Guides

Getting paid, explained

Straight answers on invoicing, VAT, payment terms and quoting — written for UK sole traders, trades and small businesses. No jargon, no filler.

• What to include on a UK invoice

  The details a UK invoice legally needs, what changes if you're VAT registered or a limited company, and the extras that get you paid faster.

  5 min read

• How to chase a late invoice

  What to send and when, the interest and compensation you're legally entitled to on late commercial payments, and how far you can escalate.

  6 min read

• Invoice payment terms, explained

  What Net 30, due on receipt and end-of-month terms actually mean, what applies if you agree nothing, and how to choose terms that protect your cash flow.

  4 min read

• Quote vs estimate: the difference that matters

  A quote is a fixed price you're generally bound to; an estimate is an informed guess. Here's when to use each, and how to protect yourself either way.

  4 min read

• How to write a quote that wins the job

  Why the cheapest quote doesn't always win, what customers are actually comparing, and a structure that makes saying yes easy.

  5 min read

• VAT invoices: what UK small businesses need to know

  When you need to register, what a valid VAT invoice must show, how the different rates work, and what changes when the reverse charge applies.

  6 min read

• CIS deductions, explained simply

  How the Construction Industry Scheme works, the 20% and 30% deduction rates, what contractors deduct from, and how it shows on your invoice.

  5 min read

• Invoicing as a sole trader vs a limited company

  What changes on your invoices, in your record-keeping and in your liability when you move from sole trader to limited company.

  4 min read