Client not paying your invoice? How to chase late payments and escalate it
Chapters
If a client has not paid your invoice, here is how to chase late payment, add interest and escalate through small claims in the UK. Late payments are common in creative work, but they are not something you have to accept.
If someone tells you “it’s with accounts” one more time, you are well within your rights to smash your laptop closed and order a restorative matcha latte. Getting ghosted on payment is one of those parts of creative work that no one prepares you for. The good news is that there is a structure to this. Once you know it, you stop sounding like you are asking for a favour and start acting like someone running a business.
Why this keeps happening
A lot of creative work sits in a grey zone. Informal briefs, fast turnarounds, small teams, blurred lines between collaboration and contract. Add stretched finance departments and invoices can slip down the list. None of that changes the fact that you are owed money for work you have delivered.
How to set yourself up properly
The easiest payment dispute to deal with is the one you avoid in the first place.
- Agree terms in writing. Email is enough. Outline what you are delivering, when, and for how much.
- State your payment terms clearly. Fourteen or thirty days is standard in the UK.
- Invoice properly. Include your name or business name, address, invoice number, date, due date, description of work and bank details.
- Consider a deposit. This is especially useful for new clients or larger projects.
It does not need to feel formal or heavy. It just needs to be clear.
When to chase
One to three days before the due date
Send a friendly reminder.
“Just a quick note that invoice X is due on [date]. Let me know if you need anything from me to process it.”
One to seven days overdue
Be polite but direct.
“Invoice X is now overdue. Please confirm when payment will be made.”
Two to three weeks overdue
Remove the softness.
“Please arrange payment of invoice X within seven days. If there are any issues, let me know immediately.”
At this point, you are asking for something that is already owed.
When and how to get more direct
If emails are being ignored, change the approach. Call if you can. It is harder to avoid a conversation. Copy in accounts or finance if you have the contact. Refer back to what was agreed. Due date, fee, and any written confirmation. Keep the tone factual. You do not need to over-explain or soften the request.
Adding interest
In the UK, if another business is late paying you, you can charge interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.
You can charge statutory interest at 8 per cent above the Bank of England base rate. You can also claim a fixed compensation fee depending on the invoice amount.
You can include this in your terms or introduce it once the invoice becomes overdue. Even mentioning it can prompt action.
Your rights
If you have delivered the work as agreed, you are entitled to be paid. Silence is not a valid response to an invoice.
If there is a genuine dispute, it needs to be raised clearly. Otherwise, the expectation is payment in line with the agreed terms.
Small claims court
If chasing does not work, you can escalate through the HM Courts & Tribunals Service using the small claims process.
This is designed for unpaid invoices and straightforward disputes, usually under £10,000 in England and Wales.
You submit a claim online, pay a fee, and the court contacts the other party. Often, that step alone is enough to prompt payment.
A simple escalation ladder
- Friendly reminder before the due date
- Polite overdue email
- Firm request with a deadline
- Mention interest or late payment rights
- Final notice before action
- File a small claim
Most situations resolve before the final step. Knowing the route gives you leverage.
Final thought
Being paid on time is part of the job. Treating it that way changes how you show up in every conversation that follows.