing the 99%.鈥�
Build UK, whose members include Balfour Beatty and Kier, the firms fingered as having the worst payment records, had praised the industry鈥檚 transparency in releasing the figures but Waters said: 鈥淭ransparency is a legal requirement, not a bold step. Procurement regulations already require 30-day payment terms down the supply chain but the first thing tier one contractors do is change the contract terms to suit their interests.鈥�
The group queried why minister for implementation, Oliver Dowden, heaped praise on Build UK when he said it was 鈥渓eading the industry by publishing its members鈥� payment performance鈥�.
It added: 鈥淭he NFB is astonished to see a government minister praising Build UK for barely fulfilling its legal obligations.鈥�
Under regulations introduced in 2015, which came into force last April, all large UK companies, deemed to be those which include firms with a turnover of 拢36m or more and over 250 employees, now have a duty to report how long it takes them to pay their bills.
Build UK declined to comment on the NFB鈥檚 claims.
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