Agency does not want invoice. I must fill out their timesheet in order to get paid.

[PerfectStorm]

Speak for yourself. Most contractors I know (myself included) insist on invoicing whenever possible.

Aside from anything else it makes accounting easier since I can choose when to generate the invoice rather than having to wait for a self-billing note to arrive from the agency when payment occurs.

Nothing to stop you from generating one early

[SeededLoaf]

My last 2 agencies used self bill.

On their web forms it had an invoice number reference box so I created one in my accounting package and got them to match up.

[fatJock]

My last 2 agencies used self bill.

On their web forms it had an invoice number reference box so I created one in my accounting package and got them to match up.

I do exactly this. Makes it easier to reconcile, do VAT returns and for the accountant at year end.

[SueEllen]

I think this is how almost all contractors work.

They’ll usually generate an invoice for you or you can make one up each month to give to your accountant, it’s fine

While lots of agencies use self-billing not all do, and if you are direct you have to and send your own invoices anyway. So making generalisations is silly as not all contractors work exactly the same way.

[gables]

And we wonder why HMRC treat us like permies / temporary employees and not like a "real" business.

Hmm, if you look at the HMRC website here they say:

"This notice is about the VAT treatment of self-billing. Self-billing is a commercial arrangement between a supplier and a customer in which the customer prepares the supplier’s invoice and forwards a copy to the supplier with the payment."

Look very business like to me

[MrButton]

And we wonder why HMRC treat us like permies / temporary employees and not like a "real" business.

Irrelevant.

Hmm, if you look at the HMRC website here they say:

"This notice is about the VAT treatment of self-billing. Self-billing is a commercial arrangement between a supplier and a customer in which the customer prepares the supplier’s invoice and forwards a copy to the supplier with the payment."

Look very business like to me

On the ball and to the point.

[simes]

You really need to get a basic grasp of IR35. That's an awful question to be asking. A one line understanding of IR35 should be enough to not have to ask that.
Really poor carry on.

Grief - you really need to get off your high horse.

A simple question; it didn't need all your high and mighty attitude.

For my part, irrespective of self billing and what the HMRC say they want this week, I just have an annual spreadsheet with all the invoices pre-prepared and then get auto filled when filling in my days worked per month - just in case someone, some time, wants to view them. Belt and Braces? Yes indeed.

[northernladuk]

Grief - you really need to get off your high horse.

A simple question; it didn't need all your high and mighty attitude.

Not really. Crap contractors really get my goat and if the OP takes any notice and steps up then he's had better advice than an answer to a pretty daft question.

[SueEllen]

Grief - you really need to get off your high horse.

A simple question; it didn't need all your high and mighty attitude.

The simple question revealed the OP doesn't understand what IR35 is about.

However they aren't the only one who has done this in the past. Other posters have complained when they have had to do Health and Safety courses when working on a client site...

[FK1]

Speak for yourself. Most contractors I know (myself included) insist on invoicing whenever possible.

Aside from anything else it makes accounting easier since I can choose when to generate the invoice rather than having to wait for a self-billing note to arrive from the agency when payment occurs.

+ 1024

10 years of contracting I never accept self-billing and insist on invoicing. All agencies I worked through accepted that and received my invoices. I suspect they simply ignored them but that is their business while I run my own.