• Home
• News
• Start-Up Guides
• Contractor FAQs
• Umbrella Company
• Limited Company
• Tax / Accounting
• IT Contractor Rates
• Contract Rate Checker
• IR35
• IT Contractor Insurance
• Money / Investing
• IT Contracts / Work
• Service Provider News
• Directory
• About Us

Independent Contractor Services Free IR35 & Contractor Tax Review Call free 0800 195 3750 | Email

Guide to invoicing agencies + invoice template

Published on Mar 13, 2009 |

• Print this article
• Email this article

When you sign a contract with your recruitment agency or client, it will specify how much you will be paid, and when to invoice for payment.

At the end of each payment period (typically weekly or monthly), you will be required to send an invoice to the client/agency before you receive your contract earnings.

Once you have had your timesheet signed off, you should send it, together with a professional looking invoice, to the client (or agency).

If you're an umbrella company client, you send your timesheet to your umbrella, and they'll invoice the agency.

Many agencies will accept an electronic invoice these days, or will create an invoice on your behalf if they use a self-billing system, but check first.

You can read more in our guide to timesheets and invoicing your agency.

Download sample IT Contractor Invoice - WORD | PDF

What to include on an Invoice

Although fairly self-explanatory, you should include the following information on your invoice, as per the example download.

1) Your Company Name, Address, Contact Details, and VAT / Company Numbers.

2) The Client/Agency Name, Address, and Contact Name.

3) Invoice Date, and Unique Invoice Number.

4) Your Bank Details.

5) Details of work done, rates, and total contract billing.

6) Add Value Added Tax (VAT) + the total sum due.

7) You are also perfectly entitled to request payment within 30 days.

What Happens Next

Once the agency has received your timesheet and invoice, you should be paid electronically within 7-14 days (depends on your contract terms).

There shouldn't be any problems, but if the unlikely happens and payment is late, ensure you get on to the accounts department right away (or to your umbrella company administration team if you don't work via a limited company).

Download sample IT Contractor Invoice - WORD | PDF

We also recently came across this invoice generating tool for contractors. It converts your details into PDF format which you can even email directly to clients.