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Cash Flow Management for Small UK Businesses

Profitable businesses fail on cash, not margin. A practical framework for forecasting, chasing and protecting working capital.

19 July 2026 8 min read

A rolling 13-week forecast

Thirteen weeks is long enough to see problems coming and short enough to be accurate. Update it weekly with actuals. Most owners find the exercise itself changes decisions before the numbers do.

Get paid faster

Payment terms are a negotiation, not a law of nature.

  • Invoice the day the work completes, not at month end
  • Include a payment link on every invoice
  • Take deposits on anything above a threshold you set
  • Chase at day one past due, politely and automatically

Protect the outflow side

Align supplier payment runs with your receipts, spread annual costs monthly where there is no premium for doing so, and keep a buffer equal to at least one month of fixed costs.

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