FAQs from suppliers
Government departments have been set a target to pay valid invoices within 10 working days. We have taken steps to reduce the length of time it takes to process an invoice. This means that as soon as your invoice has been approved for payment, it will be collected in the next available payment run.
If you have a query about your invoice or if you haven’t received a payment, contact us by phone, email, fax or letter.
You will receive confirmation by email, fax or post containing the invoice number, the amount being paid and the date you will receive the payment. We make daily BACS payments. We make cheque payments on a weekly basis on Fridays.
We make every effort to make sure that this does not happen. In the unlikely event that your payment is incorrect, call the Accounts Payable team immediately on 028 9027 0319.
You must inform us immediately of any changes or updates to your contact or bank details. To change your bank account details or contact details, please send us relevant instructions, signed by an appropriate manger within your company, on an original company letterhead.
If you're paid by BACS, please download and complete a BACS registration form.
Find out more about BACS and download a BACS registration form
We will contact you to verify your changes before we amend our records.
We will state the reason that we're returning your invoice on an accompanying letter and advise you on what to do next. Invoices are most commonly returned because they do not quote a valid Purchase Order (PO) number, which starts with 35. If this is the case, please contact the department or person who placed the order and request a PO number. Then amend your invoice and resubmit it.
We aim to pay invoices within 28 days of receipt.
To receive payment on time, your invoice must contain:
• your name, trading name and full address
• your VAT registration number (if applicable)
• a unique invoice number
• invoice date
• time of supply (referred to as Tax point) if this is different from the invoice date
• purchase order number (starting with 35)
• a detailed description of the goods or services you're supplying.
For individual items, we also require a breakdown of:
- unit price or rate (excluding VAT)
- quantity of the goods
- rate of VAT being applied
- total amount payable (excluding VAT)
- discount applied to the account
- freight charges
- total amount of VAT charged
- payment terms.
Contact us
If you have any queries or need further information about an invoice you have sent to us, please contact us.
Before you get in touch, please make sure you have our purchase order number (starts with 35) or a T1 reference number for invoices for staff travelling to and from events (starts with T1 followed by three to four digits), the date and location that invoice was sent to with the unique invoice reference number.
Central Transactions Unit
6th floor, 9 Adelaide
C/O Cecil Ward Building
4-10 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BP