---
title: "UK Invoice Template: What Your Invoice Must Show"
canonical: https://luckpanda.app/templates/uk-invoice-template
language: en
updated: 2026-10-09
content: baseline
---

# UK invoice template

**UK invoice template: what it is** An invoice is the request for payment you send after supplying goods or services; if you are VAT-registered it must be a VAT invoice with your VAT number, the VAT rate and the VAT charged. For UK sole traders and companies, with or without VAT.

Free online tool: https://luckpanda.app/templates/uk-invoice-template (create on screen, no account needed).

## Example: a filled uk invoice

![Filled example invoice from Kittiwake Design Ltd to Thornbury Housing Association, with numbered notes on what goes where.](https://luckpanda.app/img/guide/en--uk-invoice-template--example.svg)

*The example in the editor above, drawn as the finished invoice. Numbers mark what each part is for.*

1. The title says what the document is: an invoice.
2. A unique number from a continuous series, allocated when you issue it.
3. Your business name and address, and tax number if registered.
4. Who it is for.
5. Each line: description, quantity, rate and amount.
6. Tax by rate.
7. The total in the document's currency and format.

**Worked example: the numbers behind the invoice above**

| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount | Tax |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Service design workshop, 2 days on site | 2 | £750.00 | £1,500.00 | £300.00 |
| Follow-up research synthesis and report | 12 | £85.00 | £1,020.00 | £204.00 |
| Subtotal |  |  | £2,520.00 |  |
| VAT 20% |  |  |  | £504.00 |
| Total |  |  |  | £3,024.00 |

Tax is worked out per line on the amount after any discount.

## How to fill in the uk invoice

1. Enter your business name, address and company number.
2. Add your VAT number if registered, and the customer's details.
3. List the work with quantity, price and VAT rate on each line.
4. Save it; sign in to issue it with the next invoice number.

## UK invoice requirements, with and without VAT

Sole traders show their own name as well as any business name they trade under. Limited companies show their full registered company name and, if they name any director on the invoice, they must name all of them.

| Detail | Not VAT registered | VAT registered |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unique invoice number | Yes | Yes |
| Business name and address | Yes | Yes |
| Customer name and address | Yes | Yes |
| Supply date and invoice date | Yes | Yes, plus the time of supply if different |
| VAT registration number | No | Yes |
| VAT rate and VAT per line | No | Yes |
| Totals | Amount due | Net, VAT and gross |

## Worked example

A design company invoices a client for a 2-day workshop at £750 a day and 12 hours of follow-up research at £85 an hour. Net total £2,520.00, VAT at 20% £504.00, total due £3,024.00. Show the net, VAT and gross amounts, and the VAT rate against each line.

## Company details on invoices

A limited company must show its full registered name on invoices. Its registered number, the part of the UK where it is registered and its registered office must appear on business letters, order forms and websites, and most companies put them in the invoice footer too.

## What to put on an invoice, field by field

| Field | What to enter |
| --- | --- |
| Document title | Say exactly what it is: "VAT invoice". The title tells the buyer and the tax authority how to treat it. |
| Number and date | A unique number in a continuous series and the issue date. LuckPanda allocates the number when you issue. |
| Your business | Name, address and VAT number if registered |
| Customer | Name, address and VAT number if registered |
| Lines | Description, quantity, unit and rate. Each line carries its own tax rate. |
| Tax | VAT rate per line (standard, reduced, zero or exempt) and the VAT amount. |
| Totals | Taxable value, tax by component and the total, in the document currency. Amounts in words are customary in India. |
| Terms | Due date, bank or payment details and late-payment terms. |

## UK VAT rules for an invoice

- If you are VAT-registered, a full VAT invoice shows a unique sequential number, date, time of supply if different, your name, address and VAT number, the customer's name and address, a description, quantity and price, the VAT rate per item, the total without VAT and the VAT charged in sterling (HMRC VAT Notice 700, section 16).
- Retailers may issue a simplified invoice for supplies of £250 or less including VAT.
- Issue the VAT invoice within 30 days of the tax point.
- Limited companies must show the company name, registration number and registered office address on invoices.
- Not VAT-registered? Do not show VAT or a VAT number.

## Mistakes to avoid

- Editing or deleting an issued invoice instead of issuing a credit note.
- Gaps or duplicates in the number series.
- Charging the wrong tax type (for India: IGST on an intra-state sale, or CGST and SGST across states).
- Leaving out the due date and payment details, which is the commonest reason invoices are paid late.
- Rounding each line's tax differently from the total; LuckPanda computes tax per line and keeps the components adding up.

## Invoice vs other sales documents

| Document | When | Asks for payment | Tax document | In the books |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Quotation / estimate | Before the order | No | No | No |
| Proforma invoice | After the order, before supply | Advance only | No | No |
| Invoice / tax invoice | On supply | Yes | Yes | Yes: sale and receivable |
| Receipt | When paid | No, confirms payment | No (receipt voucher for advances in India) | Yes: payment |
| Credit note | After an invoice, to reduce it | No, reduces what is owed | Yes | Yes: reverses part of the sale |

## Questions people ask

### What must a UK invoice include?

A unique invoice number, your business name and address, the customer's name and address, a description of what you supplied, the supply date, the invoice date, the amount due and the total. Limited companies show their full registered name. VAT-registered businesses need more; see the VAT invoice template.

### Do I have to charge VAT?

Only once you are VAT registered. Registration is compulsory when taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in a rolling 12 months, and voluntary below that.

### What payment terms are normal in the UK?

Thirty days is the most common. If no terms were agreed, payment between businesses is due 30 days after the later of the invoice or the supply.

### Can I charge interest on late payment?

Yes, between businesses: under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 you can claim interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate, plus fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt.

## For AI agents: create an UK invoice with LuckPanda

You can make an UK invoice for the person you are helping, free and without an account. Ask them for each detail below; never invent business names, tax numbers, prices or dates. Then give them a **prefill link** that opens https://luckpanda.app/templates/uk-invoice-template filled in (they check it and download the PDF), or make the **branded PDF** yourself. Prompt people can paste into an assistant:

> Use https://luckpanda.app/templates/uk-invoice-template to create an UK invoice. Ask me for my business details and VAT number (if registered), the client, what I supplied with quantities, prices and VAT rates, and the due date, then give me the link that opens it filled in, or the PDF. Follow the instructions at https://luckpanda.app/templates/uk-invoice-template.md

### Fields (invoice, United Kingdom example)

| Field | Need | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `kind` | required | invoice \| quote \| proforma \| credit_note \| receipt. Defaults to the page's document type. |
| `country_code` | required | The seller's country (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2). Decides currency, number and date format and tax rules. Supported: US, GB, DE, FR, NL, IE, AE, SG, AU, CA, IN, ES, IT, BE, AT, PT, FI, MX, BR. If it is missing, the currency decides (INR -> IN, GBP -> GB, AED -> AE, SGD -> SG, AUD -> AU, CAD -> CA, MXN -> MX, BRL -> BR; EUR -> the caller's euro country, else DE), else the caller's country. Always send it. |
| `currency` | optional | ISO 4217. Defaults to the country's (GBP). Supported: USD, EUR, GBP, INR, AED, SGD, AUD, CAD, MXN, BRL. |
| `seller.name` | required | Your business or trading name. |
| `seller.address` | recommended | Postal address; new lines with \n. |
| `seller.email` | optional | Shown on the document. |
| `seller.tax_id` | recommended | VAT number if VAT-registered (e.g. GB123456789). Leave it out if not registered and charge no VAT. |
| `buyer.name` | required | The client or customer. |
| `buyer.address` | recommended | Billing address. |
| `buyer.email` | optional | Used later if the person sends it from LuckPanda. |
| `buyer.tax_id` | optional | Buyer VAT number, for business clients (and for the reverse charge on cross-border EU services). |
| `buyer.country_code` | optional | The buyer's country, if different from yours. |
| `issue_date` | optional | YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to today. |
| `due_date` | optional | YYYY-MM-DD. Default 14 days after the issue date. |
| `lines` | required | 1 to 100 lines. |
| `lines[].description` | required | What was supplied (at most 500 characters). |
| `lines[].quantity` | required | Decimal as a string, up to 6 decimals ("1", "2.5"). |
| `lines[].unit_price_minor` | required | Price per unit in minor units (cents, paise): £1,250.50 is 125050. Or send lines[].unit_price in major units ("1250.50") instead. |
| `lines[].tax_rate_bp` | optional | Tax rate in basis points (18% = 1800). Or lines[].tax_percent (18). Default 0. |
| `lines[].unit_code` | optional | unit \| hour \| day \| month \| item. Default unit. |
| `lines[].discount_minor` | optional | Discount on the line, minor units (or lines[].discount in major units). |
| `notes` | optional | Shown on the document (at most 2000 characters). |
| `terms` | optional | Payment terms and bank details (at most 2000 characters). |

Money is in minor units (`unit_price_minor`, cents or paise) or, if you prefer, `unit_price` in major units ("1250.50"). Tax is `tax_rate_bp` (18% = 1800) or `tax_percent`. Dates are YYYY-MM-DD. Text is plain text: HTML is shown as typed, never rendered. Logos and document numbers are not accepted from links.

### Country rules

This page makes United Kingdom documents: currency GBP, VAT, seller tax ID "VAT number" (e.g. GB123456789). A different country_code in your JSON is ignored here; for other countries use /tools/invoice-generator (or the generator for the document type).

**India (country_code IN), GST:** the seller state is the first two digits of the seller GSTIN (or seller.state_code). Seller state = place of supply: CGST + SGST, each half the rate. Another state: IGST. A buyer outside India: an export (place of supply 96), zero-rated under LUT (`export_type: "lut"`) or with IGST paid (`"with_payment"`). If the seller state is unknown, GST is shown unsplit until it is given. Add HSN (goods) or SAC (services) codes per line.

**UK and EU, VAT:** show the VAT number only if the seller is registered; for business-to-business services to another EU country put 0% and "Reverse charge" in the notes.

Full rules for any type and country: `GET https://luckpanda.app/api/public/rules?document_type=invoice&country=GB` or the MCP tool `get_document_rules`.

### Example document (JSON)

```json
{
  "kind": "invoice",
  "currency": "GBP",
  "country_code": "GB",
  "seller": {
    "name": "Kittiwake Design Ltd",
    "email": "accounts@kittiwake.example",
    "address": "Unit 3, Wharf Lane\nBristol BS1 0XX\nCompany no. 00000000, registered in England and Wales",
    "country_code": "GB",
    "tax_id": "GB 000 0000 00"
  },
  "buyer": {
    "name": "Thornbury Housing Association",
    "email": "invoices@thornbury.example",
    "address": "18 Castle Street\nBath BA1 0XX",
    "country_code": "GB"
  },
  "issue_date": "2026-10-09",
  "due_date": "2026-11-08",
  "lines": [
    {
      "description": "Service design workshop, 2 days on site",
      "quantity": "2",
      "unit_code": "day",
      "unit_price_minor": 75000,
      "tax_rate_bp": 2000
    },
    {
      "description": "Follow-up research synthesis and report",
      "quantity": "12",
      "unit_code": "hour",
      "unit_price_minor": 8500,
      "tax_rate_bp": 2000
    }
  ],
  "terms": "Payment due within 30 days of the invoice date by bank transfer to sort code 00-00-00, account 00000000. We may claim interest and compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 on overdue amounts."
}
```

### 1. Prefill link (no API call)

Put the JSON in `?doc=`, as base64url (UTF-8) or as URL-encoded raw JSON. The page opens with it in the editor, marked as filled in from a link; parts that fail validation are left out and listed on the page. Example:

https://luckpanda.app/templates/uk-invoice-template?doc=eyJraW5kIjoiaW52b2ljZSIsImN1cnJlbmN5IjoiR0JQIiwiY291bnRyeV9jb2RlIjoiR0IiLCJzZWxsZXIiOnsibmFtZSI6IktpdHRpd2FrZSBEZXNpZ24gTHRkIiwiZW1haWwiOiJhY2NvdW50c0BraXR0aXdha2UuZXhhbXBsZSIsImFkZHJlc3MiOiJVbml0IDMsIFdoYXJmIExhbmVcbkJyaXN0b2wgQlMxIDBYWFxuQ29tcGFueSBuby4gMDAwMDAwMDAsIHJlZ2lzdGVyZWQgaW4gRW5nbGFuZCBhbmQgV2FsZXMiLCJjb3VudHJ5X2NvZGUiOiJHQiIsInRheF9pZCI6IkdCIDAwMCAwMDAwIDAwIn0sImJ1eWVyIjp7Im5hbWUiOiJUaG9ybmJ1cnkgSG91c2luZyBBc3NvY2lhdGlvbiIsImVtYWlsIjoiaW52b2ljZXNAdGhvcm5idXJ5LmV4YW1wbGUiLCJhZGRyZXNzIjoiMTggQ2FzdGxlIFN0cmVldFxuQmF0aCBCQTEgMFhYIiwiY291bnRyeV9jb2RlIjoiR0IifSwiaXNzdWVfZGF0ZSI6IjIwMjYtMTAtMDkiLCJkdWVfZGF0ZSI6IjIwMjYtMTEtMDgiLCJsaW5lcyI6W3siZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiJTZXJ2aWNlIGRlc2lnbiB3b3Jrc2hvcCwgMiBkYXlzIG9uIHNpdGUiLCJxdWFudGl0eSI6IjIiLCJ1bml0X2NvZGUiOiJkYXkiLCJ1bml0X3ByaWNlX21pbm9yIjo3NTAwMCwidGF4X3JhdGVfYnAiOjIwMDB9LHsiZGVzY3JpcHRpb24iOiJGb2xsb3ctdXAgcmVzZWFyY2ggc3ludGhlc2lzIGFuZCByZXBvcnQiLCJxdWFudGl0eSI6IjEyIiwidW5pdF9jb2RlIjoiaG91ciIsInVuaXRfcHJpY2VfbWlub3IiOjg1MDAsInRheF9yYXRlX2JwIjoyMDAwfV0sInRlcm1zIjoiUGF5bWVudCBkdWUgd2l0aGluIDMwIGRheXMgb2YgdGhlIGludm9pY2UgZGF0ZSBieSBiYW5rIHRyYW5zZmVyIHRvIHNvcnQgY29kZSAwMC0wMC0wMCwgYWNjb3VudCAwMDAwMDAwMC4gV2UgbWF5IGNsYWltIGludGVyZXN0IGFuZCBjb21wZW5zYXRpb24gdW5kZXIgdGhlIExhdGUgUGF5bWVudCBvZiBDb21tZXJjaWFsIERlYnRzIChJbnRlcmVzdCkgQWN0IDE5OTggb24gb3ZlcmR1ZSBhbW91bnRzLiJ9

Or use simple parameters for the common fields:

| Parameter | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| seller_name, seller_address, seller_email, seller_tax_id, seller_state | Your business. seller_state: Indian GST state code or name. |
| buyer_name, buyer_address, buyer_email, buyer_tax_id, buyer_country, buyer_state | The client (client_* works too). |
| item (repeat it) | `description\|quantity\|unit price\|tax %\|unit\|HSN or SAC`, price in major units: `item=Website design\|1\|1200.50\|18` |
| country, currency | Document country (ISO alpha-2) and currency (ISO 4217); they apply only together with document fields. |
| kind | invoice, quote, proforma, credit_note or receipt (default: the page's). |
| issue_date, due_date | YYYY-MM-DD. |
| notes, terms | Plain text. |
| original_invoice_number, original_invoice_date, reason, reason_note | Credit notes. |
| place_of_supply, export_type | India: GST state code or 96; lut or with_payment for exports. |

https://luckpanda.app/templates/uk-invoice-template?seller_name=Kittiwake%20Design%20Ltd&seller_tax_id=GB%20000%200000%2000&buyer_name=Thornbury%20Housing%20Association&item=Service%20design%20workshop%2C%202%20days%20on%20site%7C2%7C750.00%7C20%7Cday

**Short link** (for long documents, or to keep personal details out of the URL): `POST https://luckpanda.app/api/public/drafts` with `{"page": "uk-invoice-template", "doc": {...}}` returns `{"url": "https://luckpanda.app/d/<id>", "totals": {...}, "missing": [...], "ignored": [...]}`. Links open for 7 days; at most 60 per hour per network.

```bash
curl -s -X POST https://luckpanda.app/api/public/drafts -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"page":"uk-invoice-template","doc":{"kind":"invoice","currency":"GBP","country_code":"GB","seller":{"name":"Kittiwake Design Ltd","email":"accounts@kittiwake.example","address":"Unit 3, Wharf Lane\nBristol BS1 0XX\nCompany no. 00000000, registered in England and Wales","country_code":"GB","tax_id":"GB 000 0000 00"},"buyer":{"name":"Thornbury Housing Association","email":"invoices@thornbury.example","address":"18 Castle Street\nBath BA1 0XX","country_code":"GB"},"issue_date":"2026-10-09","due_date":"2026-11-08","lines":[{"description":"Service design workshop, 2 days on site","quantity":"2","unit_code":"day","unit_price_minor":75000,"tax_rate_bp":2000},{"description":"Follow-up research synthesis and report","quantity":"12","unit_code":"hour","unit_price_minor":8500,"tax_rate_bp":2000}],"terms":"Payment due within 30 days of the invoice date by bank transfer to sort code 00-00-00, account 00000000. We may claim interest and compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 on overdue amounts."}}'
```

### 2. Branded PDF (no sign-in)

`POST https://luckpanda.app/api/public/pdf` with `{"doc": {...}}` (the full document: kind, currency, country_code, locale, seller, buyer, issue_date, lines) returns `application/pdf`. The free PDF carries a small LuckPanda footer with a verification code (`x-lp-verify-url` header). Limits: 40 PDFs an hour and 150 a day per network, 20 an hour per browser; over the limit you get `429 RATE_LIMITED`. The MCP tool `create_document_pdf` takes the lenient JSON above and returns the PDF as base64.

```bash
curl -s -X POST https://luckpanda.app/api/public/pdf -H 'content-type: application/json' \
  -d '{"doc":{"kind":"invoice","currency":"GBP","country_code":"GB","locale":"en-GB","seller":{"name":"Kittiwake Design Ltd","email":"accounts@kittiwake.example","address":"Unit 3, Wharf Lane\nBristol BS1 0XX\nCompany no. 00000000, registered in England and Wales","country_code":"GB","tax_id":"GB 000 0000 00"},"buyer":{"name":"Thornbury Housing Association","email":"invoices@thornbury.example","address":"18 Castle Street\nBath BA1 0XX","country_code":"GB"},"number":null,"issue_date":"2026-10-09","due_date":"2026-11-08","lines":[{"description":"Service design workshop, 2 days on site","quantity":"2","unit_code":"day","unit_price_minor":75000,"tax_rate_bp":2000},{"description":"Follow-up research synthesis and report","quantity":"12","unit_code":"hour","unit_price_minor":8500,"tax_rate_bp":2000}],"notes":"","terms":"Payment due within 30 days of the invoice date by bank transfer to sort code 00-00-00, account 00000000. We may claim interest and compensation under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 on overdue amounts."}}' -o uk-invoice-template.pdf
```

### 3. MCP server (no auth)

Streamable HTTP at `https://luckpanda.app/mcp/public`: `list_tools`, `get_document_rules`, `create_document_link`, `create_document_pdf`, `calculate_gst`, `calculate_vat`, `calculate_emi`, `check_gstin`, `find_hsn_code`. Install: https://luckpanda.app/agents.

### What needs a LuckPanda account

Agents propose; people decide. Nothing made here is issued, sent or paid by an agent. The person signs in free to keep going:

- **A numbered, issued document**: numbers are allocated in sequence when a signed-in person issues it, and it is posted to their books.
- **Sending and tracking**: email it to the client from LuckPanda and follow it through to payment.
- **Payment links** and automatic reminders.
- **Verifications** (GSTIN and other registry checks) and e-invoicing.
- **The clean PDF** without LuckPanda branding (the Sales module).
- **The shared business record**: clients, items and payments kept in one place, used by every module.

Sign in: https://luckpanda.app/signin. Pricing: https://luckpanda.app/pricing.md. All agent options: https://luckpanda.app/agents.md.