UK Letter Before Action (Letter Before Claim) Generator
If someone owes you money and has not paid, a Letter Before Action (also called a Letter Before Claim) is usually the required next step before you can start a small claim. Enter your details, the other party's details, what the money is owed for, the amount, and a deadline, and this tool assembles a formatted letter you can copy or print. It updates live as you type, everything runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is saved, sent, or emailed anywhere.
A free template, not legal advice.
This tool helps you take the pre-action step before making a small claim for money you are owed. It is not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm. You send the finished letter yourself, and you should adapt it to your own situation and nation before you do. If you are the one being chased for a debt, rather than the one owed money, see free, independent advice from Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline, or MoneyHelper before this letter reaches you or a court date is set.
Add your name, the other party's name, and the amount owed
The letter below fills in placeholders until all three are entered.
Send these with the letter
- An up-to-date statement of account for the debt, showing any interest and charges added (Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, para 3.1(b))
- The Information Sheet and the Reply Form (Annex 1 to the Protocol) (Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, para 3.1(c))
- A Financial Statement form (Annex 2 to the Protocol, part of the Standard Financial Statement) (Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, para 3.1(d))
The Information Sheet, Reply Form and Financial Statement are printed as Annexes 1 and 2 of the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims (PDF, Ministry of Justice). Date the letter, and post it that day or the next (para 3.2 to 3.3). Your deadline has been raised to 30 days to match the protocol.
[Your full name] [Date] [Other party's name] LETTER OF CLAIM (PRE-ACTION PROTOCOL FOR DEBT CLAIMS) Dear [Other party's name], I am writing about a debt of [amount], which you owe me for [what the money is owed for]. The debt arises from a written agreement dated [date of agreement] between [the parties]. You can ask me for a copy of the written agreement. No interest or other charges are currently being added to this debt. The enclosed statement of account shows how the amount is made up. You can pay by: [how to pay, for example bank transfer details or a postal address for cheques]. If you would like to discuss paying in instalments or other payment options, please contact me at [your contact address]. I enclose an Information Sheet, a Reply Form and a Financial Statement form. Please read the Information Sheet, then complete the Reply Form and send it to me at [address for the Reply Form]. If you are seeking debt advice or need time to pay, please say so on the Reply Form. If I do not receive a reply within 30 days of the date at the top of this letter, I may start court proceedings against you in the county court, including through Money Claim Online (MCOL), to recover this debt. I also reserve the right to claim interest and costs, including court fees, in addition to the amount owed. This letter is sent in line with the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims. If you return the Reply Form, I will not start court proceedings less than 30 days from receiving it, or 30 days from providing any documents you ask for, whichever is later. Enclosures: - An up-to-date statement of account for the debt, showing any interest and charges added - The Information Sheet and the Reply Form (Annex 1 to the Protocol) - A Financial Statement form (Annex 2 to the Protocol, part of the Standard Financial Statement) I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, [Your full name]
Business Chasing an Individual: The Debt Claims Protocol
In England & Wales, two different pre-action regimes can apply, and the generator asks who is owed and who owes so it can pick the right one. The Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims applies to any business (including sole traders and public bodies) claiming a debt from an individual (including a sole trader). It does not apply to business-to-business debts unless the debtor is a sole trader.
When the protocol applies, the creditor should:
- send a Letter of Claim, dated at the top and posted that day or the next;
- state the amount, whether interest or charges are still being added, the agreement the debt arises from, and how to pay;
- enclose a statement of account, the Information Sheet and Reply Form (Annex 1) and a Financial Statement form (Annex 2);
- wait 30 days from the date of the letter before starting proceedings, and if the debtor returns the Reply Form, not start proceedings less than 30 days from receiving it (or from providing documents the debtor asked for, whichever is later).
Where no specific protocol applies (for example a company chasing another company, or one private individual chasing another), the general Practice Direction applies instead. It expects a reply within a reasonable time, which it describes as 14 days in a straightforward case. The protocol does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland, which have their own court systems.
What Happens After You Send It
Sending a Letter Before Action gives the other party a final, clearly stated deadline (commonly 14 days, or 30 days under the Debt Claims Protocol) to pay or reply before you take the matter to court. In England & Wales, this step is expected under the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols, and courts can penalise a party in costs if they skip it unreasonably. If the debt remains unpaid after the deadline, you can then start a claim through Money Claim Online (MCOL) or by issuing a paper claim in the county court.
Scotland and Northern Ireland run different court systems, and this generator changes the wording accordingly. In Scotland, a claim of this kind is raised in the Sheriff Court under the Simple Procedure, and the letter reflects the pre-action expectations that apply there instead of the England & Wales practice direction. In Northern Ireland, a claim is brought in the Small Claims Court (the county court in Northern Ireland). Whichever nation applies, going to court is not free and not guaranteed to succeed, so a clear, well-evidenced letter that gives a fair chance to pay is worth sending first, both because it may resolve things without a claim and because it shows the court you tried.
For the fuller picture on issuing a claim once the deadline passes, including fees and the claim limits that apply in each nation, see the small claims court guide and the Money Claim Online guide. Both sit under the UK debt & money hub.
What This Tool Does Not Do
This generator only assembles the wording of a letter from the details you type in. It does not check whether the debt is valid or enforceable, does not send anything on your behalf, does not store or transmit anything you enter, and does not tell you whether court action is likely to succeed. You are responsible for sending the finished letter yourself (by post or email), for keeping a copy, and for checking that the amount, the deadline, and the court referenced are right for your situation and nation. This tool is for chasing a debt genuinely owed to you. It is not a debt-collection or debt-advice service, and it does not cover harassment or credit-agreement disputes if you are the one being asked to pay. For anything unusual, such as a disputed amount, a business debtor who may be insolvent, or a claim close to a limitation deadline, consider independent legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Letter Before Action?
A Letter Before Action (also called a Letter Before Claim) is a formal letter that sets out money someone owes you, gives them a clear deadline to pay, and states that you intend to start court proceedings without further notice if they do not pay by that deadline. It is normally the last step before issuing a small claim.
Do I have to send one before going to court?
In England and Wales, sending a letter before claim is expected under the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols (and, where a business is chasing an individual, the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims), and a court can take non-compliance into account when managing the case and on costs. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, sending a similar letter is considered good practice before raising a Simple Procedure claim or a small claim, even though the formal pre-action rules differ from England and Wales.
How long should I give someone to pay?
It depends on who is chasing whom. In England and Wales, if a business (including a sole trader) is chasing an individual or a sole trader, the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims gives the debtor 30 days from the date of the letter to reply, and this generator will not set a shorter deadline in that case. Otherwise, 14 days is the usual deadline in a straightforward case under the general Practice Direction. You can always choose a longer period.
What must I send with a Letter of Claim to an individual?
Under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, a business chasing an individual or sole trader should enclose an up-to-date statement of account, the Information Sheet and Reply Form in Annex 1 of the protocol, and a Financial Statement form (Annex 2). The generator lists these when the protocol applies and links the official protocol document, which contains the forms.
What happens if they still do not pay after the deadline?
You can then start a claim. In England and Wales, that is usually through Money Claim Online (MCOL) or by issuing a paper claim in the county court. In Scotland, you raise a claim in the Sheriff Court under the Simple Procedure. In Northern Ireland, you bring a claim in the Small Claims Court (the county court in Northern Ireland).
Does the letter change for Scotland or Northern Ireland?
Yes. This generator changes the court named, the pre-action wording, and the route to court depending on which of the three nations you select, because England & Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland each run separate court systems for money claims.
Can I claim interest and costs as well as the amount owed?
This letter reserves your right to claim interest and costs, including court fees, in addition to the amount owed if you have to go to court. Whether interest applies, and how it is calculated, depends on your situation, for example whether there is a written contract that sets an interest rate.
Does this tool store, send, or email my information anywhere?
No. The letter is assembled entirely in your browser as you type. Nothing you enter is saved, transmitted, or emailed by this tool. You copy or print the finished letter and send it yourself.
What if I'm the one being chased for a debt, not the one owed money?
This tool is written for the person owed money, not for someone being pursued for a debt. If you have received a letter like this and are struggling to pay, free, independent advice is available from Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline, and MoneyHelper, and you should get advice before a claim is issued or a court date is set.
This tool generates a free self-help letter template for the pre-action step before making a small claim for a debt owed to you. It is general information, not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm and is not affiliated with any UK court or government body. See gov.uk and the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols for official guidance, or take independent legal advice for anything unusual or disputed. If you are being chased for a debt rather than chasing one, free advice is available from Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline, or MoneyHelper.
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