Required invoice details
Based on GOV.UK
FREE RESOURCE FOR UK SERVICE BUSINESSES
UK invoice checklist for service businesses
A practical checklist for UK service businesses that need to create clear invoices, add bank transfer details, track reported payments and follow up overdue invoices.
For UK service businesses: jobs, quotes, invoices, bank-transfer payment tracking and overdue reminders.
Your customers pay directly into your bank account. Joqiva does not touch your money.
General guidance only. Not legal, tax or accounting advice.
What this page helps you check
Invoice number
Business and customer details
Description of services
Supply and invoice dates
VAT, if applicable
Total amount owed
Bank transfer details
Reported payment status
1. What should a UK invoice include?
2. What changes if the business is VAT registered?
3. How does an invoice connect to a job, quote and payment?
4. How does Joqiva help without handling customer money?
WORKFLOW
Enquiry to invoice follow-up
Joqiva keeps the job, quote, invoice, payment status and reminders in one place.
Enquiry
Job
Quote
Invoice
Bank transfer
Payment reported
Owner confirms
Closed
WORKS WELL FOR
Built for UK service businesses such as:
Built for UK service businesses that need practical job, quote, invoice and bank-transfer follow-up workflows.
Air conditioning services
Maintenance companies
Electricians
Plumbers
Cleaning companies
Small builders
CHECKLIST
Required UK invoice checklist
The required invoice details and the practical payment details are separated here on purpose. Bank details and payment terms matter for collection, but they are not the same type of requirement as core invoice fields.
Recommended payment details
Bank transfer workflow
Your customers pay directly into your bank account. Joqiva does not touch your money. No payment processor is required for client invoice payments.
Review details
Reviewer, last reviewed and sources
This resource is general information only. It is not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. You should check the current GOV.UK guidance or speak to a qualified adviser for your specific situation.
Resource transparency
Review record
- Reviewed by:
- Joqiva product and compliance review
- Last reviewed:
- 7 June 2026
- Sources and review basis:
VAT DETAILS
VAT registered or not?
Your invoice should treat VAT differently depending on whether your business is registered for VAT.
Show VAT number and VAT separately
If you are VAT registered, your invoice should show your VAT number and VAT separately.
- VAT registration number
- VAT rate
- VAT amount
- Net amount and total amount
- Tax point / supply date
Do not add VAT as a separate charge
If you are not VAT registered, do not add VAT as a separate charge and do not describe the document as a VAT invoice.
- Show the invoice total clearly
- Keep the service description clear
- Include payment terms and due date
- Add bank transfer instructions
Joqiva stores your VAT registered status, VAT number and VAT settings so invoice totals and labels follow your workspace settings.
BUSINESS DETAILS
Sole trader or limited company?
The business details on your invoice should match how your business is legally set up.
Sole trader
Show your own name and business name
If you invoice as a sole trader, include your own name and business name, if you use one.
- Your own name and business name, if you use one
- Address where legal documents can be delivered if you use a business name
- Contact details for invoice questions
Limited company
Use registered company details
If you invoice through a limited company, use the registered company name and company details that identify the legal entity.
- Registered company name
- Company number
- Registered office address
- Where the company is registered
Joqiva can store your trading name, registered company details, company number, VAT settings and contact information so invoices use the right details.
INVOICE BASICS
Invoice do's and don'ts
Keep the invoice clear for customers and avoid mixing customer bank-transfer payments with your Joqiva subscription.
Do
- Include a clear payment due date.
- Include account name, sort code, account number and reference.
- Keep job, quote and invoice history together.
- Track reported and confirmed payment separately.
Don't
- Mark an invoice paid just because the customer clicked "I've paid".
- Add VAT if your business is not VAT registered.
- Delete sent invoices without a record.
- Mix Joqiva subscription payments with customer invoice payments.
COMMON MISTAKES
Common invoice mistakes to avoid
Small invoice mistakes can confuse customers, delay payment or make follow-up harder.
Missing supply date
Add the date the work or service was supplied.
Reusing or skipping invoice numbers
Keep invoice numbers unique and consistent inside your business.
Adding VAT when not VAT registered
Only show VAT when your business is VAT registered and VAT applies.
Using vague descriptions
Avoid descriptions like "work done". Explain the service clearly.
Forgetting customer address
Include the customer name and address so the invoice is clear.
No payment due date
Show when payment is due so the customer knows the deadline.
No payment reference
Give the customer a clear reference, such as the invoice number.
Treating "I've paid" as confirmed payment
A customer payment report is not confirmed payment. Check your bank account before marking the invoice as paid.
In Joqiva, "I've paid" means the customer has reported payment. The business owner still confirms the payment after checking the bank account.
EXAMPLE INVOICE
Example UK service invoice
This example shows a VAT-registered limited company invoice with the invoice fields and Joqiva payment logic visible.
From checklist to invoice
A clear invoice should show who is billing, who is being billed, what work was done, the invoice dates, the amount owed, how the customer should pay and the current payment status.
- Invoice fields are easy to check
- VAT is shown only when applicable
- Payment reference matches the invoice number
- Bank transfer details are clear for the customer
- Payment status starts as awaiting payment
In Joqiva, invoice data is stored as structured data. The PDF is only a generated document view.
Invoice INV-1042
Awaiting payment
From
ACME Cooling Ltd
14 Market Street
Manchester M1 1AB
Company No: 12345678
Registered in: England and Wales
Email: accounts@acmecooling.example
VAT No: GB123456789
To
John Smith
27 King Street
Manchester M2 4AA
Service
Air conditioning installation
Dates
Supply date: 15 May 2026
Invoice date: 15 May 2026
Payment terms: 7 days
Payment due date: 22 May 2026
Totals
Subtotal: £1,041.67
VAT: £208.33
Total: £1,250.00
Payment
Payment method: Bank transfer
Account name: ACME Cooling Ltd
Sort code: 12-34-56
Account number: 12345678
Payment reference: INV-1042
Status
Status: Awaiting payment
Joqiva helps you keep invoice numbers, VAT settings, bank details and payment tracking in one workflow.
CUSTOMER INVOICE PAGE
What your customer sees on a Joqiva invoice page
A Joqiva customer invoice page makes the bank-transfer action clear without turning Joqiva into the payment handler.
Amount due
Due date
Invoice status
Bank transfer details
Copy payment details
I've paid button
Download PDF invoice
The "I've paid" button does not mark the invoice as paid automatically. It reports the payment to the business owner, who then confirms whether the payment was received.
JOQIVA WORKFLOW
How Joqiva helps with UK invoices
Joqiva connects the invoice to the service workflow before and after the invoice is sent.
1
Create a job from an enquiry
Manual entry, pasted message, forwarded email or template.
2
Prepare a quote
Use service templates, item library and optional quote items.
3
Create an invoice after an accepted quote
Create it manually or automatically if your workspace policy allows it.
4
Add bank transfer details
Show account name, sort code, account number and invoice reference.
5
Track reported payments
Customers can click "I've paid"; the owner confirms the payment.
6
Follow up overdue invoices
Send manual reminders, or use automatic reminders on Pro and Team.
Your customers pay directly into your bank account. Joqiva does not touch your money. See how Joqiva can create UK invoices with bank-transfer details.
PRODUCT BOUNDARY
What Joqiva is not
This keeps the page honest about the product boundary and avoids promising accounting or money-handling features.
Joqiva is not accounting software.
Joqiva does not replace Xero, QuickBooks or your accountant.
Joqiva does not process customer invoice payments.
Joqiva helps service businesses manage jobs, quotes, invoices, payment tracking and reminders.
FAQ
UK invoice checklist FAQs
Common questions about UK invoices, VAT, bank transfer payments and how Joqiva supports invoice follow-up.
Does Joqiva process customer payments?
No. Customers pay directly into your bank account by bank transfer. Joqiva tracks invoice status but does not collect, hold, settle or control customer invoice payments.
Can Joqiva help with overdue invoices?
Yes. Starter supports manual reminders and a basic overdue list. Pro and Team can also use automatic overdue reminders.
Can Joqiva create invoices from quotes?
Yes. Joqiva can create an invoice after an accepted quote. Auto-invoice creation depends on your workspace policy.
Is Joqiva accounting software?
No. Joqiva is a job, quote, invoice and bank-transfer payment tracking assistant for UK service businesses.
Can I use Joqiva if I am not VAT registered?
Yes. Joqiva supports VAT registered and non-VAT registered businesses through workspace VAT settings.
What should a UK invoice include?
A UK invoice should include a unique invoice number, your business details, customer details, a clear description of the services, supply date, invoice date, amount charged, VAT amount if applicable and total amount owed.
It is also practical to include payment terms, due date, bank transfer details and a clear payment reference.
FREE PUBLIC RESOURCES
More free resources
Useful examples and templates for UK service businesses managing quotes, invoices and payment follow-up.
Payment reminder templates
Copy simple polite and firmer reminder wording for overdue invoices.
Invoice payment terms
Choose due dates, payment wording and bank-transfer references for UK service invoices.
Example quote
See a simple UK service quote layout with service items, optional items, quote expiry and customer acceptance.
Example invoice
See a simple UK service invoice layout with VAT, payment terms, bank transfer details and payment tracking.
Public demo
See the enquiry, job, quote, invoice and bank-transfer payment tracking workflow in a safe public demo.
Create clearer UK invoices and track payment follow-up in one place
Joqiva helps UK service businesses move from enquiry to job, quote, invoice, bank-transfer payment tracking and reminders without handling customer money.
Customer invoice payments stay between your customer and your bank account. Joqiva tracks the workflow and reminders.