Professional services & education
MTD software for virtual assistants.
Organise your own business as well as your clients'.
Retainers, ad hoc support and software subscriptions often fall on different dates. Avona helps independent VAs keep their own income and expenses organised with the same care they bring to client work.
- Who it is for
- Virtual assistants 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.
Multiple retainers can take annual gross income beyond an MTD threshold. Productivity subscriptions, broadband and workspace costs reduce profit, not the total income used for the test.
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 remote administration work.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your remote administration work, shared purchases and a virtual-assistance retainer.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £600 for your remote administration work £80 spent on business software subscriptions | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for business software subscriptions. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £600 as the sale and the £80 cost separately. The £520 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for stationery for client administration; £20 for stationery for family use | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify stationery for client administration separately from stationery for family use. | 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. |
| £300 monthly service payment An agreement covering a defined service period | Bring the bank payment into Avona and retain the agreement for a virtual-assistance retainer. Check which month or service period the receipt covers. | Repeated descriptions can represent legitimate payments for different periods. Check the agreement before treating one as a duplicate, and keep one-off project fees or extra work separately identifiable. |
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 virtual assistants. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Business productivity suites
Project management software
Business broadband share
Home-office costs
Business computer equipment
Professional insurance
One thing to watch
Do not claim the whole household connection
A broadband or utility bill used by the household needs an appropriate business allocation. Keep your method and evidence rather than treating working from home as a full-cost deduction.
HMRC: business use of your home ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your remote administration work.
Review incoming retainers, check recurring software seats and separate client-funded purchases from your own running costs before filing.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for business software subscriptions. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish stationery for client administration from stationery for family use.
How document capture works →Reconcile your remote administration work payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a virtual-assistance retainer 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 remote administration work income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a virtual-assistance retainer ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from virtual assistants.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers virtual assistants 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.
Does working from home make my whole rent deductible?
No. Keep a reasonable basis for the eligible business share of home-working costs. Shared household spending does not become entirely business-related because you work remotely.
How do I record a virtual-assistance retainer?
Example: £300 monthly service payment (an agreement covering a defined service period). Repeated descriptions can represent legitimate payments for different periods. Check the agreement before treating one as a duplicate, and keep one-off project fees or extra work separately identifiable.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Do not claim the whole household connection. A broadband or utility bill used by the household needs an appropriate business allocation. Keep your method and evidence rather than treating working from home as a full-cost deduction.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your remote administration work income records and evidence of business software subscriptions 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
Give your own admin a better system.
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.