Getting paid on time, invoicing tips

Default to 14-day terms, not 30

The default UK convention is 30 days, which is why everyone defaults to it. Set 14-day terms in your Ts&Cs from day one and most clients won't push back, they assume that's just how you operate. Halving your debtor days has a bigger impact on cashflow than any other single change you can make.

Charge late fees, and actually apply them

Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act, you can charge statutory interest of 8% above Bank of England base rate, plus a fixed fee per invoice (£40 / £70 / £100 depending on invoice value). Most operators write this into terms but never invoke it. Invoking it once on a slow-paying client almost always fixes the relationship, they become punctual, even if grudgingly.

Take deposits on anything custom

30 to 50% upfront on custom or made-to-order work isn't unreasonable, it's the norm in most B2B industries. The deposit covers your raw material outlay and protects against client cancellation. Frame it as "standard practice" rather than "we don't trust you" and most clients accept without friction.

Move to upfront-only for new clients

First three jobs with a new client paid 100% in advance, then transitioning to terms. This sounds aggressive until you realise it's how most professional services firms have always operated. Clients who refuse upfront-only on a starter relationship are the same clients who'll pay late on term invoices later.

Make it impossibly easy to pay

Card payment links on every invoice. Direct bank details prominent. Stripe / GoCardless setup for recurring clients. Every additional click between "decision to pay" and "payment landed" adds days to your debtor cycle.

Chase early, chase consistently

A polite reminder 3 days before due date catches most accidental late payments, the invoice that got buried in someone's inbox. A second reminder 3 days after due date, then a phone call at day 10. Automated chasing inside Xero, QuickBooks or FreeAgent is essentially free and pays for itself in hours of admin saved.

None of this fixes a structural cashflow problem, but it shrinks the size of any external facility you'd otherwise need. If invoice-side fixes still leave a working-capital gap, MCA can bridge it for businesses with card takings, or talk to Funding Flow about invoice finance.