Free tool
Free invoice generator for UK businesses
Fill in the job, add VAT or a CIS deduction if you need it, and download a clean PDF invoice. No account, no payment, no watermark — built for UK tradespeople working on site.
Your business
Customer
Invoice details
Work, labour and materials
Item 1
VAT, CIS and discount
Add VAT
Only if you are VAT registered.
Apply CIS deduction
Construction Industry Scheme — deducted from labour only.
Payment and notes
Preview
INVOICE
INV-0001 · Issued 11 Oct 2026 · Due 25 Oct 2026
Your business name
Bill to
Customer name
| Description | Qty | Unit | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour — first fix(labour) | 1 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
Payment due within 14 days of the invoice date.
How to create an invoice
An invoice is a request for payment for work you have already done. Write it while the job is fresh — the same day you finish is ideal, because that is when the customer still remembers what you did and why it cost what it cost.
- Give it a unique identifying invoice number and never reuse one.
- Put your business name, address and contact details at the top.
- Add the customer's name and address exactly as they will recognise it.
- Describe the work in plain terms, splitting labour and materials.
- Show the subtotal, any VAT, any CIS deduction and the amount due.
- State how and when to pay, including your bank details.
- Send it as a PDF so it looks the same on every device and is easy to file.
What needs to appear on a UK invoice
For most trade work, an invoice needs the word "invoice", a unique identifying number, your business name and address, the customer's name and address, the date the invoice is issued, the date the work was supplied, a clear description of the goods and services, and the total amount due.
If you trade as a limited company, add the registered company name, company number and registered office address. Read the fuller breakdown in the UK invoice checklist.
Invoicing as a sole trader
As a sole trader you invoice in your own name, or your trading name with your name underneath ("A. Smith trading as Smith Plumbing"). You do not need a company number and you do not charge VAT unless you are registered. Keep a copy of every invoice for at least five years after the 31 January self-assessment deadline for that tax year.
VAT invoices
Once you are VAT registered, your invoices must show your VAT registration number, the tax point (supply date), the rate applied to each item, the net amount and the VAT amount. The standard rate is 20%. Some qualifying work can fall under a different rate depending on the job and the rules in force at the time, so check GOV.UK VAT rates and GOV.UK guidance on energy-saving products for the specific job before you invoice. In construction, the domestic reverse charge may mean you show the VAT but do not collect it.
More detail: VAT invoices explained and domestic reverse charge VAT.
CIS invoices for construction workers
If you are a subcontractor under the Construction Industry Scheme, the contractor deducts tax from the labour element of your invoice and pays it to HMRC on your behalf — 20% if you are registered, 30% if you are not. Materials are never subject to the deduction, which is why the generator above asks you to mark each line as labour or materials.
Show the deduction as a separate line so the contractor pays the right net figure, and ask for your payment and deduction statement each month. See the full CIS guide.
Invoice numbering
Every invoice needs a unique identifying number, and you should never reuse one. Running your numbers in order is good record-keeping and makes the year easier to reconcile, rather than a rule applying to every invoice; VAT invoices do carry additional requirements for the numbering series you use. A simple format like INV-0001, or INV-2026-014 if you prefer the year in front, is plenty. If you need to cancel an invoice, issue a credit note rather than deleting it.
Payment terms
Agree payment terms before work starts and repeat them on the invoice. Fourteen days is common for domestic work, thirty for commercial. Statutory commercial late-payment interest and compensation may apply to qualifying overdue business debts; contractual interest terms can affect this. Ordinary homeowner debts are different. See GOV.UK on charging interest on a commercial debt, work out the figure with the late payment interest calculator, and read invoice payment terms.
Common invoice mistakes
- Vague descriptions like "work done" — they invite queries and delay payment.
- Missing or duplicated invoice numbers.
- No due date, so "when I get round to it" becomes the term.
- Bank details left off, or a different account to the one you quoted.
- Applying CIS to materials as well as labour.
- Charging VAT before your registration is live.
- Sending an editable document instead of a PDF.
Making invoices regularly?
Telaro remembers your customers, company details and invoice numbers so your next invoice takes seconds — plus quotes, estimates, VAT and CIS, and a record of who hasn't paid. It’s free: 10 invoices a month plus unlimited quotes and estimates, no card needed.