Payment of supplier invoices

The Council’s terms and conditions require that goods or services supplied must have an official purchase order number, which is to be printed on all correspondence. The Council will not pay any supplier invoices that do not quote a valid purchase order number.

All supplies of goods and services to the Council will require a valid purchase order number. Under no circumstances should any supplier accept any verbal or written order from any member of council staff if it is not accompanied by a valid purchase order.

Any invoices received without a valid purchase order number will not be paid and you will be notified.

Quoting purchase order numbers

Unless subject to prior contract agreement, the London Borough of Sutton’s standard payment terms are 30 days from receipt of a valid invoice in the following email address ‘invoices@sutton.gov.uk’. If invoices do not quote a valid purchase order number they will be returned, this will in turn lead to delays in payment.

Where to send invoices

Invoices must be emailed to invoices@sutton.gov.uk

You may send multiple invoices on one email but please ensure that each invoice is a separate file with a unique file name. Our preferred file formats are TIFF or PDF file. 

Checks that should be made for returned invoices

Is the purchase order valid for the goods and or services supplied? The convention for purchase orders is 4XXXXXX (number 4 plus 6 digits), where X is a number.  

From the 1st April 2021 all new Purchase Orders will have a new convention 8XXXXXXX (number 8 plus 7 digits), where X is a number.

Other errors on the invoice that may prevent processing

The Accounts Payable team will indicate the error on the invoice. This needs to be corrected and the invoice re-submitted for processing.

Obtaining a valid purchase order number for an invoice if it has not been provided

You should contact the council employee who gave you the original instruction to provide goods and services and ask them to provide you with a valid purchase order number. This information is not held within the Accounts Payable section.

Standard terms and conditions

Payment will be made 30 days from receipt of a valid invoice to: invoices@sutton.gov.uk. 

Alternatively you can sign up to our early payment discount scheme, the Premier Supplier Programme. Where we offer you a unique way to be paid early.

If your invoice does not comply with the above it may result in a delay in you receiving payment. 

Contact details

Accounts Payable Department

Shared Finance Service

Telephone: 020 8547 5944

Email: payments@sutton.gov.uk