Free UK Invoice Template

Use it now

Three options, all free:

• Generator: open the UK invoice generator, fill in the form, download a PDF. Nothing is stored server-side.
• Excel template: download the .xlsx — line items, VAT and totals are pre-wired with formulas.
• Template by hand: copy the structure on this page into a Google Doc or Word file and reuse it.

What must appear on a UK invoice

HMRC's rules are sensible and short. A non-VAT-registered business invoice must include:

VAT vs non-VAT invoices

If you're VAT-registered, every invoice becomes a VAT invoice and must include extra fields. The customer needs them to reclaim VAT, and HMRC needs them on your VAT return.

Field-by-field example

Your Business Name Ltd
123 Example Street, London, EC1A 1AA
Company no. 12345678  |  VAT no. GB 123 4567 89

Bill to:
Client Name Ltd
Client Address Line 1
Client Address Line 2

Invoice number: 2025-014
Invoice date: 21 May 2026
Date of supply: 15 May 2026
Payment terms: 14 days from invoice date

Description                     Qty   Unit (GBP)   Net (GBP)   VAT %   VAT (GBP)
Website design (May 2026)        1      1,200.00    1,200.00     20      240.00
Hosting (12 months)              1        180.00      180.00     20       36.00

                                              Net total:   1,380.00
                                              VAT total:     276.00
                                              Total due:   1,656.00

Payment by bank transfer to:
Account name: Your Business Name Ltd
Sort code: 00-00-00  |  Account number: 00000000
Reference: 2025-014

A good invoice numbering scheme

HMRC requires invoice numbers to be sequential and unique — but doesn't dictate format. A simple scheme that scales is YYYY-NNN (e.g. 2026-001) restarting each calendar year. It tells you the year at a glance, sorts cleanly in any folder, and survives moving between accounting systems. Avoid client-name prefixes unless you bill very few clients — they make it harder to spot a missing number in a sequence (which is how you catch the rare invoice that got drafted and never sent).

If you ever issue a credit note (a partial or full refund), use the same scheme with a different prefix — for example CN-2026-001. The credit note should reference the original invoice number, the date, and the amount being credited.

Getting paid faster

• Send the invoice the day the work completes — not at month end.
• Include a clickable payment link or full bank details, not just "see below".
• State terms in days from invoice date, not "end of month following" if you want quicker pay.
• Schedule reminders at +7, +14 and +30 days. Most late-payers pay on the first nudge.
• For repeat clients with a habit of paying late, consider asking for a deposit up front.

Storage, retention and audit

Every invoice you issue needs to survive at least six years (for limited companies) or five years (for sole traders) from the end of the relevant tax year. PDFs in a dated cloud folder are fine — Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive all work. If you use cloud bookkeeping like Xero or FreeAgent, the invoice record sits there permanently and is exportable on demand, which is the cleanest option. Keep at least one independent copy outside your bookkeeping software in case of account loss or supplier change.

Print copies are not required. Photographs of paper invoices (with all required fields legible) satisfy HMRC. The single thing not to do is rely on bank statements alone — they show payment received but not what was supplied, which fails an audit.

Mistakes that cost you

Three errors come up again and again. First, missing the company registration number on a limited company invoice — small omission, but HMRC and Companies House guidance both require it on business stationery, and a customer's finance team may reject the invoice. Second, charging VAT before you're VAT-registered — you can't keep money labelled "VAT" if you weren't entitled to charge it; if it happens, reissue corrected invoices and refund the over-charge. Third, ambiguous payment terms — "30 days" can mean from invoice date, end of month or completion of work depending on who you ask. Write the actual due date on the invoice.