Guides & tools for getting paid

E-invoicing checker

Answer three quick questions to see if the planned April 2029 e-invoicing rules are likely to apply to you, and what to do next.

E-invoice viewer

Open a Peppol or UBL XML invoice or credit note and see it as a readable invoice to print or save. Files never leave your device.

Late payment interest calculator

If a business customer pays you late, UK law lets you claim interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate plus a fixed compensation sum. Work out exactly what you're owed.

Free invoice template

Fill in your details and the invoice builds itself — with everything a UK invoice needs for a sole trader, partnership or limited company, with or without VAT. Then save it as a PDF.

Letter before action template

When reminders haven't worked, a formal letter before action is the last step before court. Fill in the details and get a ready-to-send letter for an unpaid invoice.

CIS deduction calculator

Work out the 20% or 30% CIS deduction on your labour and exactly what the contractor should pay you, with VAT or the reverse charge.

VAT calculator

Add VAT to a price or take it off a total at 20%, 5% or 0%, plus the VAT rates that apply to building work.

Day rate calculator

Work out a day rate that covers your pay, van, tools, insurance, holidays and the days you can't charge for.

Charge-out rate calculator

See the hourly rate you need, and what your current rate really earns you in a year.

Free quote template

Build a professional quote with VAT, a deposit and your terms, then save it as a PDF.

Free receipt template

Give customers a clear receipt for cash or bank payments, with VAT if you're registered.

How to chase an unpaid invoice

A practical, step-by-step guide for UK tradespeople and small businesses — from the first polite reminder to a letter before action. Many invoices get paid well before the end.

What to include on an invoice (UK)

What a UK invoice must show depends on how your business is set up and whether you're VAT registered. Here's the full checklist — sole trader, partnership or limited company.

Charging interest on late payments

If a business customer pays you late, UK law gives you the right to claim interest and a fixed compensation sum. Here's how it works — and how to work out what you're owed.

Payment reminder templates

Copy-and-paste wording for every stage, from a friendly heads-up to a firm final reminder. PaySorted sends wording like this automatically, filled in with each customer's details.

How to show CIS on an invoice

If you're a subcontractor under the Construction Industry Scheme, the contractor takes tax off your labour before paying you. Here's how to set out your invoice so the numbers match.

VAT domestic reverse charge

Since March 2021, most construction work between VAT-registered businesses is invoiced without charging VAT — the customer accounts for it instead. Here's when it applies and what your invoice must say.

Invoice payment terms

The shorter and clearer your payment terms, the faster you get paid. Here's what to use for homeowners and business customers, and what the law says.

Customer won't pay? What you can do

Step by step, from finding out why to small claims, and what not to do.

How to write a letter before action

What it must include, how long to give, and the extra forms for individuals and sole traders.

What is Breathing Space?

If a customer enters Breathing Space you must stop chasing. What it means and what you can still do.

UK e-invoicing from April 2029

The new e-invoicing mandate for VAT-registered businesses: who it covers, Peppol, the timeline and how to get ready.

Making Tax Digital for tradespeople

Who's been in since April 2026, who joins in 2027 and 2028, the quarterly deadlines and what you need to do.

PaySorted vs paper invoices

An honest comparison, including when paper is still fine.

PaySorted vs spreadsheets

Where a spreadsheet works well, and where it starts costing you.

How to invoice as a sole trader in the UK

What a UK sole trader must put on an invoice, trading name rules, when to register as self-employed, and how to get paid faster. Plain-English guide for trades.

Do I need to register for VAT?

When a UK tradesperson must register for VAT: the £90,000 threshold, the rolling 12-month and 30-day tests, deadlines, the Flat Rate Scheme and the reverse charge.

Allowable expenses for tradespeople

What self-employed UK trades can claim: van and travel, tools and equipment, phone, workwear and PPE, insurance, training and use of home. Plain-English guide.

Mileage allowance for tradespeople

HMRC simplified mileage rates for self-employed trades in 2026/27: 55p for the first 10,000 miles, 25p after. When to use it, what counts as business travel, and records.

Self Assessment deadlines for tradespeople

Every Self Assessment date a self-employed tradesperson needs: registering, paper and online returns, payments on account, MTD quarterly updates and late penalties.

How to register for CIS as a subcontractor

Register for the Construction Industry Scheme as a subcontractor: who should, what you need, how to apply online, 20% vs 30% deductions and claiming them back.

CIS gross payment status explained

How to get paid without CIS deductions: the business, turnover (£30,000) and compliance tests, how to apply, the annual review and the April 2026 changes.

Retentions in construction and how to get them back

How construction retentions work (usually 3–5%), when they should be released, why pay-when-paid clauses don't work, and step-by-step how to recover retention money.

Payment notices and pay-less notices

How payment notices, pay-less notices and payee's default notices work for UK construction contracts, with default timings, examples and your right to suspend work.

How to take a deposit, and stage payments for building work

Can tradespeople take deposits? How much is fair, the 14-day cancellation rules for jobs agreed at the customer's home, and how to set up stage payments.

Quote vs estimate: what's the difference legally?

In the UK a quote is a fixed price and an estimate is a best guess. What that means for going over budget, extra work, VAT and how long a quote lasts.

What to do if a customer disputes your invoice

A step-by-step plan for when a customer won't pay because they dispute your invoice: find out why, get the undisputed part paid, put things right, and escalate fairly.

Small claims court for trades

How a UK tradesperson can claim an unpaid invoice up to £10,000 online: the letter before action, court fees for 2026, what happens next, and how to enforce a judgment.

Invoice numbering rules in the UK

UK invoice numbering rules: unique and sequential numbers, prefixes, starting a new series each year, gaps and cancelled invoices, and what non-VAT businesses need.

PaySorted vs Powered Now

PaySorted vs Powered Now for UK trades: what automatic invoice chasing really costs, text reminders, per-user pricing, accounting software and free trial.

PaySorted vs Invoice2go

PaySorted vs Invoice2go compared: invoice limits, UK features like CIS and the reverse charge, text chasing, accounting software and free trials.

Xero invoicing vs PaySorted

Xero invoicing vs PaySorted for UK trades: invoice limits on Xero's cheaper plans, text chasing, sending invoices from the van — and why many trades use both.

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