Unpaid invoice tracker and debt recovery roadmap (UK)

What is in the pack

• unpaid-invoice-tracker.xlsx: an invoice register with days overdue calculated automatically against TODAY(), a status column (Paid, OVERDUE, Not due), an escalation stage dropdown (Reminder 1, Reminder 2, Final notice, LBA sent, Court (MCOL)) and totals for outstanding and overdue money. Three example rows show how it works.
• debt-recovery-roadmap.docx: the six stage escalation route in plain English, from polite reminder through Letter Before Action and the Small Business Commissioner to a Money Claims Online claim, with the current court fee table and what happens after you file.

Why a tracker beats a folder of angry emails

Escalation paralysis is the real reason most unpaid invoices drag on. You chase once, hear nothing, feel awkward, and three weeks vanish. The register fixes that by making the next action visible: every invoice shows its days overdue this morning and the stage you have reached, so Monday's job is simply "everything at Reminder 2 or beyond gets its next step today".

It also builds your evidence as a side effect. If a debt ever reaches court, the dated log of invoices, reminders and promises is exactly what a district judge wants to see. You are not preparing a case at the last minute, you have been keeping one all along.

The escalation route, stage by stage

• Days 1 to 7 overdue: polite reminder with the invoice reattached. Assume admin error first.
• Around day 14: firm reminder plus statement of account, and a phone call to accounts payable. Get a named person and a promised date, confirm it in writing.
• Days 21 to 28: final notice with statutory interest and compensation added. Work the exact figure out with my late payment interest calculator.
• Letter Before Action: the formal pre-court letter with a 7 to 14 day deadline. The roadmap tells you what it must contain.
• Small Business Commissioner: free route if your debtor is a larger business and you have fewer than 50 staff.
• Money Claims Online: file online for debts up to £100,000. Claims up to £10,000 normally go to the small claims track, where most people represent themselves.

If you want the chasing emails written for you with escalating tone, use my free Invoice Chaser alongside the tracker.

Small claims court fees for an unpaid invoice (MCOL)

Filing online is cheaper than on paper. The online issue fees, last checked 15 July 2026: up to £300 costs £35, up to £500 costs £50, up to £1,000 costs £70, up to £1,500 costs £80, up to £3,000 costs £115, up to £5,000 costs £205, up to £10,000 costs £455, and claims from £10,000.01 to £100,000 cost 5% of the claim value. A separate hearing fee applies only if the claim is defended and reaches a hearing. You can normally add the court fee and the statutory interest to the amount claimed, so the debtor bears them if you win.

Rates and assumptions

Rates last checked: 15 July 2026. Statutory interest is 8% over the Bank of England base rate; MCOL fees as published at gov.uk on that date.

How do I recover an unpaid invoice in the UK?

Escalate in stages and keep everything in writing: a polite reminder in the first week overdue, a firm reminder with a statement around day 14, a final notice adding statutory interest around day 21 to 28, then a Letter Before Action giving 7 to 14 days, and finally a county court claim through Money Claims Online. Most invoices get paid before court, and the paper trail you build is the evidence a court expects if you get that far.

What is a Letter Before Action?

A Letter Before Action (LBA) is a formal letter stating the amount owed, how it arises, the interest added, a clear deadline of 7 to 14 days and that you will start county court proceedings without further notice if it stays unpaid. It is the required step before filing a claim, and in practice a large share of stubborn debts settle at this stage.

How much does it cost to take someone to small claims court for an unpaid invoice?

Filing online through Money Claims Online, the issue fee is £35 for claims up to £300, £50 up to £500, £70 up to £1,000, £80 up to £1,500, £115 up to £3,000, £205 up to £5,000, £455 up to £10,000, and 5% of the claim between £10,000.01 and £100,000. Fees last checked 15 July 2026. You can usually add the fee and statutory interest to the claim.

How long does a small claims court claim take?

The defendant has 14 days from service to respond, or 28 days in total if they acknowledge the claim first. If they do not respond you can request judgment in default, often within 3 to 4 weeks of filing. If they defend, claims up to £10,000 normally go to the small claims track and a hearing is listed some months later depending on the court.

Can I charge interest on late payments?

Yes. Business to business, the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 gives you statutory interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100 per invoice depending on the debt size, without needing a clause in your contract.

What is the Small Business Commissioner?

A free government service that handles late payment complaints from businesses with fewer than 50 staff against larger business customers. It can investigate, make recommendations and publish findings, and using it does not stop you going to court afterwards.

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