Invoicing & getting paid
What Should a Sole Trader Invoice Include?
A practical UK sole trader invoice checklist covering customer details, invoice numbers, dates, payment information, VAT and more.
By Sole Trader Pal · 2026-09-01 · 5 min read
An invoice should make it easy for your customer to understand three things:
- what they’re paying for;
- how much they owe;
- how and when to pay you.
But there are also details that UK invoices need to include.
Here is a straightforward checklist.
The basic information on an invoice
Current GOV.UK guidance says invoices must include information including:
- a unique invoice identification number;
- your business name, address and contact information;
- the customer name and address;
- a clear description of what you’re charging for;
- the date the goods or services were provided;
- the invoice date;
- the amount being charged;
- VAT where applicable;
- the total amount owed.
For a sole trader, there are some additional requirements.
Your name and trading name
If you’re a sole trader, include:
- your own name;
- any business name you trade under.
If you use a business name, GOV.UK also requires an address where legal documents can be delivered to you.
Check current GOV.UK invoice requirements here.
Give every invoice a unique number
Every invoice should have a unique identification number.
A simple sequence works perfectly well:
The important thing is that the invoice can be uniquely identified.
This also makes it far easier to answer questions when a customer says:
Which invoice are you talking about?
Clearly describe the work
Avoid vague descriptions such as:
Work completed
where a clearer description is available.
Something like:
Driveway pressure washing and re-sanding completed 18 August 2026
is much easier for both you and the customer to recognise.
Include the important dates
Make the invoice date clear.
Also include the date the service or goods were supplied where required.
And make the payment due date easy to see.
A customer shouldn’t have to calculate it themselves from tiny payment terms in the footer.
Make the total clear
Show the amounts being charged and the total amount due.
If VAT applies, ensure the invoice meets the applicable VAT invoice requirements and shows VAT correctly.
Read current GOV.UK VAT invoice guidance.
How should the customer pay?
Although this is separate from the basic invoice requirements, giving the customer clear payment instructions can reduce friction.
Depending on how your business operates, include:
- bank details;
- payment reference;
- payment link;
- other supported payment method.
Make it obvious what the customer should do.
State the payment terms
If you’ve agreed payment terms with the customer, show them clearly.
For example:
Payment due within 14 days
or:
Payment due by 15 September 2026
Using an actual due date can make the deadline particularly easy to understand.
Send it promptly
Completing a job on Monday and waiting three weeks before invoicing means you’ve already delayed your own payment by three weeks.
Where appropriate, send invoices promptly once the work is complete.
The UK’s Small Business Commissioner also encourages clear, timely invoicing as a way to reduce payment delays.
Read the Small Business Commissioner guidance.
Keep a record
Self-employed businesses need to keep appropriate business records.
Your invoices form part of that record.
Check GOV.UK self-employed record-keeping guidance.
The invoice is not the final step
Once an invoice has been sent, there is still something to keep track of:
Has it actually been paid?
If the due date passes, see our guide to how to chase an unpaid invoice politely.