TCH Daily · Work
How to chase unpaid invoices in the UK — 7 calm steps
Most late invoices are not malice. They are lost in someone else’s inbox. Your job is a clear paper trail and a polite escalation.
Seven steps. Stay calm. Keep records.
- Check the invoice. Correct company name, PO if required, bank details, due date, your contact.
- Day after due. One short email: number, amount, due date, PDF attached again. No essay.
- Three days later. Same thread — confirm receipt, ask if anything is blocking payment.
- One week late. Phone the AP contact if you have one. Note the name and time.
- Two weeks late. Formal chase: overdue amount, original due date, date you pause new work if unpaid.
- Waiting-on list. Who owes what, since when, last contact. Memory is not a ledger.
- Ready prompts. If you want chase emails and a waiting-on sheet ready to paste, use the Freelancer pack.