Generate a fully compliant UK invoice in under 60 seconds. Add your business details, client information, line items, VAT, and payment terms — then download a professional PDF. Completely free, no account needed.
Unlike most online invoice tools that require a monthly subscription (FreshBooks: £11/mo, QuickBooks: £14/mo), this generator is completely free and works entirely in your browser — nothing is stored or sent to any server.
Click to Edit: Click any text on the invoice to change it.
Fill in Details: Add your business info, client details, and invoice items.
Download: Click the green button to save as PDF.
Your Company Name
Your Business Name
123 Street Address
City, Postcode
Email: hello@example.com
Client Name
Client Address
City, Postcode
INV-001
| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.00 | £0.00 |
Creating a professional invoice is one of the most fundamental tasks in running a UK business — and yet it's also one of the most commonly done wrong. An incorrectly structured invoice can cause payment delays, create disputes, and in some cases expose you to HMRC penalties if you're VAT registered. Understanding exactly what must be on a UK invoice is therefore essential for any business owner, bookkeeper, or accountant.
For non-VAT-registered businesses, HMRC requires that every invoice includes: a unique invoice number (sequential, for audit purposes), your business name and address, the client's name and address, a clear description of the goods or services supplied, the date of supply (or date of invoice if different), the amount charged for each item, and the total amount due. While there's no legal requirement for non-VAT businesses to use the word "invoice," using it is considered best practice and makes it unambiguous for the client's accounts payable team.
If your business is VAT registered, your invoice must additionally include: your VAT registration number, the VAT rate applied to each line item, the amount of VAT charged per item and in total, and the total amount including VAT. There are also simplified VAT invoices (for supplies under £250) which have reduced requirements. Failure to issue a proper VAT invoice is taken seriously by HMRC — clients who receive incorrect VAT invoices cannot reclaim input VAT, which tends to cause significant friction.
Your invoice should clearly state your payment terms — for example "Net 30" (payment within 30 days) or a specific due date. Under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act 1998, if no payment terms are specified, the default period is 30 days from the later of the invoice date or delivery of goods/services. Being clear about payment terms on the invoice itself reduces disputes dramatically. Include your preferred payment method — bank transfer details (sort code and account number), a payment link, or payment processor details — directly on the invoice to remove any friction from the payment process.
Research from FreshBooks and PayPal consistently shows that professional-looking invoices get paid faster than poorly formatted ones. Clients perceive a structured, branded invoice as coming from a more established, credible business — and subconsciously prioritise payment accordingly. A well-formatted invoice with clear line items, a visible due date, and easy payment instructions can reduce average payment time by 7–14 days compared to a plain text email with a payment figure. This tool creates exactly that kind of professional invoice, downloadable as a print-ready PDF, in under two minutes.
No. If your business is not VAT registered, you must not include a VAT number or charge VAT on your invoices. Doing so is a criminal offence under the VAT Act 1994. If your annual turnover exceeds the VAT registration threshold (currently £90,000 for 2024/25), you are legally required to register for VAT with HMRC and begin charging VAT on your supplies.
Yes — you can create, download, and save the PDF for each billing cycle. However, for regular recurring invoices, you'd typically be better served by an accounting platform like Xero, which can auto-generate and send recurring invoices on a schedule. PaidInstantly integrates with Xero to then automatically send those invoices via WhatsApp, dramatically improving open rates and payment speeds compared to the standard email delivery.
The template meets the basic HMRC requirements for non-VAT invoices: unique invoice number, business details, client details, description of services, date, and total. For VAT-registered businesses, you will need to add your VAT number and VAT amounts manually — click the relevant fields on the invoice to edit them. We recommend consulting your accountant to confirm compliance if you have specific VAT, CIS, or sector-specific invoicing requirements.
1. Line Item Totals
Each row is calculated by multiplying the quantity by the unit price. We use high-precision floating point math to ensure no rounding errors occur before the final sum.
2. VAT & Tax Calculation
Tax is applied to the subtotal (the sum of all line items). In the UK, the standard VAT rate is 20%. Our calculator handles this with the following formula:
PaidInstantly automatically chases overdue invoices via WhatsApp — so bookkeepers and freelancers never have to write a single chasing email again. Your clients pay faster, your cash flow improves, and you do nothing.
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