If a client can't or won't pay by direct debit, the usual alternatives are a payment link on every invoice (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or pay by bank), a standing order for a fixed fee, or a bank transfer with clear details. Each one leaves the client deciding when to pay, so what you give up is the certainty of collecting on your date. Reminders and a due date that fits the client's payment run can make up much of the difference.
In this article
The short version
- Direct debit needs a UK bank account that accepts direct debits.
- Some clients can't use it; others keep payments inside their own approval process.
- A payment link on every invoice suits variable fees; a standing order suits a flat fee.
- Set due dates just before the client's payment run and chase on a schedule.
- A virtual account per customer makes bank transfers easy to match.
Why a client might not be able to use direct debit
It helps to know which situation you're in, because the best alternative depends on it. There are four common ones:
- No UK bank account: direct debit runs on Bacs, the UK's domestic scheme, so it needs a UK account. An overseas client will usually pay by card or bank transfer.
- An account that won't accept direct debits: some accounts, often savings accounts and certain specialist or client accounts, don't allow them at all. If a mandate fails for this reason, the bank sends back a reason code saying so, and only the client's bank can tell you which of its accounts are affected.
- A process that won't allow it: many businesses pay suppliers in a weekly or monthly run, need a purchase order on every invoice, or have two people approve anything leaving the account. They aren't refusing to pay you; they're keeping payments inside their own controls.
- A preference: some clients, particularly finance directors, like to keep the timing in their own hands.
Two cases look like refusals but aren't. Account details that keep coming back as wrong are an admin problem you can fix with a second attempt, and a signatory who's away is a timing problem. Neither needs a different payment method.
The alternatives and what each one suits
| Situation | What usually works | What you give up |
|---|---|---|
| No UK bank account | Card payment from a link, or a bank transfer | Automatic collection, and cards issued abroad usually cost more to accept |
| Account won't take direct debit, fixed fee | Standing order | The ability to change the amount without the client acting |
| Fees that vary each month | A payment link on every invoice | Certainty of the date, since someone still has to decide to pay |
| Client pays on a fixed payment run | A payment link, with your due date set to match their run | Very little, if the dates line up |
| Large one-off invoice | Pay by bank, card or bank transfer, or an agreed instalment plan | Little, since one-off invoices are rarely collected by direct debit |
A standing order is the closest thing to a direct debit for a flat monthly fee, but it works the other way round. Your client tells their own bank to send you a fixed amount on a fixed date, so they control it. They can change or cancel it without telling you, and you won't usually find out until the money doesn't arrive. If your fee changes, they have to set up a new one. A standing order needs a monthly check that the payment landed.
A payment link is the most flexible option when fees vary. Your client clicks, chooses how to pay and approves it in seconds, with the amount and your reference already filled in. There are no bank details to copy, so payments match their invoices and there's no account number for a fraudster to swap in a fake email.
A plain bank transfer costs nothing per payment, but your client has to type your sort code, account number and reference, and a wrong reference leaves you with a payment you can't easily match.
How to make the alternative work
Without a mandate, your invoices depend on someone deciding to pay, so the follow-up matters more. A few habits can close much of the gap.
- Put a payment link on every invoice, so paying takes one step whichever method the client prefers.
- Set your due date to land just before their payment run, not just after it. If they pay monthly, missing the run by a day can mean waiting another month.
- Agree a firm date in writing with clients who pay on a run, and remind them a few days before it.
- Give bank transfer payers their own reference or account details, so each payment is easy to match.
- Chase on a schedule, starting soon after the due date, so it doesn't depend on someone remembering.
With Adfin, every invoice can carry a payment link for card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, pay by bank and bank transfer, and each customer can have their own virtual account in your business's name, so transfers match the right invoice even when the reference is missing. Adfin's collection agents send reminders over email, SMS or WhatsApp on the schedule you set, and can offer an instalment plan to a client who needs one, within rules you approve.
It's also worth asking again when something changes. A new engagement, a change of fee or a new finance contact is a natural moment to offer direct debit a second time, and some clients who said no at the start may be happy to say yes once they know you.
Common questions
Why would a client be unable to set up a direct debit? Usually because they have no UK bank account, their account doesn't allow direct debits, or their own approval process keeps every payment in their hands.
Can I take a direct debit from a non-UK bank account? Not through the UK scheme, which needs a UK account. An overseas client can pay by card from a payment link or by bank transfer.
Is a standing order a good substitute for direct debit? For a fixed monthly fee it works, but your client controls it and can change or cancel it without telling you, so check each month that it arrived.
What's the best option for clients with variable fees? A payment link on every invoice, with reminders behind it. You can bill a different amount each time and the client keeps their approval step.
How do I stop bank transfers arriving without a reference? Give each client their own account details. With a virtual account per customer, a transfer can be matched to the right client even when the reference is wrong or missing.
Can I charge more to clients who won't pay by direct debit? That's a commercial decision, but card surcharges are banned on personal cards and limited to your cost of acceptance on business cards, so check the rules before you price by payment method.
Sources
- Bacs - Direct Debit (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.bacs.co.uk/bacs-schemes/direct-debit/
- Bacs - An introduction to Direct Debit (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.bacs.co.uk/media/pu4bmlzs/dd_introduction.pdf
- legislation.gov.uk - The Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012 (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/3110
- Adfin - Accept payments (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.adfin.com/accept-payments
- Adfin - Credit control (accurate as of October 2026) https://www.adfin.com/credit-control
