Professional services & education
MTD software for private tutors.
Spend the lesson teaching, not chasing figures.
Parent transfers, platform bookings and group lessons create many small receipts. Avona helps academic tutors, music teachers and language instructors organise lesson income and resources throughout the term.
- Who it is for
- Private tutors working as sole traders, managing their own business records and MTD for Income Tax updates.
- Available now
- Digital records, bank feeds, statement imports, transaction categorisation and quarterly self-employment updates. Pro adds customer invoicing, VAT accounting and reporting.
- Monthly price
- From £15/month for Lite. Pro is £20/month.
- Free trial
- Full access for 7 days. No credit card required.
- Annual-return limitations
- Quarterly updates do not replace your annual tax return. HMRC lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development. Check the listing and confirm support for your income sources before relying on Avona for your annual return.
Making Tax Digital
It’s what comes in.
Before costs go out.
Regular weekly lessons and holiday courses accumulate before materials or platform fees. Both direct and platform teaching income matter when checking your gross turnover for MTD.
Understand Making Tax Digital →When does MTD apply?
Combined qualifying self-employment and property income, before expenses:
- Over £50,000 in 2024/25
- From 6 April 2026
- Over £30,000 in 2025/26
- From 6 April 2027
- Over £20,000 in 2026/27
- From 6 April 2028
Eligibility and exemptions matter. These are income thresholds, not tax-free allowances.
Check HMRC’s eligibility guidance ↗From the work to your records
Clear records for your individual tuition sessions.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your individual tuition sessions, shared purchases and a prepaid tuition block.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £300 for your individual tuition sessions £45 spent on lesson resources and printing | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for lesson resources and printing. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £300 as the sale and the £45 cost separately. The £255 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for workbooks for paying pupils; £20 for books for your own children | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify workbooks for paying pupils separately from books for your own children. | Only the eligible £80 business portion belongs in business costs. Exclude the £20 personal purchase, and check that importing both the bank transaction and the receipt has not counted the spending twice. |
| £240 paid for a block of sessions Payment received before all sessions take place | Keep the booking and payment evidence for a prepaid tuition block. Reconcile the receipt with the bank entry and retain any later refund details. | A prepaid block and its individual appointments are not separate sales to count twice. Apply your accounting method to payment timing; attendance alone does not show whether the client has paid. |
Keep supporting documents alongside your figures, review business use and apply your accounting method consistently. HMRC: keeping business records ↗
The costs behind your work
Six expenses worth
keeping records for.
Examples for private tutors. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Teaching textbooks
Educational resources
Business instrument servicing
Video lesson subscriptions
Relevant DBS checks
Teaching room hire
One thing to watch
Platform settlements may be net of fees
Keep the lesson statement so you can separate teaching income from commission. Record cash or direct-parent payments too, rather than assuming the bank feed captures every lesson.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your individual tuition sessions.
Match lesson receipts with your teaching diary, attach resource purchases and review platform charges before sending your quarterly figures.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for lesson resources and printing. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish workbooks for paying pupils from books for your own children.
How document capture works →Reconcile your individual tuition sessions payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a prepaid tuition block available alongside the bank entry, so fees, refunds or timing differences can be explained.
How bank review works →Review before you submit
Review Avona AI’s suggested categories, check that your individual tuition sessions income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a prepaid tuition block ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from private tutors.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers private tutors working as sole traders. Your start date depends on combined qualifying self-employment and property income before expenses, and any exemptions. Employment and limited-company work have different reporting arrangements.
What if a parent pays for several children at once?
Keep a payment breakdown against the relevant lesson bookings. One transfer can cover multiple pupils or weeks, so attendance records and bank entries need to be reconciled together.
How do I record a prepaid tuition block?
Example: £240 paid for a block of sessions (payment received before all sessions take place). A prepaid block and its individual appointments are not separate sales to count twice. Apply your accounting method to payment timing; attendance alone does not show whether the client has paid.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Platform settlements may be net of fees. Keep the lesson statement so you can separate teaching income from commission. Record cash or direct-parent payments too, rather than assuming the bank feed captures every lesson.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your individual tuition sessions income records and evidence of lesson resources and printing into Avona using supported spreadsheet uploads. Check dates, categories, personal spending and duplicates against the original documents before you approve the records.
Do quarterly updates complete my annual tax return?
No. You still need the annual tax return and any relevant adjustments or other income. HMRC currently lists annual-return items including PAYE income, interest, dividends and pensions as in development for Avona. Confirm support for your own income sources and circumstances before relying on Avona for the annual return.
Built for the way you earn
Make your tutoring records easier to follow.
Choosing Avona
Your questions, answered.
Can I create customer invoices?
Yes. You can create customer invoices with Avona Pro.
What if I am VAT-registered?
Full VAT accounting is available with Avona Pro, so you can manage your VAT-registered business with Avona.
Can my accountant review my records?
Yes. You can connect your Avona account to your bookkeeper or accountant so they can review your records.
Can I use my phone on site?
Yes. Every feature has a mobile-friendly version, so you can manage your accounts from your phone while you are on the move.
Can I keep using my personal bank account?
Yes. Avona supports Open Banking connections and PDF bank statement uploads. You can clearly separate personal and business transactions to keep your business records organised.