Self-employed invoice template for UK sole traders
Copy the self-employed invoice template below if you are a UK sole trader who is not VAT registered. Fill in your own name and any trading name, addresses, invoice number, invoice and supply dates, itemised charges, total and agreed payment due date.
You can copy, edit and print it without signing up, paying or installing an app. It is a non-VAT service-invoice layout, not a template for every self-employed business structure or a guarantee of tax compliance.
Free copy-and-paste invoice template
Replace every bracketed field before sending. Delete unused optional lines, but keep your own name even if you trade under a business name.
INVOICE
UK sole trader example layout: for a business that is NOT VAT registered.
Replace every bracketed field before sending. Do not use for VAT invoicing.
Supplier legal name: [Your full name]
Trading name (if used): [Business name, or delete this line]
Supplier address: [Full postal address; if using a business name, include an address where legal documents can be delivered to you]
Contact: [Business email or telephone]
Bill to: [Customer name / business name]
Customer address: [Full postal address]
Invoice number: [Unique invoice identifier]
Invoice date: [DD Month YYYY]
Supply date / service period: [DD Month YYYY or clear service period]
Payment due: [Agreed due date]
Project / customer reference (optional): [Reference, or delete]
Currency: GBP
Description Quantity Rate (GBP) Amount (GBP)
[Service and scope] [hours] [rate] [qty x rate]
[Second service or deliverable] [units] [rate] [qty x rate]
Total charged (GBP): [Sum of line amounts]
Payments already received (GBP): [Amount, or 0.00]
Balance due (GBP): [Total charged minus payments received]
VAT is not charged. Supplier is not VAT registered.
Payment method / instructions: [Insert your own agreed method and verified details]
Payment reference: [Invoice number]
Notes (optional): [Agreed scope or other useful information]How to fill it in and make a printable copy
- Copy the whole template into your editor. Use a text editor or document editor. Keep an editable master so you do not have to rebuild the layout next time.
- Replace the supplier and customer details. Enter your full name, any trading name, address and contact information, then the customer's name and address. Use your real details privately in the document, not in public comments.
- Give the invoice a unique number and clear dates. Enter the invoice date, when you supplied the work and the agreed payment due date. Add a project reference if it helps the customer identify the work.
- Describe and total the work. State what each charge covers. Multiply each quantity by its rate, add the line amounts, then subtract any payment already received to find the balance due.
- Add verified payment instructions. Replace the payment-method placeholder with the details you have agreed with the customer. Double-check them before sending.
- Check the layout and save a copy. Use a monospace font for the aligned rows, or turn them into a table. Inspect Print Preview for clipped addresses, split rows and awkward page breaks. Use your editor's Print command or PDF option if available, and keep a copy of the invoice you send.
No particular editor or one-page print layout is required. Check the resulting document rather than assuming the pasted text will fit unchanged.
Filled example: newsletter editing
This fictional sole trader supplied editing and proofreading as separate deliverables. The names, addresses and transactions are invented; do not send or pay this example.
FICTIONAL WORKED EXAMPLE ONLY. Do not send or pay this invoice.
All names, addresses, contact details and transactions below are synthetic.
INVOICE
Supplier legal name: Alex Example
Trading name: Example Editorial
Supplier address / address for delivery of legal documents:
14 Example Walk, Exampletown, UK [fictional address, replace before use]
Contact: [email protected] [non-deliverable example address]
Bill to: Sample Studio
Customer address: 28 Sample Road, Exampletown, UK [fictional address]
Invoice number: EE-2026-011
Invoice date: 6 November 2026
Supply date / service period: 2 to 5 November 2026
Payment due: 20 November 2026 (agreed for this fictional project)
Project / customer reference: November newsletter copy edit
Currency: GBP
Description Quantity Rate (GBP) Amount (GBP)
Copy-edit newsletter draft, tracked edits 6 hours 35.00 210.00
Proofread two final newsletter layouts 2 layouts 45.00 90.00
Total charged (GBP): 300.00
Payments already received (GBP): 0.00
Balance due (GBP): 300.00
VAT is not charged. Supplier is not VAT registered.
Payment method / instructions: Bank transfer; supplier to insert verified details
before sending. No real bank details are included in this demonstration.
Payment reference: EE-2026-011
Notes: Editing and final-layout proofreading are separate agreed deliverables.The calculation is six hours × £35 = £210, plus two layouts × £45 = £90. Total charges are £300; with £0 already paid, the balance is £300. These rates are example inputs, not suggested market rates. The 20 November due date reflects a fictional agreement, not a legal default.
What a UK sole-trader invoice needs
The GOV.UK invoice checklist requires:
| Field | What to put in it |
|---|---|
| Unique identification number | An invoice identifier that is not reused |
| Supplier details | Your name, address and contact information |
| Customer details | The customer's company name and address |
| Description | A clear explanation of the goods or services charged for |
| Supply date | When the goods or services were supplied |
| Invoice date | The date of the invoice |
| Amounts charged | The charges for the work listed |
| VAT, if applicable | This non-VAT template does not add VAT |
| Total owed | The total amount owed by the customer |
For sole traders, GOV.UK also specifies your own name and any business name you use. If you use a business name, include an address where legal documents can be delivered to you. A trading name alone does not replace your own name.
The GOV.UK invoicing overview also says to include when the customer must pay. That is why the template has a payment-due field. Bank details and project references are practical additions, not required fields established by that checklist.
VAT and other limits to check before sending
You must be registered before you start charging VAT, according to GOV.UK's charging VAT guidance. The example supplier is not VAT registered, so the example adds no VAT.
“Not VAT registered” explains the example's scope; it is not presented as mandatory invoice wording. If you are VAT registered, use the official VAT guidance or ask an adviser about the requirements for your case instead of treating this as a VAT invoice template. This layout does not establish VAT or Making Tax Digital compliance.
Before sending, check every placeholder is gone, your identity and addresses are correct, the dates match the work and agreement, and the total and payment instructions are accurate.
Prefer an app for invoice PDFs?
If you would rather use an app than maintain an editor template, Fair Invoice lists PDF sharing among its features. Its first 10 invoices are free with every feature, estimates are unlimited and free, and unlimited invoices require a one-time unlock rather than a subscription, as described in its official listing.
Fair Invoice has no card processing. It does not automatically reconcile payments, send invoices from a server, provide read receipts, handle government filing/e-invoicing or provide cross-platform sync. Do not treat an invoice app as a tax service.
Get Fair Invoice on Google Play or the Apple App Store. The text template above remains usable without either app.
FAQ
Can I put only my trading name on the invoice?
No. For a sole trader, the GOV.UK guidance calls for your own name and any business name you use. If you use a business name, include an address where legal documents can be delivered to you.
Can I use this if I am not VAT registered?
Yes, that is the intended scope: a UK sole trader supplying services who is not VAT registered. Replace all the example details and do not add VAT. If your circumstances differ, check the relevant official guidance before using the layout.
Are the invoice date and supply date the same?
They describe different things. The invoice date is the date of the invoice; the supply date identifies when the work was supplied. In the example, the work took place from 2 to 5 November and the invoice is dated 6 November. Keep both fields even when the dates coincide.
Do I need an app to create this invoice?
No. Copy the template into your own editor, fill it in and check Print Preview. Print it or use a PDF option if your editor provides one. An app is an optional alternative, not a condition of using this template.