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Overdue invoice email templates (UK): polite, firm and formal

Updated 16 October 2026 · Sources: GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk

Chasing an unpaid invoice is awkward, and that awkwardness is exactly why so many freelancers wait too long. Having ready-made wording takes the emotion out of it. Below are three templates for UK businesses, escalating from polite to formal, plus tips on timing, tone and what to include. Copy them, change the details in square brackets and send.

Before you send anything

Check the basics first. A surprising number of "late" invoices are actually stuck because of an admin problem.

• Was the invoice received? Was it sent to the right person or accounts address?
• Does it have what their accounts team needs? That might be a purchase order number, your bank details or your company details.
• Is it actually overdue? If you never agreed a payment date, UK law sets a default of 30 days. See GOV.UK on late commercial payments.

Template 1: polite reminder (1 day overdue)

The goal here is to make paying easy and assume good faith.

Subject: Friendly reminder: invoice [INV-number] due [date]

"Hi [Name],

I hope you're well. Just a quick reminder that invoice [INV-number] for £[amount] was due on [due date]. I've attached it again for convenience.

Payment can be made by bank transfer to: [Account name], sort code [00-00-00], account [00000000], reference [INV-number].

If it's already on its way, please ignore this, and thank you. If there's anything holding it up, just let me know.

Best wishes, [Your name]"

Template 2: firm reminder (7 days overdue)

Still courteous, but now you mention your legal rights. This is often the email that gets things moving, because it signals you know the rules.

Subject: Invoice [INV-number]: now 7 days overdue

"Hi [Name],

I'm following up on invoice [INV-number] for £[amount], which was due on [due date] and is now 7 days overdue. I haven't had a reply to my last message, so I wanted to check that it has reached the right person.

Please could you arrange payment by [date, e.g. 7 days from now]? As this is a business-to-business invoice, the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 entitles us to claim statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus fixed compensation of £[40/70/100]. I'd much rather not need to add these, so I'd be grateful if this can be settled promptly.

Invoice attached. Bank details: [details].

Kind regards, [Your name]"

Template 3: formal notice (14 days overdue)

At this stage, state the figures. Show your calculation so it can't be disputed. Use the calculator below to get the numbers.

Subject: Formal notice: overdue invoice [INV-number], statutory interest and compensation

"Dear [Name],

Invoice [INV-number] for £[amount], due on [due date], remains unpaid despite reminders sent on [dates].

Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 we are now claiming: - Statutory interest at 11.75% a year (8% plus the Bank of England reference rate of 3.75%), which is £[daily amount] a day, totalling £[interest] for [X] days to [today's date] - Fixed compensation of £[40/70/100]

The total now due is £[total]. Interest continues to accrue daily until payment.

Please pay in full by [date, e.g. 7 days]. If payment is not received by then, we will consider further action to recover the debt, which may include court proceedings. If you dispute the invoice, please tell me in writing straight away, with your reasons.

Yours sincerely, [Your name] [Company name, company number, address]"

After the formal notice

If the formal notice doesn't work, the next step is usually a letter before action. This is a final written demand giving the debtor a set time to pay or respond before you start a court claim. If your client is a sole trader, the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims applies, and they must be given 30 days to respond. Our guide on what to do when a client won't pay covers this and the small claims process.

Tips for tone and timing

• Stay factual. Never insult, threaten things you won't do, or copy in third parties to embarrass the client.
• Pick up the phone. One friendly call between emails often works better than five emails.
• Send at sensible times. Tuesday to Thursday mornings tend to reach accounts teams when they're processing payments.
• Keep a paper trail. Save every message, ideally in one email thread.
• Be clear about money. State the exact amount and how to pay every time.
• Offer a payment plan if they're struggling. Getting paid in instalments beats not getting paid. Put any plan in writing.

Chasing by phone or message

Email gives you a written record, but don't rely on it alone. If a firm reminder gets no response, a short, friendly phone call often finds the real problem in minutes, such as a missing PO number, a person on holiday or an invoice stuck in an approval queue. After any call, send a quick email confirming what was agreed, for example: "Thanks for your time today. As discussed, you'll pay invoice [INV-number] by [date]." That keeps your paper trail complete if you later need to escalate.

Should you mention interest in the first email?

Generally, no. The first reminder should assume an honest mistake. Mentioning interest at 7 days is a good middle ground. You keep the relationship intact but show you know your rights. Read more about the numbers in our guides to charging late payment interest and the £40/£70/£100 compensation.

Let LatePay send these for you

LatePay UK sends polite, firm and formal reminders automatically at 1, 7 and 14 days overdue, with the right interest and compensation filled in, so you never have to write an awkward email again.

General information, not legal advice. Statutory interest applies to B2B debts only. See [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/late-commercial-payments-interest-debt-recovery/charging-interest-commercial-debt).