Accounting and invoicing for events and media

Fees, tech days, deposits for weddings and trade fairs: whoever produces events and media works in projects with fixed dates and many parties. Saldiqo bills deposit and final invoice cleanly and keeps travel and equipment costs together.

Updated: 16 October 2026

What comes up for events and media businesses

Date is fixed, money comes later

Bookings are made months ahead, payment often only follows after the gig or event. Deposits secure the date.

Many parties

Organiser, agency, venue, equipment hire and artist: every job has several invoice routes.

Equipment and travel

Hire, transport, hotel and expenses are big items that are often re-invoiced.

Changing income

Peaks in summer and around Christmas, quiet months in between. Whoever steers by income needs the overview.

How Saldiqo helps

Quote, deposit, final invoiceYou issue the fee or package as a quote, the deposit as a stage invoice and the rest after the date.
Re-invoice equipment and travelYou record receipts as expenses and pass them on with a mark-up or at cost.
Match paymentsUpload the bank statement, and Saldiqo suggests the matching invoice.
Reminders with deadlinesPayment reminder and reminder levels with one click, with fixed deadlines.

Typical invoice lines

Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.

Performance fee, 3 hours
Equipment flat fee, sound and lights
Travel and hotel as per receipt
Deposit 50 % for the event on 18 July
Set-up and take-down
Re-invoiced hired equipment as per receipt

Tax and invoicing in the UK

What applies to invoices in the UK, in short. As of October 2026.

VAT: Standard rate 20 %, reduced rate 5 % and zero rate 0 %. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
VAT registration: You must register once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or you expect to pass it within the next 30 days. You can deregister below £88,000. Until you are registered, your invoices show no VAT, and Saldiqo adds up your 12-month turnover for you.
What goes on an invoice: If you are VAT registered: your VAT number, the tax point, unit prices and the VAT total in pounds. A limited company shows its registered name on every invoice, and its company number, registered office and part of the UK on letters, order forms and the website.
E-invoicing: There is no mandate today. From April 2029 e-invoicing is planned for all B2B and B2G sales that carry VAT, through Peppol. The exact date and standard are not yet in law, and the government’s roadmap follows with the Budget on 28 October 2026.
VAT returns: VAT returns go to HMRC through Making Tax Digital, usually quarterly, due one month and seven days after the period. Saldiqo shows sales and VAT per rate and exports CSV. It does not submit to HMRC, and for Making Tax Digital you need software recognised by HMRC.
Record keeping: Keep VAT records for 6 years.
Late payment: Statutory interest on late business payments is the Bank Rate (3.75 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 11.75 %. On top comes fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100, depending on the amount owed (under £1,000, from £1,000, from £10,000). Consumers have no statutory interest.
Getting paid: Your sort code and account number are on every invoice. Customers pay by Faster Payments or Bacs, and banks check the account name with Confirmation of Payee. There is no QR standard in the UK.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bill deposits for booked dates?

Yes. The quote becomes the deposit invoice. The final invoice deducts the deposit.

How do I bill travel and equipment costs?

You record the receipt as an expense and add the costs as a line to the invoice.

Do events and media businesses in the UK have to charge VAT?

Only once they are VAT registered. Registration is required when taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or is expected to within the next 30 days. Below that you may register voluntarily. If you are not registered, you must not show VAT on your invoices.

Do events and media businesses in the UK need e-invoicing?

Not today. A mandate for B2B and B2G sales with VAT is planned from April 2029, and the details were still open as of October 2026. You can keep sending PDF invoices for now.

How long should events and media businesses keep invoices?

Keep VAT records for 6 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.

Try Saldiqo for free

Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.

Start for free

This page for other countries

Niches in this industry

More industries

All industries

As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.