Required documentation for payment
CIS certificate, VAT registration if applicable, bank details matching your business name, and milestone-specific certificates (gas, electrical, building control).
The documentation Beams needs in place to release payment. Note that the milestone-completion notice itself must be posted on the platform — per the Builder Agreement, the platform record is what triggers the payment cycle, not an email or a separate document.
Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) certificate
If you operate under the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), your certificate and registration details must be active and listed on your invoices. Each invoice should clearly show:
- Your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) (Unique Taxpayer Reference).
- CIS deduction where applicable.
- Net amount after deduction.
Beams processes CIS deductions automatically through the platform once the invoice is verified.
Value Added Tax (VAT) registration
If you're VAT-registered:
- Include your VAT registration number on all invoices.
- Provide your VAT certificate during onboarding.
- Add VAT separately to your invoices — the milestone values in the payment schedule are exclusive of VAT.
Bank details
- Provide your current bank account information during onboarding.
- The account must match your business name.
- All payments are by bank transfer.
- If your bank details change, notify Beams in writing by email only — never by WhatsApp, SMS, or any other channel. This prevents fraud.
Required certificates by milestone
Some milestones need specific certificates before payment is released:
- First Fix: electrical first-fix certificate where electrical work has happened; building control sign-off where required at this stage.
- Practical Completion / Sign Off: gas safety certificates where gas work has happened; final electrical certificates; building control completion certificates.
Upload the certificates as part of milestone evidence when you mark the milestone complete.
Why we need all of it
Beams can't release payment without the underlying compliance documents being current. CIS, VAT, certificates of compliance — all are part of how the platform handles payments cleanly. Missing any of them slows the cycle.
Related articles
- Submitting invoices
- Milestone evidence and approvals