Payment reminder email: 8 templates to get paid, plus a follow up sequence

A payment reminder email is a short, polite message that prompts a customer to pay an invoice on or after its due date. The most effective approach is a timed sequence: a friendly heads-up before the due date, a clear nudge on the day, then firmer follow-ups at 7, 14, 30 and 60 days overdue. Send the right message at the right time and you get paid faster without straining the relationship.

If you run credit control or manage a finance team, you already know the problem. The work is done, the invoice is sent, and then nothing. Chasing payment by email feels awkward, takes hours, and is easy to let slide when you are busy. Yet over 1.5 million UK businesses, around 28%, are hit by late payment every year. This guide turns invoice chasing into a calm, repeatable system you can run on autopilot.

What is a payment reminder email?

A payment reminder email is a written message that asks a customer to pay an outstanding invoice. It can go out before the due date as a courtesy, on the due date as a prompt, or after the due date to chase an overdue balance. A good payment reminder states the invoice number, the amount owed, and the original due date in plain language, and it makes paying as easy as possible.

Reminders are not the same as a demand. Most late payment is not deliberate. Invoices get buried in busy inboxes, sit in an approval queue, or wait on a payment run. A friendly payment reminder simply keeps your invoice top of mind. Sending one is professional, not pushy, and it is the first and most important step in any accounts receivable process.

Why send a payment reminder email at all?

You send payment reminder emails because your customers manage their cash flow the same way you do. Their accounts payable team will pay the invoices that are chased and visible first, and quietly defer the ones that are not. A timely reminder moves your invoice up that queue. It also protects you: the longer an invoice goes unpaid, the harder it becomes to collect.

Sources: Intuit, Sage, CFO.com.

Those hours add up. Chasing late payers by hand is one of the biggest drains on a finance team's week, and the cash that slips through is real. This is exactly the work that Chaser's accounts receivable software is built to take off your plate, so your team can focus on the customers and decisions that matter.

When should you send a payment reminder? The full sequence

Timing is the difference between getting paid on time and chasing for months. Treat payment follow-up as a sequence, not a one-off task. Below is the schedule Chaser recommends, mapped to exact days so you always know which reminder to send and when. The tone shifts gradually from warm and helpful to firm and formal as the invoice ages.

Adjust the days to match your own payment terms. The pattern matters more than the exact dates.

Two principles run through the whole sequence. First, start before the invoice is late. A pre-due reminder removes the most common excuse, "I never received it". Second, never skip a stage out of awkwardness. Each message is easier to send when the one before it has already set the expectation. Templates for clients who pay, dispute, part-pay, or miss a promised date are in the tricky-scenarios section further down.

What should a payment reminder email include?

Every payment reminder email should contain the same core details, no matter the stage. Include these and your customer can identify the invoice and pay it without a single back-and-forth email. Leave them out and you create the very delay you are trying to avoid.

• A clear subject line with your company name and the invoice number, so the right person can find it fast.
• A polite, personal greeting using the recipient's name.
• The invoice number, so both sides can reference it instantly.
• The full amount due, stated as a clear figure.
• The original due date, which sets the context for the chase.
• An easy way to pay, ideally a direct payment link plus your bank details.
• The invoice attached, so they never have to go searching.
• A warm closing with your full contact details.

Subject lines that get opened and actioned

Your subject line is the first thing your customer sees, and it sets the tone before they read a word. Keep it under 60 characters so it shows in full on mobile, and always include the invoice number so their accounts team can locate the invoice without replying to ask. As the invoice ages, the subject line should move from neutral to clearly urgent.

8 payment reminder email templates you can copy

The hardest part of chasing payment is knowing where to start and how to phrase each follow-up. The templates below map to the sequence above, one for each stage. Copy them, swap in your own details, and you have a full year of payment reminders ready to go. Each is written in British English, in a tone that gets you paid without burning the relationship.

Template 1: payment reminder email, 7 days before the due date

Send this about a week before the invoice is due. It is not a chase, it is a courtesy that confirms the invoice arrived and quietly puts the due date in the customer's diary. A pre-due reminder is the most underused message in credit control, and it prevents more late payments than any other.

Template 2: payment reminder email on the due date

Send this on the day the invoice falls due. The tone stays friendly and assumes the best. You are simply making it effortless to pay today rather than later. Lead with the payment link so the customer can act in the same moment they read the email.

Template 3: gentle first reminder, 1 to 3 days overdue

When an invoice slips a day or two past due, send a gentle first reminder. Assume an oversight, not avoidance. Your goal here is not to pressure the customer but to agree a payment date as soon as possible. Keep it short and warm so it is easy for them to reply.

Template 4: second reminder, 7 days overdue

A week overdue with no reply means it is time to firm up. The message stays respectful, but the subject line now carries the word "overdue" and the body asks for payment more directly. If you charge late fees or interest, this is the point to mention it clearly. Always attach the invoice again to head off any "I never received it" reply.

Template 5: payment plan offer, 14 days overdue

Two weeks overdue with silence often means the customer cannot pay the full amount right now. Rather than escalate, offer a way forward. A payment plan keeps the relationship intact and gives you a clear path to recovering the money. Many businesses skip this step and go straight to threats, which costs them both the cash and the customer.

Template 6: first formal notice, 30 days overdue

At 30 days overdue with no payment or reply, the tone shifts from friendly to formal. This is your first formal notice. Summarise the history, restate the facts, and set a firm new date for payment. Keep it factual and free of anger; a formal email is more persuasive when it reads as calm and certain.

Template 7: second formal notice, 60 days overdue

At 60 days overdue, your second formal notice should make clear the account is now at risk of escalation. This is also the point at which UK businesses can add statutory interest and a fixed recovery charge to a commercial debt. Referencing your legal right to do so is firm, fair, and often enough to prompt payment.

Template 8: final notice before collections, 90 days overdue

A final notice is your last message before you hand the debt to a collections agency or take legal action. It should be short, formal, and unambiguous, while still giving the customer one clear opportunity to pay. Use this only when earlier reminders have genuinely failed, and keep a record of every message you have sent.

How to ask for payment politely in an email

To ask for payment politely in an email, open with a warm greeting, state the invoice number and amount in plain language, and give a specific, friendly request such as "could you let me know when payment will be made?". Assume the delay was an oversight, make paying easy with a direct link, and close by offering help. Politeness and clarity are not opposites; the clearest reminders are usually the most courteous.

The phrasing that works best is collaborative, not accusatory. "I'm following up on invoice [number], which was due on [date]" lands far better than "you have not paid". If you need a deeper library of softening phrases and openers, this guide to politely asking for payment covers the wording in detail. For a quicker channel when email goes quiet, a short, friendly SMS payment reminder often gets a faster reply.

Templates for tricky payment scenarios

Not every invoice follows the standard path. Some customers pay, some part-pay, some dispute, and some promise a date and then miss it. Here are short, ready-to-use templates for the situations that fall outside the main sequence. Each keeps the relationship intact while moving the payment forward.

When the customer pays: a thank-you email

Whether payment was early, on time, or late, always acknowledge it. A short thank-you reinforces good behaviour and makes the next invoice easier to collect. It is also a natural moment to suggest a faster method such as direct debit. There is a fuller set of wording in this collection of thank you for paying emails.

When the customer makes a partial payment

When the customer raises a query or dispute

When a promised payment date is missed

Best practices for payment follow up that gets results

The templates do the heavy lifting, but a few habits make every payment reminder land better. Follow these and you will collect faster while keeping customers on side.

• Be consistent. A predictable sequence trains customers to expect, and act on, your reminders.
• Stay warm until you cannot. Empathy diffuses tension and keeps the door open; save firmness for when it is earned.
• Make paying effortless. A direct link and multiple payment methods remove the friction that causes delay.
• Personalise, even with automation. Using the customer's name and exact invoice detail lifts response rates.
• Keep clear records. Log every reminder so you always know what was sent and when, especially if you escalate.
• Pick up the phone. When email goes quiet, a friendly call often resolves things faster than another message.

How to prevent late payment in the first place

The best payment reminder is the one you never have to send. Most late payment traces back to three avoidable causes: unclear terms, invoices that are easy to overlook, and no simple way to pay. Agree payment terms in writing before work begins, state them on every invoice, send the invoice the moment the work is done, and always include a payment link. A pre-due reminder then closes the gap. Businesses that follow up proactively on the great majority of their invoices are far more likely to be paid within a week of the due date.

Can you charge interest on late payment in the UK?

Yes. Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, UK businesses can charge statutory interest on overdue commercial invoices at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus a fixed sum to cover recovery costs. You can also claim this even if your contract is silent on late payment. Knowing your rights makes your formal reminders far more credible.

The fixed compensation depends on the size of the debt, and is set out in the UK government guidance on late commercial payments. If no payment terms are agreed, the law sets a default of 30 days. As a worked example from that guidance, a £10,000 GBP invoice paid 60 days late would accrue roughly £293 GBP in interest and compensation.

Source: GOV.UK, late commercial payments: charging interest and debt recovery. The UK government has also announced stronger late payment rules, so check the latest position before relying on interest in a formal notice.

How to automate your payment reminders with Chaser

Running this whole sequence by hand across dozens of invoices is where things fall through the cracks. Chaser automates the entire payment reminder schedule, sending the right message at the right time based on each invoice's status, while still sounding like you. Instead of generic, robotic nudges, you set up cadences that recover cash and protect the relationship.

• Send at scale, in your voice. Personalised email, SMS, and call reminders go out automatically on your chosen schedule.
• Segment by behaviour. Reliable payers stay on a soft-touch track; persistent late payers move through a firmer, multi-channel cadence.
• Never chase a paid invoice. A two-way sync with accounting tools such as Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage reconciles payments in real time.
• See what works. Track days sales outstanding, average days to pay, and reminder response rates in one place.

The result is a system that reclaims hours every week and helps you get paid faster, without burning a single client bridge. You can see how it fits your team on the accounts receivable software page, compare options on Chaser pricing, or start a free trial and run your first automated sequence this week.

Frequently asked questions

How do I ask for payment politely in an email?

Open with a warm greeting, state the invoice number, amount, and due date clearly, then make a specific request such as "could you let me know when payment will be made?". Assume the delay was an oversight, attach the invoice, include a payment link, and close by offering help.

How do I chase a client for payment without damaging the relationship?

Use a consistent, timed sequence and keep the tone collaborative. Start gently when an invoice is a few days late, reference the invoice rather than blaming the person, and offer a payment plan if money is tight. Firmness is earned over time, not used at the first reminder.

What is the correct payment follow up email format?

A payment follow up email needs a clear subject line with your company name and invoice number, a polite greeting, the invoice number, amount, and due date, an easy way to pay, the invoice attached, and a warm closing with your contact details. Keep the whole message short and scannable.

How many payment reminders should I send before escalating?

Most businesses send a pre-due reminder, a due-date prompt, and two or three overdue reminders before moving to a formal notice at around 30 days. Tailor the number to your relationship with the customer and the value of the invoice, but always escalate in clear, predictable steps.

What should a final reminder for payment say?

A final reminder for payment should be short and formal. State the invoice number, amount, and how overdue it is, give one clear deadline to pay, and explain what happens next if payment is missed, such as collections or court action. Keep a record of every reminder you have sent.

When is the best time to send a payment reminder email?

Mid-morning on a weekday tends to work best, as it lands when accounts teams are processing their inbox and payment runs. Avoid late Friday and Monday morning. Sending a pre-due reminder about a week ahead of the due date is more effective than waiting until the invoice is already overdue.

Can I charge interest on a late invoice in the UK?

Yes. UK businesses can charge statutory interest on overdue commercial invoices at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus a fixed recovery sum of £40, £70, or £100 GBP depending on the debt size, under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. This applies even if your contract does not mention it.

Can automated payment reminders still feel personal?

Yes. Tools like Chaser merge each customer's name and invoice detail into reminders and let you set the tone for each stage, so automated messages read as if you wrote them by hand. You keep the warmth and consistency while saving the hours that manual chasing would cost.

Sources: GOV.UK late payments consultation, GOV.UK late commercial payments guidance, Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, GOV.UK 2026 late payment reforms, Intuit, Sage, CFO.com.