Invoicing and Getting Paid (UK Freelancers)
The work is not done when you deliver. The work is done when cleared funds hit your account.
This guide covers invoice hygiene, deposits, chasing without chaos, and the mindset that treats cash collection as part of the craft. General information only—not legal advice on debt recovery.
Invoice hygiene (boring = bankable)
Every invoice should make it easy to pay and hard to “lose”:
- Your legal name / trading name and address as appropriate for your structure
- Client legal entity name (not just “Dave in marketing”)
- Unique invoice number
- Issue date and due date
- Description of work tied to a PO or SOW reference
- Net amount, VAT if registered, total
- Payment details (account name, sort code, account number; or card link if you use one)
- Late payment terms referenced (even briefly)
Send PDFs that open on phones. Follow with a one-line email: amount, due date, what it covers, attach invoice.
Deposits are not rude
For new clients or projects over a few days of work:
- 30–50% deposit before kickoff is normal
- Milestone billing beats “all at the end”
- If they will not pay a deposit, they are financing their business with your risk
No deposit + large scope + new relationship = hobby volunteering.
Payment terms that match reality
| Term | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Due on receipt | Small clients, low trust, tiny invoices |
| 7–14 days | Default for many freelancers |
| 30 days | Common corporate; plan cashflow around it |
| 45–60+ days | Only if the margin and volume justify financing them |
Corporate “net 60” is a pricing input. Raise the rate or decline.
The chase sequence (calm, written, escalating)
Assume good faith first; document everything.
Day 0 (due date): polite reminder + invoice reattached.
Day 3–7: second reminder; ask if anything is blocking (PO, portal, wrong entity).
Day 10–14: phone or LinkedIn once, then back to email trail.
Day 21+: formal late notice; reference contract terms; pause further work if ongoing.
Later: commercial decision—small claims, agency, write-off, or solicitor depending on size.
Templates work. Emotional essays do not.
Reminder tone that works
Hi [Name] — friendly nudge on invoice [#] for £[x], due [date], covering [deliverable]. Reattached for convenience. Please confirm it’s in the payment run or tell me if you need a different PO format.
When work is ongoing
Stop free continuity. “I can schedule the next sprint once [#] is settled” is professional, not petty.
Portals, POs, and enterprise friction
Large clients lose invoices inside systems. Onboarding checklist before you start:
- Vendor form completed
- PO number required? Get it before work
- Which portal, which email must be used
- Who approves vs who pays
One hour of onboarding prevents six weeks of “it’s with finance.”
UK late payment context (high level)
UK law and commercial practice recognise that late payment harms suppliers. Depending on the contract and parties, statutory interest and fixed sums may be relevant under late payment legislation for qualifying debts. Read current guidance on GOV.UK and/or speak to an adviser before asserting statutory rights—facts and contract terms matter.
Even when you never claim statutory interest, mentioning contractual late fees in terms of business can improve behaviour.
Partial payments and disputes
- If they dispute 10% of the invoice, still collect 90% while you resolve the rest—in writing.
- Scope disputes are usually change-control failures. Fix process next time: written change orders.
- Never silently accept a random partial as “full and final” unless you mean it.
Cashflow habits that reduce drama
- Invoice the same day you hit a milestone
- Weekly pipeline of “sent / due / overdue”
- Separate tax money (and VAT if registered) immediately
- Emergency fund sized to at least one quiet month
Getting paid is an operations system, not a personality trait.
When to walk away mid-relationship
- Repeated 45-day slips with excuses
- Moving goalposts on acceptance to delay payment
- Pressure to keep working while six invoices age
- Disrespect toward your terms after clear communication
Your future clients inherit the standards you enforce now.
Related Jackals guides
Disclaimer
Debt recovery, statutory interest, and contract enforcement are legal topics. This page is general information from Tabaconda LLC, not legal advice.