UK freelancers: a polite 3-step system for overdue invoices (with exact wording)

If a client is late on payment, the goal is simple: get paid without torching the relationship.

Here is the lightweight sequence I use for UK freelancer invoices:

1. Day 1 overdue — neutral nudge "Just checking invoice #X reached the right inbox."
2. Day 7 overdue — firm follow-up Reference due date and ask for a payment date.
3. Day 14+ overdue — formal notice Cite Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act rights (interest + fixed fee) and set a clear deadline.

The common mistake is jumping from too-soft to too-aggressive. A staged approach usually recovers cash faster.

If helpful, these are the exact resources I built for this:

• Free late-payment interest calculator: https://landolio.com/tools/late-payment-interest-calculator
• Invoice Email Pack (copy/paste templates): https://landolio.com/products/invoice-email-pack
• Getting Paid Toolkit (clauses + escalation scripts): https://landolio.com/products/getting-paid-toolkit

Transparency: drafted with AI assistance and reviewed/edited by a human before publishing.