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Getting paid
Free invoice template for electricians and builders (UK), with CIS and reverse charge
Fill in a free UK invoice for trades work in your browser and print it or save it as a PDF. Handles VAT, the reverse charge and CIS.
Most free invoice templates are a Word file with a logo box and a table. They do not tell you what the law requires, and none of them handle CIS or the VAT reverse charge, which is half of what makes a trades invoice tricky. This one does. Fill it in, check the preview, and print it or save it as a PDF.
Free tool
Invoice maker for trades
| Description | Type | Qty | Unit price (£) |
|---|
Works in your browser. Nothing you type leaves this device.
It remembers what you typed on this device, so next time you only change the customer, the number and the lines.
What every invoice must show
GOV.UK lists what an invoice has to include, whatever size your firm is:
- a unique invoice number;
- your business name, address and contact details;
- the customer's name and address;
- a clear description of the work;
- the date the work was done (the supply date) and the date of the invoice;
- the amounts, any VAT, and the total owed.
If you are a sole trader using a business name, such as "Hughes Electrical", you must also show your own name and an address where legal documents can reach you. A limited company must show its full registered name.
AI staff and workflows for trades and building firms. Starting with enquiry to quote.See what we would set upExtra if you are VAT registered
A VAT invoice needs more. HMRC's rules add your VAT number, the VAT rate and the amount before VAT for each line, and the total VAT in pounds. For sales under £250 including VAT you can use a simpler version, but for most trade jobs you will need the full one. The invoice maker shows "VAT invoice" at the top and fills in the rate per line once you enter a VAT number.
The reverse charge
If you are VAT registered and you invoice a VAT-registered contractor for work under CIS, you usually do not charge them VAT. Instead the invoice must make clear that the reverse charge applies and show the VAT that is due, or at least the rate. HMRC suggests wording such as "Customer to pay the VAT to HMRC" or "S55A VATA 94 applies". Choose a reverse charge option in the maker and it prints both, and leaves the VAT out of the amount to pay.
It does not apply if the customer is the end user of the building work and has told you so in writing, and it never applies to householders. The CIS deduction calculator covers this in more detail.
Splitting labour and materials for CIS
If your customer will take a CIS deduction, mark each line as labour or materials. The deduction comes off labour only, so a contractor who cannot see the split may take it from the lot. Our test invoice shows why this matters:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Labour: kitchen ring final, first and second fix | £950 |
| Materials: cable, back boxes, accessories | £240 |
| Total before VAT | £1,190 |
| VAT at 20%, reverse charge (customer pays HMRC £238) | £0 |
| Less CIS deduction, 20% of £950 labour | −£190 |
| Amount to pay | £1,000 |
Without the split, a 20% deduction on £1,190 would be £238, and £48 of your money would sit with HMRC until your tax return. Showing your UTR on the invoice also helps the contractor match you to its records.
AI staff and workflows for trades and building firms. Starting with enquiry to quote.See what we would set upGet paid sooner
Every invoice the maker prints carries a line saying that late payment by a business may attract statutory interest and a fixed recovery fee. That is true for business customers, and it tends to get invoices paid sooner. If it does not, the late payment interest calculator works out what you can add, and our three chasing letters say when to send each one.
Short payment terms help too. Fourteen days is common in the trades; whatever you choose, put the due date on the invoice, not just "payment terms 14 days".
Your data
The maker runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us; it is saved only on the device you are using so it is there next time. Clear your browser's site data to remove it.
This is general information, not tax advice. If you are unsure whether CIS or the reverse charge applies to a job, check with HMRC or your accountant.
Short answers from this page
What does a UK invoice have to include?
A unique invoice number, your business name, address and contact details, the customer's name and address, a description of the work, the date of the work and the invoice date, the amount charged, VAT if you are registered, and the total. A VAT invoice also needs your VAT number and the rate. Under the construction reverse charge, the invoice states that the customer accounts for the VAT.
Source: GOV.UK invoicing rules; HMRC VAT invoice rules
Where this comes from: GOV.UK "Invoicing and taking payment from customers: what invoices must include", HMRC VAT Notice 700/21 section 4 (VAT invoices) and the VAT reverse charge technical guide, all read 2026-10-01; our test is saved in tests/gaffer/tools-check.txt.
AEO Lookup editorial team
We write practical guides for people who run small UK firms, and we check every fact against its source on the date shown. Read how we review, or tell us if something has changed.
