Freelancer invoice example, explained line by line
Below is a complete invoice from a self-employed copywriter to a business client in the UK, with every field filled in and the reason each one is there. One click opens the same invoice in the generator, where you can replace the details with your own and download a PDF.
Open this invoice in the generator
All names, addresses and numbers in this example are made up. The VAT number is a placeholder: use your own, or leave the field empty if you are not VAT-registered (and then do not charge VAT).
The example invoice
| Field | Value in the example |
|---|---|
| From | Alex Morgan Copywriting, 12 Example Street, Manchester M1 1AA, alex@example.com |
| Tax ID | GB 000 0000 00 (example) |
| Bill to | Northwind Studio Ltd, 40 Sample Road, Leeds LS1 2BB, accounts@example.com |
| Invoice number | 2026-014 |
| Issue date | 2026-10-31 |
| Service date | 2026-10-27 |
| Due date | 2026-11-30 |
| Currency | £ |
| Line 1 | Website copywriting, 6 pages (hours): 12 × £65.00 = £780.00 |
| Line 2 | Revision round (fixed price): 1 × £120.00 = £120.00 |
| Tax rate | 20% |
| Notes | Payment by bank transfer within 30 days. Please quote invoice number 2026-014 as the payment reference. |
How the totals are calculated
The generator multiplies quantity by unit price for each line, adds the lines, then applies the tax rate once to that subtotal:
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | 12 × 65.00 | £780.00 |
| Line 2 | 1 × 120.00 | £120.00 |
| Subtotal | 780.00 + 120.00 | £900.00 |
| VAT 20% | 900.00 × 0.20 | £180.00 |
| Total due | 900.00 + 180.00 | £1,080.00 |
The rate here is the UK standard VAT rate of 20%, which GOV.UK lists alongside the reduced rate of 5% and the zero rate. If your work falls under a different rate, change the tax rate field; if you are not VAT-registered, set it to 0.
Why each field is there
Your details and the client's
GOV.UK says every invoice must include your business name, address and contact details and the name and address of the customer. If you trade under a business name as a sole trader, add your own name too and an address where legal documents can be delivered. For a limited-company client, use the full company name as it appears on the certificate of incorporation, which is usually what their accounts team will expect.
Invoice number 2026-014
Each invoice needs a unique identification number, and for VAT invoices HMRC asks for a sequential number based on one or more series. Putting the year first (2026-014) keeps the sequence readable and restarts cleanly each year as long as the year is part of the number. Never reuse a number, even for a cancelled invoice: issue a credit note instead and keep the record.
Three different dates
The issue date is when you send the invoice. The service date is when the work was delivered: GOV.UK lists "the date the goods or service were provided" as a required item, and for VAT invoices it is the time of supply. The due date turns "30 days" into a specific day so neither side has to count. HMRC normally expects a VAT invoice within 30 days of the supply, which this example meets.
Hours as quantity
Billing time works exactly like billing products: put the hours in the quantity column and your hourly rate in the unit price. Use decimals for part hours (7 h 30 min is 7.5). If the client wants to see the hours day by day, attach a timesheet; the hours worked guide shows how to convert minutes and total a week.
A fixed-price line
A fixed fee is simply a line with quantity 1. Keeping it separate from the hourly work makes the invoice easier to check against what was agreed in the quote.
Payment notes
Say how and when to pay, and ask for the invoice number as the payment reference so you can match the transfer. Add your bank details here if the client does not already have them. Never put passwords or card numbers on an invoice.
Variations you may need
- Not VAT-registered: leave the tax ID empty and set the tax rate to 0. In the UK you must register once your taxable turnover goes over £90,000 in a 12-month period (or is expected to within the next 30 days).
- Client in another country: VAT treatment of cross-border services can differ (for example reverse charge in the EU). Check the rules before charging VAT, and explain the treatment in the notes.
- Client in Germany, France, Spain, Italy or Greece: each has extra required details or e-invoicing rules; see what an invoice must include, country by country.
- Deposit or partial payment: invoice the deposit as its own line (for example "Deposit, 30% of agreed fee") and deduct it on the final invoice with a negative line.
Before you send it
- Check the client's legal name and address against their website or purchase order.
- Make sure the invoice number follows your last one.
- Recalculate one line by hand: if 12 × 65 is not 780, a field has a typo.
- Download the PDF and file it with your records. The generator does not store anything, so your copy is the only copy.
Open this invoice in the generator
Frequently asked questions
Can I invoice without being VAT-registered?
Yes. Leave out the VAT number, do not charge VAT, and make sure the invoice still has a number, both parties' details, what you supplied and when, the amounts and the total.
Should I invoice hours or a fixed price?
Whichever you agreed. Hours go in the quantity column with your hourly rate as the unit price; a fixed price is one line with quantity 1. You can mix both on one invoice, as in this example.
What if the client pays late?
Send a reminder that quotes the invoice number and due date. In the UK, businesses can claim statutory interest and compensation on late commercial payments; check the current rules on GOV.UK before adding them.
Sources: GOV.UK — Invoices: what they must include · GOV.UK — VAT Notice 700/21, VAT invoices · GOV.UK — VAT rates · GOV.UK — Register for VAT