Petitions/Require businesses pay a 50% deposit to contracted sole traders/small businesses
StatusOngoing
Opened20 Apr 2026
Closes
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

Change the law to require businesses to pay a 50% deposit for services when working with freelancers, sole-traders and small businesses who cannot exist in credit or have 'accounts' like bigger companies. The remaining 50% should then be paid within 30 business days.

Many freelancers, sole traders and small businesses live in a constant state of anxiety, lose money or have their businesses go under because of late payments, or companies that don't pay at all. Many have to give up their business because larger corporates or agencies aren't paying on time due a lack of management of their own cashflows, meaning freelancers get behind on bills, rent, mortgage payments - everything.

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Constituency engagement ranking

Jeremy Corbyn
1Jeremy Corbyn MP
Islington North
12
Dame Meg Hillier
2Dame Meg Hillier MP
Hackney South and Shoreditch
9
Ms Stella Creasy
3Ms Stella Creasy MP
Walthamstow
9
Dan Tomlinson
4Dan Tomlinson MP
Chipping Barnet
8
Vicky Foxcroft
5Vicky Foxcroft MP
Lewisham North
8
Uma Kumaran
6Uma Kumaran MP
Stratford and Bow
8
Catherine West
7Catherine West MP
Hornsey and Friern Barnet
7
Mr David Lammy
8Mr David Lammy MP
Tottenham
7
Emily Thornberry
9Emily Thornberry MP
Islington South and Finsbury
6
Rushanara Ali
10Rushanara Ali MP
Bethnal Green and Stepney
5