Our campaign with Xero put the late payment crisis at the top of the business policy agenda.
In May 2026, the UK government announced “the largest crackdown on late payments in over 25 years”. This included that it will legislate to compel companies to declare in their annual reports how much of small businesses’ money they are holding onto in late payments. This is a step Xero pioneered, and has consistently campaigned for.
Adam Keal, UK & EMEA communications director, said: “Fourteen Forty has helped us break new ground with a campaign which has affected livelihoods and mental health, for years. They look at things in the round, at the horizon, and from the shoes of the audience. They focus on tangible outcomes with impact, not just outputs.”
What’s going on
Why it matters
Late payment has held back small businesses for decades, with little meaningful change. It restricts cash flow, growth, and resilience across the small business economy
What most people get wrong
They treat it as a complaint, not a systemic issue that demands action
What we did
- Define the issue
Reframed late payment as “unapproved debt”. A deliberate act, not an administrative delay - Shift perception
Moved the issue from operational frustration to political, ESG and workplace fairness territory - Create value
Took the issue into policy and stakeholder agendas, forcing attention and debate
Outcome
Put “unapproved debt” on the political agenda
Elevated Xero as a leading voice on small business issues
Contributed to concrete policy, regulatory and legislative change
