The short answer
Send a friendly reminder as soon as the invoice is overdue, then a firmer one with a deadline. If the client is a business, you can add statutory interest and fixed compensation. If that fails, send a letter before action, and only then think about a small claim. Keep everything in writing and polite.
First, check when it was actually due
If you agreed a payment date, that's the date. If you didn't, and your client is a business, the law says payment is late 30 days after the client got your invoice or you delivered the work, whichever is later (gov.uk). Between businesses, agreed payment terms are usually no longer than 60 days.
Check the invoice too: right client, right address, a unique number, what it's for, the date and the amount (what an invoice must include). A surprising number of "late" invoices are sitting in the wrong inbox.
The steps
- Remind them on the day it's dueA short, friendly email with the invoice attached, the amount, the due date and your bank details. Assume it's an oversight.
- Chase again a week laterAsk when they expect to pay. A phone call often works better than a third email.
- Send a final reminder with a deadlineSay what's owed, that it's overdue, and the date you need it by, usually 7 days. For a business client you can add statutory interest of 8% over the Bank of England base rate, plus fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt, under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. You can't use the statutory rate if your contract sets a different one. Our late payment interest calculator works it out.
- Send a letter before actionA formal letter saying you'll start a claim if they don't pay. If the client is an individual, including a sole trader, the courts in England and Wales expect you to follow the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims: send a statement of account and the protocol's forms, and give them 30 days to reply. For a company, give a reasonable deadline, usually 14 days.
- Make a claimIn England and Wales most claims up to £10,000 are small claims, and you can start one online. In Scotland, simple procedure covers claims up to £5,000. Northern Ireland has its own small claims process.
Should you stop work or hold back files?
Only if your contract lets you. Many freelance contracts, including ours, say the client owns the work only once it's paid for, and can't keep using it after failing to pay fees that are due. Pausing further work on an unpaid project is usually reasonable if your contract allows it; deleting work the client already has, or threatening them, isn't.
Keep every message factual. Repeated pressure on a private person can itself be unlawful.
Make the next one easier
- Agree the price and payment terms in a signed agreement before you start.
- Take a deposit from new clients, and invoice in stages on longer projects.
- Put a late payment clause in your contract, so interest isn't a surprise.
- Invoice the day the work is done, not at the end of the month. See also deposits and kill fees.
Questions people ask
Can I charge late payment interest to a private client?
Not under the Late Payment Act, which covers only business-to-business debts. You can charge interest to a private client if your contract says so and the rate is fair; our Freelance Services Agreement has an optional clause for that.
How long do I have to chase a debt?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you generally have 6 years from when the money was due to start a claim. In Scotland the debt usually falls away after 5 years unless you've made a claim or the client has acknowledged it.
Can I add my debt recovery costs?
For business debts, the fixed compensation is meant to cover recovery costs, and you may be able to claim reasonable costs above it. Keep receipts.
This guide explains the general position in the UK as we understand it on 22 October 2026. The law differs between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and it changes. If something important turns on it, talk to a solicitor or an accountant.
Templates and tools for this
Send your first agreement free
Send an invoice your client signs to confirm, with your payment terms on it, so the next chase starts from a clear record.
Free for 3 documents a month, no card needed. AgreeVia works in your browser and is live on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.