AROUND 22,000 firms - equivalent to 7% of businesses in the north - are struggling to pay their debts when they fall due, research from insolvency tradebody R3 shows.

That figure rises to 10% if interest rates rose, according to the latest Business Distress Index, which measured four indicators of zombie businesses.

It also reveals that 6% of firms are having to negotiate payment terms with creditors while 3% are managing only to pay off the interest on debts but not reduce the debt itself. However some fir......for the full story register now for free or login below...