The money you're leaving on the table: what UK tradespeople miss

Most UK tradespeople lose thousands every year -- not because they're bad at their job, but because nobody tells them what they're entitled to. This page is the cheat sheet.

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Late payment interest you're not claiming

Worth: ~£600/year on average

If a customer or contractor pays you late and there's no specific interest clause in your contract, you have a statutory right to charge 8% + Bank of England base rate on the overdue amount, plus a fixed late payment fee of £40-£100 depending on the debt size.

Most tradespeople don't know this exists. Even fewer actually charge it. But it's law -- the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

On a £5,000 invoice that's 60 days overdue, that's roughly £70 in interest you could have claimed. Over a year of typical late payers, it adds up to hundreds.

The guide: Late payment interest and how to charge it -- free on SiteKiln. The tool: Late Payment Calculator -- plug in the numbers, get the amount. Free.

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CIS overpayments you're not reclaiming

Worth: £2,000-4,000/year for many subbies

If you're on CIS at 20% and your actual tax bill is lower (because of expenses, allowances, or simply because 20% was too much), HMRC owes you the difference. Every year, thousands of subcontractors overpay and never reclaim.

Your accountant should be doing this, but if you don't have one, or they're not on it, you're leaving real money with HMRC.

The guide: Getting your CIS refund -- free on SiteKiln.

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Access to Work grants you've never heard of

Worth: up to £66,000/year

If you have dyslexia, ADHD, dyspraxia, or any condition that affects your work, the government will pay for assistive tech, coaching, support workers, and travel. Employed or self-employed -- both eligible.

Construction has the highest proportion of dyslexic workers of any UK industry. Almost nobody in the sector claims Access to Work. It's free money for support you probably need and didn't know existed.

The guide: Neurodiversity on site -- in partnership with Dopamine Hunters. Free on SiteKiln.

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Adjudication -- the £10-30k debt recovery tool you don't know about

Worth: the full amount you're owed, in 28 days

If a main contractor owes you money and won't pay, you have a statutory right to drag them into adjudication under the Construction Act 1996. An adjudicator makes a binding decision in roughly 28 days.

Most subbies owed serious money don't know this exists. They either write it off or pay a claims management company 25-35% of their own compensation to chase it.

Adjudication isn't free (expect £5-15k in costs), but you keep 100% of what's awarded. And if the contractor missed their payment notices, you may have a "smash and grab" case where the law is almost entirely on your side.

The guide: Adjudication step-by-step -- free on SiteKiln.

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Small claims mediation that's now free

Worth: £2,000-5,000 in solicitor fees saved

Since Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil (2023), courts can now force you to try mediation before hearing your case. For disputes under £10k, HMCTS runs a free mediation service -- one hour, phone-based, often settles it.

Most tradespeople in a dispute under £10k still go straight to a solicitor. That costs £2,000-5,000 minimum. The free mediation service exists and is now effectively compulsory for small claims anyway.

The guide: Mediation before court -- free on SiteKiln.

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Holiday pay you're not getting

Worth: 5.6 weeks of pay per year

If you're employed (PAYE), you're entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year. That's law, not a perk. Many construction workers -- especially those on zero-hours or agency contracts -- either don't get it or don't know they can claim it.

If you've been underpaid holiday, you can claim back up to 2 years of arrears through an employment tribunal.

The guide: Holiday pay and your rights -- free on SiteKiln.

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The Defective Premises Act -- the 30-year liability you didn't know about

Worth: potentially your entire business if you're not prepared

The Building Safety Act 2022 extended liability under the Defective Premises Act to 30 years retrospectively for residential work completed before June 2022, and 15 years going forward.

Most small builders have no idea. Their insurance almost certainly doesn't cover it. There's no magic fix, but knowing it exists means you can keep better records, check your PI retroactive dates, and actually defend yourself if a claim comes in 2040 for a loft conversion you did in 2010.

The guide: The Defective Premises Act explained -- free on SiteKiln.

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The total

Add it up. Late payment interest, CIS reclaims, Access to Work, adjudication awareness, free mediation, holiday pay, liability protection.

The average UK tradesperson leaves £3,000-8,000 on the table every year because nobody tells them what they're entitled to.

Every guide on this site is free. Every template is free. Every tool is free.

No paywall. No login for guides. No data selling. No programmatic ads.

We built SiteKiln because we think it's wrong that the people who build the country have to pay to find out their rights.

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What to do next

Pick the one that hits hardest for your situation and read the guide. Then come back for the next one.

• Owed money? Start with the adjudication guide and the late payment calculator
• On CIS? Read the CIS refund guide and talk to your accountant
• Dyslexic or ADHD? Read the neurodiversity guide and check Access to Work
• In a dispute under £10k? Read the mediation guide before you call a solicitor
• Employed and not getting full holiday? Read the holiday pay guide
• Doing residential work? Read the Defective Premises Act guide and check your insurance

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