Free invoice template for UK tradesmen
A UK invoice needs a unique number, your business name, address and contact details, the customer's name and address, a clear description of what you are charging for, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts charged and the total owed. Add VAT only if you are VAT registered. Sole traders also give their own name, and limited companies give their full company name as it appears on the certificate of incorporation. This free template has every one of those fields, in Word and PDF.
Free, no sign-up, no email. A4. Replace everything in [square brackets] with your own details.
Preview
This is the document you will download. The Word file is fully editable.
Invoice
Bill to
What you are charging for
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Labour: describe the work] | [1] | [0.00] | [0.00] |
| [Materials: describe] | [1] | [0.00] | [0.00] |
| Subtotal | [0.00] |
| VAT at [rate]% (only if VAT registered) | [0.00] |
| Total owed | [0.00] |
How to pay
Thank you for your business. [Add any late payment terms you have agreed with the customer.]
Free template from gafferly.com
What to include, and why
A unique invoice number
GOV.UK lists a unique identification number as a requirement. A simple running number, such as INV-0001, works. If you are VAT registered, a full VAT invoice needs a sequential number from one or more series.
Your name or company name, address and contact details
Sole traders give their own name and any business name they use, plus an address where legal documents can be delivered to them if they use a business name. Limited companies give the full company name as it appears on the certificate of incorporation, and if directors' names appear on the invoice, the names of all directors.
Company number and registered office, for limited companies
GOV.UK's invoice page asks limited companies for their full company name. The registered number, registered office address and the country of registration are what GOV.UK says must appear on business letters, order forms and websites. Many companies put them on invoices as well, so the template has a field for them.
The customer's name and address
GOV.UK says to include the company name and address of the customer you are invoicing. For a domestic customer, use their name and address.
A clear description of what you are charging for
Describe the work and the materials in words the customer can match to the quote. A vague line like 'work done' is the one that gets queried and delays payment.
The supply date and the invoice date
The supply date is when the work was done, and the invoice date is when you issued the invoice. They are often different, and GOV.UK lists both.
The amounts charged and the total owed
Show each charge, any VAT, and the total owed. GOV.UK's invoicing overview also says an invoice should make clear how much the customer needs to pay and when they must pay you, which is why the template has a due date.
VAT, only if you are VAT registered
If you are VAT registered, GOV.UK says the invoice must include your VAT number and display the VAT separately. If you are not registered, delete the VAT lines. You must use VAT invoices if you and your customer are both VAT registered.
Source: GOV.UK: VAT record keeping
How to pay
Bank details and a payment reference are not on GOV.UK's list, but they are the difference between an invoice paid this week and one that waits for someone to ask where to send the money.
How to fill it in
- Download the Word version to edit, or the PDF to print.
- Fill in your business details once and save the file as your own master copy, with the number left blank.
- For each job, add the next invoice number, today's date and the date the work was done.
- Describe the work and materials in lines the customer will recognise from your quote, and add up the amounts.
- Add VAT only if you are VAT registered, then check the total owed and the due date.
- Send the invoice the day you finish, with your bank details, and keep a copy.
Common questions
What must an invoice include in the UK?
GOV.UK says an invoice must include a unique identification number, your company name, address and contact information, the name and address of the customer, a clear description of what you are charging for, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts being charged, VAT if applicable, and the total amount owed. Sole traders add their name and any business name, and limited companies use their full company name as on the certificate of incorporation.
Do I need a VAT number on my invoice?
Only if you are VAT registered. GOV.UK says invoices from a VAT registered business must include your VAT number and display the VAT separately. A business that is not VAT registered cannot charge VAT, so leave the VAT lines and the VAT number off.
What is a full VAT invoice, and when do I issue one?
If you are VAT registered, HMRC's VAT Notice 700 says a full VAT invoice must show, among other details, a sequential number that uniquely identifies it, the time of supply (tax point), the date of issue, your name, address and VAT number, your customer's name and address, a description of the goods or services, and the VAT rate and amounts. You should normally issue it within 30 days of the tax point. For supplies of £250 or less, a simplified or less detailed VAT invoice can be used if the customer agrees. Check the notice for the full list, because the rules have exceptions.
Does the invoice number have to be sequential?
GOV.UK requires a unique identification number on every invoice. For VAT invoices, HMRC's notice asks for a sequential number based on one or more series. Either way, a simple running number that never repeats, such as INV-0001, INV-0002, meets both.
What about CIS?
If you work as a subcontractor under the Construction Industry Scheme, your contractor deducts tax from your payment before paying you. GOV.UK says the deduction is worked out on the total of your invoice minus certain costs, including materials only if you paid for them directly, at 20% for registered subcontractors, 30% for unregistered and 0% with gross payment status. Showing materials on their own line makes the sum easy for the contractor. Check GOV.UK or your accountant for how it applies to you.
When invoicing starts eating your evenings
A template is a fine start. The cost is the retyping: the customer's details, the lines from the quote, the parts from the job sheet, then chasing the payment by phone.
In Gafferly you raise the invoice from the job or the accepted quote, so the details are already there. The customer can pay by card through your own Stripe account, or by bank transfer, and on Crew and above overdue invoices can be chased automatically.
Card required to start. From £29 per user per month, no VAT added.
Sources
- GOV.UK: invoices, what they must include
- GOV.UK: invoicing and taking payment from customers
- GOV.UK: signs, stationery and promotional material (limited companies)
- GOV.UK: VAT record keeping
- HMRC VAT Notice 700, section 16 (VAT invoices)
- GOV.UK: CIS, make deductions and pay subcontractors
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the linked pages for the current position.