Peppol will be the backbone of UK e-invoicing. In its Tax Update on 23 June 2026, the government announced that Peppol "will be the core interoperability network for e-invoicing in the UK", ahead of the mandate that starts on April 2029.
The government said the decision gives software developers and taxpayers "an indication of the direction of travel" so they can begin planning product development and rollout. It also said it will keep engaging with stakeholders on legacy systems that cannot interoperate with the future system.
What this means
Peppol is an international network and set of standards for exchanging business documents. Once a business is connected, it can send e-invoices to any other Peppol participant, regardless of which provider each side uses. It is often compared to email: you pick a provider, and you can reach everyone.
The UK will use the four-corner model:
- The supplier creates the invoice in its software.
- The supplier's Access Point sends it over Peppol.
- The buyer's Access Point receives and validates it.
- The buyer's software imports it.
There is no central government platform in that flow. This matches the decentralised approach announced at the Autumn Budget 2025.
Not new to the UK
Peppol is already familiar to many UK suppliers. The NHS adopted Peppol for procurement in the last decade, and many public-sector suppliers already send invoices this way. The mandate will extend the same approach to B2B invoicing.
Will HMRC get the data?
Not at first. The government has said real-time reporting will not be introduced alongside the mandate. Some commentators expect the model could evolve later to include a "fifth corner" that reports data to HMRC, but nothing has been confirmed.
What is still open
- The exact invoice specification and any UK-specific rules
- How Access Points and software providers will be accredited
- Treatment of B2C sales, receipts and simplified invoices
These details are expected in the implementation roadmap due at Budget 2026. Read What is Peppol? for a fuller explanation.
Frequently asked questions
Will the UK use Peppol for e-invoicing?
Yes. Peppol has been confirmed as the core interoperability network for the UK's e-invoicing mandate.
Do I need to join Peppol myself?
Most businesses will connect through their accounting or ERP software, which works with a certified Peppol Access Point on their behalf.
Researched and written with AI assistance from primary sources. See our editorial policy. Spotted a mistake? Report an error. einvoices.uk is an independent publication and is not affiliated with HMRC. Details of the mandate may change; check the sources and official GOV.UK guidance before acting.