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.
[Your full name] [Date] [Other party's name] LETTER BEFORE ACTION (LETTER BEFORE CLAIM) Dear [Other party's name], I am writing to request payment of [amount], which you owe me for [what the money is owed for]. Please pay this amount in full within 14 days of the date of this letter. If I do not receive payment in full within that time, I intend to start court proceedings against you in the county court, including through Money Claim Online (MCOL), to recover this debt, without further notice to you. 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 Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols, which requires parties to try to resolve a dispute before either side starts court proceedings. If you dispute this debt, in whole or in part, please reply to me in writing within the above deadline, setting out your reasons and enclosing any supporting documents, so that we can try to resolve this without going to court. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, [Your full name]
What Happens After You Send It
Sending a Letter Before Action gives the other party a final, clearly stated deadline (commonly 14 days) to pay 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 a court can take it into account on costs if you skip this step unreasonably. 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?
Fourteen days is the most common deadline used in a letter before action, and it is the default in this generator. You can choose a longer period if you prefer, but it should be a genuinely reasonable amount of time to arrange payment.
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.
Know someone who could use this? Share this free tool: