Invoice template UK: free Word, Excel and PDF downloads

Nobody became a joiner, a tutor or a wedding photographer because they enjoy paperwork. You still need an invoice that looks right and says what it should, and you would like it done in 10 minutes.

This page gives you a UK invoice template to download in Word, Excel or PDF, and the checks to run before you send it. The template is free to download, and you do not need an account.

What is in the template

• • Add your business details and, only if you are VAT registered, your VAT number
• • Add your customer’s name and address
• • Fill in the invoice number, invoice date, supply date and payment due date
• • List what you did, how many, and the price of each line
• • See the subtotal, a VAT line you can leave blank, and the total due
• • Finish with your bank details and a line for payment terms

How to fill in an invoice template, step by step

1. Add your details. A sole trader uses their own name and any business name they trade under. A limited company uses its full registered name.
2. Add the customer’s details. Their name and address.
3. Give the invoice a unique number. Keep one series (0001, 0002, 0003) and never reuse a number.
4. Add 3 dates. The invoice date, the supply date (the day the work was done or the goods arrived) and the date payment is due.
5. Describe each line clearly. "Replaced kitchen tap, 2 hours" beats "Work done". Add the quantity and the price.
6. Add your bank details and payment terms. Then check the total twice.

That is the invoice. The one line the template cannot write for you is the payment terms, because those are yours to set. If you are unsure what to put, this guide to payment terms has wording you can copy.

Which format should you use?

The template is built for simple invoices. If you are VAT registered, check it against the VAT invoice details on GOV.UK before you use it, for example the VAT rate on each line and the time of supply.

Use the template in Google Docs

Upload the Word file to Google Drive and open it. Choose File → Save as Google Docs. From then on, File → Make a copy gives you a fresh copy for each customer, with your own details already filled in.

What a UK invoice has to include

GOV.UK lists the details an invoice must include. For most small businesses that is the 9 below.

• • A unique identification number
• • Your company name, address and contact information
• • The customer’s company name and address
• • A clear description of what you are charging for
• • The date the goods or service were provided (the supply date)
• • The date of the invoice
• • The amounts being charged
• • The VAT amount, if it applies
• • The total amount owed

Sole traders add 2 more: their own name and any business name they use, and an address where legal documents can reach them if they trade under a business name. If you are VAT registered and you sell to another VAT-registered business, you will usually need to give them a VAT invoice, which carries more information. GOV.UK covers both. To see all of this in place, open a filled-in UK invoice example. If you work for yourself, the sole trader version of this template has a box for your name and business name.

When a template stops being enough

A template is a good start. It works while you send a few invoices a month. The trouble tends to start around invoice 14: you copy last month’s file, forget to change a date, and cannot remember who has paid.

That is the stage EasyInvoice is built for. It does not do 90 things. It does invoicing.

• • Pick a saved customer and saved items instead of retyping them
• • Turn an accepted estimate into an invoice in one tap
• • Send by email, WhatsApp, Messenger or SMS, straight from your phone
• • See which invoices are paid, unpaid or overdue
• • Repeat the same invoice weekly, monthly or quarterly
• • Add your logo and colours so it looks like your business

Invoices and estimates have no limit, and Basic costs £6.99 a month. The first 14 days are free, with no card needed. You can read more about invoicing in EasyInvoice or the plans and prices. If you are weighing a spreadsheet against an app, this piece covers why people move on.

FAQ

Is there a free invoice template for the UK?

Yes. The template on this page is free to download in Word, Excel and PDF, and you do not need an account. The template covers the details GOV.UK lists for an invoice, plus a line for your VAT number if you are VAT registered. If you are a sole trader and trade under a business name, use the sole trader version, which has boxes for your name and for an address where legal documents can reach you.

What should be on a UK invoice?

A UK invoice shows a unique invoice number, your name and address, your customer’s name and address, a clear description of what you are charging for, the supply date, the invoice date, the amounts and the total owed. Sole traders also add their own name and any business name they use. GOV.UK has the full list.

Can I invoice without VAT?

If you are not VAT registered, leave the VAT line blank and delete the VAT number line. You can only charge VAT once you are VAT registered, and GOV.UK lists the VAT amount on an invoice only where VAT applies. Whether you need to register is a separate question, and GOV.UK explains the rules.

Can I use this invoice template in Google Docs?

Yes. Upload the Word file to Google Drive, open it and choose File → Save as Google Docs. Then use File → Make a copy to start each new invoice.

How do I number my invoices?

Give every invoice a unique number and never reuse one. A simple series such as 0001, 0002, 0003 works. If you are VAT registered, GOV.UK says a VAT invoice must show a sequential number based on one or more series.

Is an invoice the same as a receipt?

No. An invoice asks for payment. A receipt confirms that payment was made. GOV.UK draws the same line.

Is EasyInvoice free?

The templates are free. EasyInvoice itself has no free plan. It has a 14-day free trial with no card needed, then Basic costs £6.99 a month.