Travel, books, subscriptions — tracked in one app
Drive to students or run online lessons. Buy textbooks. Pay for Zoom Pro, exam materials, DBS. All in one place.
Small expenses, every week — they add up to thousands
A typical self-employed tutor pays for textbooks, past papers, Zoom Pro or Google Meet, exam-board specifications, DBS renewals, professional membership and travel to in-person students. Each receipt is small. The annual total is usually £1,500–£3,000 in deductible expenses.
What PocketReceipt tracks for tutors
Books & teaching materials
Textbooks, past papers, workbooks, printer ink, laminated resources. All allowable CPD & materials.
Travel to students
Mileage to in-person tutees at HMRC 45p/25p, or train/bus fares for non-driver tutors. Auto-logged.
Online subscriptions
Zoom Pro, Google Workspace, Notion, exam-board logins. Categorised as software.
DBS & safeguarding
Initial DBS, renewal every 3 years, safeguarding training. Fully allowable when required for tutoring.
Professional membership
The Tutors' Association, CIfA, BSc subject bodies, teaching unions. Allowable as professional subs.
Working from home
Flat rate (£10–£26/month) or actual share of utilities. PocketReceipt's calculator picks the higher claim.
A typical tutor's week, tracked
- Monday — pay Zoom Pro monthly, receipt auto-forwarded
- Tuesday — buy 2 GCSE textbooks, scan receipt
- Wednesday — drive to in-person student, mileage auto-logged
- Thursday — pay DBS renewal fee, receipt scanned
- Friday — print past papers and resources, scan till receipt
- Sunday — export weekly summary to your accountant
FAQ for tutors
Can I claim Zoom Pro and other online tools?
Yes. Software used to deliver lessons is 100% allowable. Apportion if there's also personal use (rare for Zoom Pro).
Are textbooks I buy for myself deductible?
Yes — if used for tutoring (subject knowledge, exam-spec familiarisation, resource creation). Keep the receipt or it's at risk in an HMRC enquiry.
How do I claim working from home?
Flat rate is easiest: £10–£26/month based on hours. Actual costs need utility-bill apportioning. Our simplified expenses guide shows the break-even.
Do I need to register for VAT?
Only if turnover exceeds £90,000. Most independent tutors stay under. Note: tuition by an individual in their own name is exempt from VAT in some cases — check HMRC notice 701/30.