Specialist Accountants for the Education Industry

Private tuition in subjects normally taught in schools and universities is generally VAT-exempt in the UK when provided by an individual tutor acting independently. However, tutoring agencies and companies may need to register for VAT if their turnover exceeds the registration threshold (£90,000 from April 2024). Some education-related services are taxable — we help you navigate these rules correctly. Explore VAT services.

Private tutors and educators can claim a wide range of allowable business expenses including: teaching materials and resources, home office costs (using simplified expenses or actual costs), travel to students' homes, professional subscriptions (e.g., professional bodies, DBS checks), marketing and website costs, insurance, software and online platform subscriptions, CPD and training courses, and a proportion of phone and internet bills. We ensure you claim every legitimate expense. See self assessment services.

This depends on your income level and business goals. Sole trader is simpler with less admin — ideal for part-time or lower-income tutors. A limited company becomes more tax-efficient when profits exceed around £50,000, as you can combine a tax-efficient salary with dividends. It also offers limited liability protection. We'll analyse your specific situation and recommend the optimal structure. Learn about company formation.

If you earn from multiple sources — for example, private tutoring, supply teaching, and online course sales — all self-employed income must be reported on a single self assessment tax return. We consolidate all your income streams, apply relevant expenses to each, and ensure accurate reporting to HMRC. If some income is via PAYE employment and some is self-employed, we handle both correctly. View sole trader accounting.

Yes, many EdTech companies qualify for R&D tax credits. Qualifying activities include developing new educational software, creating adaptive learning algorithms, building assessment platforms, developing interactive learning tools, and overcoming technical challenges in content delivery. We help EdTech businesses identify qualifying R&D expenditure and prepare robust claims for HMRC. Learn about corporation tax services.