Invoice Generator

Who this is for

Any UK tradesperson or small service business — builder, plumber, electrician, decorator, landscaper, subcontractor — who needs to send a proper invoice without opening accounting software. Fill in your details once (they're saved in your own browser for next time), add the job's line items, and get a clean invoice that handles VAT and CIS the way HMRC expects, ready to print or save as a PDF and email over.

What must a UK invoice legally include?

Every invoice needs the name and address of both your business and your customer, a unique invoice number, the invoice date, a description of the work or goods, and the amount charged. If you're VAT registered, a "VAT invoice" must additionally show your VAT registration number, the VAT rate charged, the amount of VAT for each applicable rate, and the tax point (usually the invoice date). Missing any of these can hold up payment or cause problems if HMRC or your customer's accountant ever queries the invoice.

How does CIS work on an invoice?

Under the Construction Industry Scheme, a contractor deducts tax — 20% if you're registered, 30% if you're not — from the labour element of your invoice and pays it to HMRC on your behalf. Materials are never included in that deduction. You're not charging the customer less for the work; it's tax paid in advance against your own bill, which gets credited (or refunded) when you settle up with HMRC at year end.

When does the VAT reverse charge apply?

The domestic reverse charge applies to standard-rated or reduced-rated construction services supplied business-to-business, where both parties are VAT registered and within the Construction Industry Scheme, and the customer is not an end user. When it applies, you don't charge VAT on the invoice — your customer accounts for it to HMRC on their own return instead. It's a five-question decision with a few edge cases, so use the CIS & VAT calculator tool for the full walkthrough if you're not certain.

Is anything uploaded?

No. Everything — the figures, the invoice and the printout — is built entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or sent anywhere; your business details are saved only in your own browser's localStorage so they prefill next time you open this tool.

A note on what this is: this produces an invoice template for convenience. It is not accounting or tax advice, and it does not replace bookkeeping software or your accountant's guidance. Use it alongside your own records, and take professional advice for anything you're unsure about.