The move to lay bare payment times in the supply chain follows the publication of the Construction Supply Chain Payment Charter earlier this year.

Signing the charter pledges a firm to 30 days payment from January 2018 on public and private sector work, and 60 days with immediate effect. With it comes an ambition for zero retentions.

But specialist are angry that just two main contractors – Laing O’Rourke and Skanska – have signed up.

House builders Berkeley Homes and Barratt are also on board, but the initiative falls short of the promised Government crusade to eradicate late payment.

Finding from the new survey will be used to step up pressure on all political parties ahead of the next election.

The National Specialist Contractors Council and Federation of Master Builders are leading the survey, which is open until 17 October.

NSCC Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol said: “We are coming out of recession and it is an ideal opportunity to take a snapshot of where the industry sits in terms of late payment.

“Anecdotally we are seeing a lot more of the industry’s major clients shifting to 30-day payment at present.”

Click for payment survey