Freelance Journalist Business Pack
Seven tools for running your freelance journalism career as a business: from setting rates and pitching editors to invoicing, chasing late payment, and claiming kill fees.
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Who this pack is for
This pack is for UK freelance journalists at any stage — from those just starting out and working out what to charge, to experienced contributors who want ready-made tools for invoicing, late payment chasing, and kill fee disputes. It is also useful for staff journalists considering going freelance who want to understand the financial and administrative side before they make the leap.
Every tool in this pack is built around UK law and industry norms: the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 for invoice disputes, NUJ guidance for kill fees, and HMRC requirements for self-employed invoicing. None of the tools require an account — open any tool, fill in your details, and generate a professional result immediately.
What’s included
Seven tools — click any card to open it directly.
Rate Calculator
Calculate your minimum viable day rate and per-word rate based on your annual costs and target earnings.
Advanced Pitch Generator
Build a structured, editor-ready pitch email with hook, news peg, sources, and rights in under two minutes.
Invoice Generator
Generate a compliant UK freelance journalism invoice with all required fields, ready to send or download.
Late Payment Calculator
Calculate the statutory interest and fixed compensation you are owed on any overdue invoice under the 1998 Act.
Late Payment Letter Generator
Generate a formal late payment demand that cites the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act 1998 with your exact figures.
Kill Fee Calculator
Calculate your kill fee entitlement and generate a formal request letter based on NUJ guidance.
Day Rate Quote Builder
Generate a professional day-rate quote for editorial projects, content commissions, or training work.
Expenses Tracker
Log allowable business expenses by category — equipment, travel, subscriptions, professional memberships — for HMRC Self Assessment.
Annual Income Summary
Summarise your annual freelance income, invoiced vs received, and outstanding balances — one-page view for tax preparation.
How to use this pack
- 1
Set your rates first
Before pitching anyone, use the Rate Calculator to work out your minimum viable day rate and per-word rate. This prevents you from accepting work below what you need to earn. Cross-check your calculated rate against NUJ minimum freelance rates for your outlet type.
- 2
Pitch with a structured email
Use the Advanced Pitch Generator to build a pitch that leads with the story, not your biography. Paste the output into your email client, adjust the tone for the specific editor you are approaching, and keep the whole email under 200 words. Use the simple Pitch Generator for quick one-off pitches and the advanced version for complex investigations.
- 3
Invoice promptly and correctly
Send your invoice the same day you deliver copy. Use the Invoice Generator to produce a compliant UK freelance invoice with all required fields. Agree payment terms (30 days is standard) and note the due date in your calendar.
- 4
Chase late payment methodically
If payment is not received by the due date, use the Late Payment Calculator to determine the statutory interest and compensation you are owed under the 1998 Act. Then generate a formal Late Payment Letter that cites the Act and gives a final deadline before further action.
- 5
Claim kill fees in writing
If a publication kills your commissioned piece, use the Kill Fee Calculator to work out your entitlement (50% for unwritten, 100% for delivered work per NUJ guidance) and generate a formal letter. Send it promptly — waiting too long weakens your position. Keep all commission emails and correspondence.
Red flags — freelance business pitfalls
- You are accepting work below your minimum viable rate “for the byline” without a specific, time-limited strategic reason — this devalues your work and sets a low baseline for future negotiations with that outlet.
- You have no written record of the agreed commission — even a confirming email noting the fee, word count, rights, and kill-fee terms is better than nothing.
- A publication's payment terms are 60 or 90 days — industry standard is 30 days; longer terms are a cash-flow risk and negotiable before you start work.
- You have not raised a kill fee claim within a reasonable period of the spike — waiting months weakens your position; send the claim within two weeks of being told the piece is killed.
- You do not have a separate business bank account — mixing personal and business finances complicates your tax return and makes expense tracking unreliable.
- You have not set aside tax on each payment received — many freelancers find themselves unable to pay a Self Assessment bill because they have spent income they owed HMRC.
- You are relying on verbal confirmation of rates without following up by email — always confirm commissioning details in writing, even if the editor prefers to commission verbally.
Primary sources
- NUJ Freelance Fees Guide — minimum rate guidance by outlet type, updated periodically
- Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 — statutory interest at 8% + base rate and fixed compensation amounts
- HMRC — Self-Employed NI rates — current Class 4 and Class 2 NI rates for the self-employed
- HMRC — Self Assessment — deadlines, how to file, and allowable expenses for journalists
- Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 — author owns copyright; the basis for licensing rather than assigning your work
- NUJ Freelance Charter — NUJ's model terms for freelance contracts including kill fees, rights, and payment terms
Common mistakes
- Invoicing late. Invoice on the day you deliver copy. Late invoicing delays payment and makes it harder to hold the publication to its stated payment terms.
- Not numbering invoices sequentially. A unique invoice number on every invoice is required for HMRC compliance and makes it much easier to track unpaid invoices.
- Forgetting to include rights licensed on your invoice. The invoice should specify what rights the publication is paying for — e.g. “First British Serial Rights only.” This reinforces your copyright position.
- Accepting a rate increase without getting it confirmed in writing. Verbal rate rises are not enforceable; always follow up a rate negotiation with a confirming email that the editor replies to.
- Not tracking outstanding invoices. Use a simple spreadsheet to log every invoice: date sent, due date, amount, and whether paid. Chase systematically at the due date and again seven days later before escalating to a formal late-payment letter.