UK invoice layout: what to put where (with a template)

A good invoice layout isn't about looking fancy — it's about putting the few required details where the customer and HMRC expect them, so the bill is clear, compliant, and gets paid without questions. This guide walks through what every UK invoice must show, where each part sits, and a simple layout you can copy.

TL;DR

• A UK invoice needs, at minimum: the word "Invoice", a unique invoice number, your business details, the customer's details, the date, a description of what's being charged, the amounts, and how to pay.
• If you're VAT registered, you must also show your VAT number and a VAT breakdown (rate and amount), and the totals excluding and including VAT.
• Lay it out top-to-bottom: who it's from and to at the top, the line items in the middle, the totals bottom-right, and payment details clearly at the end.
• Keep the total and the payment method easy to find — those are the only two things the customer is really looking for.
• The layout should read cleanly on a phone, since most invoices are now opened on one.

What a UK invoice must include

Whether or not you're VAT registered, an invoice should clearly show:

• The word "Invoice", so it isn't mistaken for a quote or statement.
• A unique, sequential invoice number (see our guide on invoice numbering).
• Your business name and address, and contact details. If you're a limited company, your registered company name and number.
• The customer's name and address.
• The invoice date (and the supply/delivery date if different).
• A clear description of the goods or services, with quantity and unit price.
• The amount due and a payment due date / terms.
• How to pay — bank details, a payment link, or accepted methods.

If you are VAT registered, HMRC additionally requires a full VAT invoice to show your VAT registration number, the VAT rate applied to each line, the VAT amount, and the total excluding VAT, the total VAT, and the total including VAT. A simplified VAT invoice is allowed for smaller retail-style sales (at or below £250), which needs less line-by-line detail.

The layout, top to bottom

Think of the page in four bands. This order is what customers and accounts departments expect, so it reduces questions.

1. Header — who and what

• Your logo (optional) top-left or top-centre, with your business name and address.
• The word "Invoice", the invoice number, and the date, top-right where the eye lands first.

2. Bill to — who owes it

• The customer's name and address, below the header on the left.
• Any reference they need: a purchase order number, a job reference, or an account number. Putting a PO number here (clearly labelled) is often what gets a business invoice paid without it being "parked".

3. Line items — what's being charged

• A table: description, quantity, unit price, (VAT rate if registered), line total.
• One row per item. Keep descriptions specific enough that nobody can dispute what the charge covers.

4. Totals and payment — the bit they actually look for

• Totals bottom-right: subtotal, then VAT (by rate) if registered, then the grand total, with the total due shown boldest.
• Payment terms and due date.
• How to pay — bank name, sort code, account number and a payment reference (ideally the invoice number), or a payment link.
• Any notes last (e.g. "Not VAT registered" if that applies, so customers aren't left guessing).

Pro Tip: Put the payment reference as the invoice number and say so on the invoice. It means payments arrive already matched to the right bill instead of as a mystery deposit you have to chase down later.

A simple template you can copy

[LOGO]  YOUR BUSINESS NAME                         INVOICE
        Address line 1, Town, Postcode             No:   INV-0042
        VAT No: GB123456789 (if registered)        Date: 19 Oct 2026
        email · phone                              Due:  2 Nov 2026

BILL TO
Customer name
Customer address
PO / job reference: ______

------------------------------------------------------------
Description                 Qty    Unit price   VAT    Line total
Consumer unit swap           1      £620.00     20%    £620.00
EICR test & report           1      £150.00     20%    £150.00
------------------------------------------------------------
                                          Subtotal       £770.00
                                          VAT (20%)      £154.00
                                          TOTAL DUE      £924.00

Pay by: bank transfer — Sort 00-00-00, Acc 00000000
Reference: INV-0042
Terms: payment within 14 days

Swap the VAT lines out entirely if you're not VAT registered, and set every line to 0% / no VAT.

Design details that get invoices paid faster

• One total, made obvious. The customer's first question is "how much?" — don't bury it.
• Payment details on the invoice itself, not in a separate message, so there's no "can you send me your bank details" delay.
• Readable on a phone. Most invoices are opened on a mobile now; check the total doesn't drop below the fold and the table doesn't need pinching to read.
• Consistent branding — your logo, colour and details on every invoice — so it clearly comes from you and looks like a business that runs properly.
• Send as a PDF, so the layout can't shift or be edited after it leaves you.

Let the layout build itself

Getting the layout right once, by hand, is fine. Getting it right on every invoice, from a phone, at the end of a job, is where a tool earns its place. VanBill produces a clean, VAT-correct, branded invoice layout automatically — your details, the customer's, per-line VAT, totals and payment details all in the right place — and sends it as a PDF by WhatsApp or email from the job. It's built for UK trades, with VAT and CIS handled, and you can start free.

FAQ

What must a UK invoice legally include?

A unique invoice number, your business name and address, the customer's name and address, the date, a description of the goods or services, and the amount due. VAT-registered businesses must also show their VAT number, the VAT rate and amount per line, and the totals excluding and including VAT.

Does an invoice need to say "invoice"?

It should. Labelling it clearly as an invoice stops it being confused with a quote, estimate or statement, which is a common cause of slow or duplicated payment.

Where do the bank details go on an invoice?

At the bottom, near the total, clearly labelled with a payment reference (ideally the invoice number). Keeping them on the invoice itself rather than in a separate message removes a common delay.

Do I need a different layout if I'm not VAT registered?

Only slightly — drop the VAT number and VAT breakdown, set the lines to no VAT, and it's a good idea to mark the invoice "Not VAT registered" so the customer isn't left wondering.

Should invoices be sent as PDF or editable files?

PDF. It locks the layout and stops the figures being changed accidentally after you send it. Send an editable file only if a client specifically asks for one.