🇬🇧 England and Wales · Client work
A freelancer agreement drafted under the law of England and Wales. Below: what it is usually called here, what the legislation says, and the governing-law clause this draft prints.
In England and Wales this is usually called a freelance contract (or freelance agreement).
Lex drafts it in Plain English beside the legal wording. Share one link; both sides agree and sign.
For UK freelancers the Late Payment Act is the single most useful piece of legislation: statutory interest on late business invoices applies even if the contract is silent. Liability caps in freelance contracts are common, within the limits UCTA allows.
Statutory interest on late payment of commercial debts is set by order under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998; gov.uk states the rate as 8% plus the Bank of England base rate.
Source: Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, s.6; gov.uk guidanceChecked 7 October 2026Pending lawyer review
In England and Wales, an electronic signature is admissible in evidence on any question about the authenticity or integrity of a communication or data.
Source: Electronic Communications Act 2000, s.7Checked 7 October 2026Pending lawyer review
Liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence cannot be excluded or restricted by a contract term; other negligence liability can be limited only so far as the term is reasonable. Consumer contracts are carved out to the Consumer Rights Act 2015, whose s.31 lists liabilities a trader cannot exclude in contracts for goods.
Source: Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, s.2Checked 7 October 2026Pending lawyer review
More on England and Wales: how contracts work in England and Wales.
This agreement and any dispute arising out of or in connection with it are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.
In Plain English: if there is a dispute, the law of England and Wales decides what the contract means, and the named courts hear it. It does not say this is the right choice for you; that depends on where the parties are and what they agree.
Legal wording · example
The Client shall pay a deposit of [50]% before work starts and the balance within [14] days of delivery.
In Plain English
Half is paid up front, the rest within the days agreed after you deliver.
How this clause works →Legal wording · example
Copyright in the final Deliverables is assigned to the Client on receipt of payment in full. The Freelancer may show the work in their portfolio.
In Plain English
The client owns the final work once they have paid everything, and you can still show it in your portfolio.
How this clause works →Legal wording · example
If the Client cancels the project after work has started, the Client shall pay for work done to date plus a cancellation fee of [25]% of the remaining Fee.
In Plain English
If the client pulls the plug, they pay for what is done plus an agreed share of the rest.
How this clause works →Legal wording · example
The Freelancer's total liability is limited to the Fee paid under this agreement, save where the law does not allow a limit.
In Plain English
If something goes wrong, the most you can owe is what you were paid, except where the law says otherwise.
How this clause works →Between businesses, statutory interest is available under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. gov.uk states the rate as 8% plus the Bank of England base rate. A contract can also set its own rate.
Usually, yes. An electronic signature is admissible in evidence (Electronic Communications Act 2000 s.7), and the Law Commission's 2019 report says it is capable of executing a document where the signer intends to authenticate it. A freelance contract is commonly a simple contract, not a deed, so no witness is needed.
Commonly, yes, by a cap such as the fee paid. UCTA 1977 s.2 means liability for death or personal injury from negligence cannot be limited, and other negligence limits must be reasonable.
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