There’s no shortage of statistics on the continuing rise in UK company insolvencies or, sadly, on how much SMEs are owed by solvent but late paying creditors large and small. The 2,361 insolvencies in June were up 16% on the previous month.

In August the Times reported that the majority of loans over £5,000 made by the country’s largest pawnbroker were to small business owners pawning items to ease cashflow and raise working capital as a result of banks tightening access to short-term credit.

The old adage that you cannot get blood from a stone still holds good when the cash runs out, but there is still plenty that businesses can do to maximise their chances of payment when they have to offer customers credit terms for whatever reason.