🧾 What to Include on a Freelance Invoice (UK Edition)

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💼 Getting Paid Starts With a Proper Invoice

If you’re freelancing in the UK — whether part-time or full-time — issuing a clear, professional invoice is essential. It helps clients take you seriously, improves your chances of getting paid on time, and ensures you’re covering your legal and tax bases.

Here’s what you need to include on every freelance invoice in the UK (and tools to help you generate them fast).

📋 Required Info on a UK Freelance Invoice

These are the essentials every UK invoice should have:

✅ 1. Your Business Information

Include:

  • Your full name or trading name
  • Business address
  • Email and phone number
  • Optional: website and logo

✅ 2. Client’s Details

Include:

  • Full name of the client or company
  • Business name and address
  • Contact person (if available)

✅ 3. Invoice Number

Each invoice must have a unique number (e.g. INV-001, INV-002…).

🔁 Tip: Keep your numbering consistent and sequential.

✅ 4. Invoice Date and Payment Due Date

Clearly state:

  • The date the invoice was issued
  • The due date (typically 7, 14 or 30 days after issue)

✅ 5. Description of Services

Provide a short, clear breakdown:

  • What was done (e.g. “Logo design – 2 concepts”)
  • When it was done (e.g. “April 2025”)
  • Rate and quantity (e.g. 10 hours @ £35/hr)

✅ 6. Total Amount Due

Include:

  • Subtotal
  • Any expenses
  • VAT (only if you’re VAT registered)
  • Grand Total clearly bolded

✅ 7. Payment Details

Make it easy to pay you:

  • Bank name and sort code
  • Account number
  • Optional: PayPal or payment link

✅ 8. Notes & Terms (Optional but Recommended)

Use this to:

  • Add late fee policy (e.g. “5% interest after 14 days”)
  • Say thank you
  • Clarify what the invoice relates to (e.g. project name)

🧰 Tools That Make Invoicing Easy

You don’t have to use Word or Google Docs. Try these free or low-cost invoicing tools built for UK freelancers:

  • ✅ QuickBooks — create and send invoices from desktop or mobile
  • ✅ Zoho Invoice — free invoicing tool with templates and automation
  • ✅ FreeAgent — great for tracking both time and invoices (especially if you use Mettle)
  • ✅ Canva Invoice Templates — for one-off PDF invoices with a clean look

See more: Best invoicing tools for UK freelancers

📌 Bonus Tip: Keep Records

HMRC requires you to keep records of all invoices sent and payments received for at least 5 years after the tax year they relate to.

Use software that stores them automatically, or back up PDFs in the cloud.

✅ Final Thoughts

Invoicing is a small task with big consequences — do it right, and you’ll get paid faster and look more professional. Save a template or use software to streamline it and focus more on your work, not paperwork.

Need more tools to run your business? Check out the Freelancer Toolkit to see invoicing, accounting, insurance and more in one place.