How to chase an unpaid invoice in the UK, step by step
How to chase an unpaid invoice in the UK: a five-step plan, what to say at each stage, and the late payment rules and court fees from GOV.UK.
If you're wondering how to chase an unpaid invoice in the UK, the honest answer is: sooner than feels comfortable, and in writing. Most people wait too long because chasing feels rude. It isn't. You did the work. You're asking for the agreed money.
Here's the plan I'd follow. It works the same whether you're a tutor, a cleaner or a freelance designer.
Step 1: Check the due date before you do anything
Look at what you agreed. GOV.UK says that if you agree a payment date with a business customer, it must usually be within 60 days. If you don't agree one, the law says the payment is late 30 days after the customer gets the invoice or you deliver the goods or service (GOV.UK, "Late commercial payments: interest and debt recovery", checked 6 October 2026).
So if there's no date on your invoice, you're already weaker than you need to be. Put a date on every invoice from now on.
Step 2: Send a friendly nudge the day after it's due
Not a week later. The next day. Keep it short and assume it's an oversight, because it usually is.
Hi Sam, quick one. Invoice 112 for £240 was due yesterday. Here's the link to pay again. Let me know if anything's stopped you.
Always include the amount, the invoice number and a way to pay. If paying takes three steps, you'll wait longer. A direct bank payment link takes the customer straight to their banking app, which is why I'd use one. I wrote about why in your customer already opened WhatsApp.
Step 3: Follow up in a different place after 3 to 5 days
If the first message was an email, try a text or WhatsApp. Same facts, slightly firmer.
Hi Sam, following up on invoice 112 (£240, due 1 October). Can you pay by Friday? Here's the link again.
A date helps. "Soon" gives people nothing to act on.
Step 4: Send a formal reminder with the late payment terms
At around two weeks overdue, switch to a formal email. This is where the law helps you, if your customer is a business.
GOV.UK says you can charge statutory interest on a late commercial payment. The rate is 8% plus the Bank of England base rate, unless your contract sets a different rate. You can't replace it with a lower contractual rate. You can also claim a fixed sum towards debt recovery costs:
- £40 for debts up to £999.99
- £70 for debts of £1,000 to £9,999.99
- £100 for debts of £10,000 or more
You can only charge this once per payment (GOV.UK, "Claim debt recovery costs", checked 6 October 2026). GOV.UK also says you can claim reasonable costs each time you try to recover the debt, on top of the fixed sum.
Say you're a cleaner owed £450 by a small café. You could add £40 to the amount and state that you'll claim interest too. A short email saying so is often enough to move that invoice up the pile.
One big catch. These rules cover business-to-business payments. If your customer is a private individual, you can't use them. You can still chase, and you can still go to court, but the late payment interest and the fixed fees don't apply.
If you're not sure whether a payment counts as late in law, I covered the basics in late payments and your bill as a self-employed person.
Step 5: Send a final letter before going to court
If the invoice is still unpaid after a month or so, send a letter or email that says this is your final request. Give a clear deadline, such as 14 days. State the total owed and say that you'll make a court claim if it isn't paid.
GOV.UK says you can apply to a county court to claim money you're owed by a person or business, online or by post. It also mentions that mediation could be quicker and cheaper than court (GOV.UK, "Make a court claim for money").
What does a court claim cost?
The fee depends on the size of the claim. GOV.UK lists these court fees (checked 6 October 2026):
- Up to £300: £35
- £300.01 to £500: £50
- £500.01 to £1,000: £70
- £1,000.01 to £1,500: £80
- £1,500.01 to £3,000: £115
- £3,000.01 to £5,000: £205
- £5,000.01 to £10,000: £455
- £10,000.01 to £200,000: 5% of the claim
The fees are worked out on the claim plus any interest. So for that £450 café debt, the fee would be £50. That's real money for a small job, so weigh it up. Often the letter alone gets a reply, because the customer can see you mean it.
Keep a record as you go
Save every message. Note the date, the amount and what you said. If it does end up in court, a clean paper trail matters more than anything else you can bring.
My take
Chasing gets easier when it's routine. The people who struggle are the ones who only chase when they're desperate, so the message comes out angry. Send the day-after nudge every time, to every customer, and it stops feeling personal.
That's the idea behind Vcents. You ask for the money in WhatsApp, the customer pays from their bank app, and you can see who's paid and who hasn't. If you're curious, it's at v-cents.com. If you'd rather keep your spreadsheet, the plan above works just as well. For more on what chasing costs you, see the real cost of chasing.
Sources
Vcents turns the thread into a payment.
Ask for money in plain English. Your customer taps once, authorises in their own bank, and the receipt lands back in the chat.
How receiving payments works