Health, beauty & wellness
MTD software for counsellors and psychotherapists.
Clearer books. More space for your clients.
Consulting-room rent, supervision and online sessions all need a place in your records. Avona helps independent therapists organise practice finances without making tax administration the focus of the day.
- Who it is for
- Counsellors and psychotherapists 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.
A regular caseload can create steady annual turnover before supervision, room hire and subscriptions are paid. The amount left for you is different from the MTD gross-income measure.
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 counselling appointments.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your counselling appointments, shared purchases and a prepaid counselling-session block.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £390 for your counselling appointments £95 spent on consulting-room hire | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for consulting-room hire. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £390 as the sale and the £95 cost separately. The £295 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for stationery for practice administration; £20 for a personal journal | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify stationery for practice administration separately from a personal journal. | 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 counselling-session 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 counsellors and psychotherapists. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Clinical supervision fees
Relevant BACP or UKCP membership
Consulting room rent
Professional indemnity insurance
Telehealth subscriptions
Practice website costs
One thing to watch
Separate financial records from therapy notes
Bank references and receipt uploads should contain only what is needed for bookkeeping. Keep session content and other sensitive client information in your dedicated clinical records.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your counselling appointments.
Review session receipts alongside room and supervision bills, check recurring subscriptions and prepare quarterly totals from financial information alone.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for consulting-room hire. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish stationery for practice administration from a personal journal.
How document capture works →Reconcile your counselling appointments payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a prepaid counselling-session 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 counselling appointments income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a prepaid counselling-session block ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from counsellors and psychotherapists.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers counsellors and psychotherapists 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.
How much client information belongs in bookkeeping uploads?
Use appropriate financial references and retain only the information needed to explain the payment. Detailed session notes belong in your confidential clinical-record system.
How do I record a prepaid counselling-session 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?
Separate financial records from therapy notes. Bank references and receipt uploads should contain only what is needed for bookkeeping. Keep session content and other sensitive client information in your dedicated clinical records.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your counselling appointments income records and evidence of consulting-room hire 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
Create space for simpler practice admin.
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.