Freelancer invoice template
Freelancing means a lot of small invoices to a lot of different clients, each on whatever basis you agreed — an hourly rate here, a project fee there, a day rate for the one that books you by the week. This template handles all three, starts with no VAT, and saves each invoice so next month is a duplicate-and-edit job.
Saved on this device only — nothing is uploaded.
Invoice details
Your business
Non-VAT mode: no VAT is shown. Correct if your turnover is under £90,000.
Stored on your device only and embedded in the PDF. PNG or JPG, under 1MB.
Bill to (your client)
CIS (construction)
Appearance
Items
Discount, deposit & payment
Receiving a deposit can create a VAT tax point. Check HMRC guidance if unsure.
Your business name
Invoice
INV-0001
Not VAT registered
No VAT is charged on this invoice
Bill to
Client name
- Invoice date
- 01/10/2026
| Description | Qty | Unit | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
- Net total
- £0.00
- Total
- £0.00
Bill on the basis you actually agreed
Hourly work needs the hours visible — "Editing — 14.5 hours @ £45" — because that's the number a client queries. Project fees are cleaner as a single line naming the deliverable rather than the effort: "Website copy, 6 pages — fixed £1,400". Day rates should say how many days and which ones if the client is tracking a budget.
Long projects are easier to survive if you split them. A 50% deposit before you start and 50% on delivery is standard for new clients, and each half is its own invoice with its own number — not one invoice paid twice. For work that runs for months, bill monthly in arrears for what's done rather than waiting for the end. If a client wants the figures before committing, send a quote first and convert it when they accept.
Expenses, and the bit clients argue about
Anything you bought for the job goes on its own line, never folded into your fee — stock images, a font licence, a train fare, a domain. Clients query a fee that mysteriously grew by £29; they don't query a line that says "Stock licence — £29". Agree in advance whether travel is billable and at what rate, because that's the single most common invoice dispute in freelance work.
Scope changes are the other one. If the brief moved, invoice the extra as a described line — "Additional round of amends (out of scope) — 3 hours @ £45" — rather than quietly inflating the project fee. It reads as a straight answer rather than a surprise, and it's much easier to defend three weeks later.
When a client just doesn’t pay
This is the freelance occupational hazard, and the law is more helpful than most freelancers realise. When a business client pays late you're entitled to statutory interest at the Bank of England base rate plus 8% on the overdue amount, plus a fixed compensation sum of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt — see GOV.UK on charging interest on a commercial debt. You don't need it written into the contract; it applies by default.
Work out the figure with the late payment interest calculator and put it on a fresh invoice rather than editing the original, which the client has already filed. The full walkthrough covers the wording. One caveat: this applies to business customers only — a private individual who pays late is a different, weaker claim.
VAT, and the overseas client question
Most freelancers work below the £90,000 threshold and invoice with no VAT, which is what this template does. The wrinkle is foreign clients: services supplied to a business customer outside the UK are generally outside the scope of UK VAT under the general place-of-supply rule, so there's no UK VAT to add and those sales don't count towards your registration threshold. HMRC's place of supply of services notice has the detail — and it's worth reading before you assume a big overseas year has pushed you over.
A typical freelancer invoice
Example line items you might add:
- Copywriting — 1,500 words, fixed £450
- Editing — 14.5 hours @ £45
- Deposit (50% of project fee) — £700
- Stock licence (rebilled at cost) — £29
Frequently asked questions
Should I ask freelance clients for a deposit?
For new clients and anything long enough to hurt if it falls through, yes — 50% up front and 50% on delivery is the common split. Invoice each half separately with its own number so both are properly recorded.
Can I charge a freelance client interest for paying late?
If the client is a business, yes. Statutory interest runs at the Bank of England base rate plus 8% from the day after payment was due, and you can add fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the debt size. It applies automatically, without a contract clause.
How do I bill expenses to a client?
As separate, named lines at the amount you actually paid — a train fare, a stock image, a font licence. Agree up front whether travel is billable, because vaguely worded expenses are the most disputed part of a freelance invoice.
Do I charge UK VAT to an overseas client?
Generally not for services to a business customer outside the UK — the place of supply is where the customer belongs, so it falls outside UK VAT. If you are not registered at all the question is academic, but those sales also sit outside your £90,000 threshold calculation.
How do I keep numbering straight across many clients?
Use one sequence for your whole business rather than a sequence per client. One unbroken run proves nothing is missing; the client name on each invoice is what tells them apart.