Professional services & education
MTD software for recruitment consultants.
Find the right candidate. Keep the figures clear.
Placement fees, retained searches and long payment terms can make consultancy bookkeeping uneven. Avona helps independent recruitment consultants organise income and costs around the assignment calendar.
- Who it is for
- Recruitment consultants 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 placement fee and an agreed rebate are separate events to document. Keep the contract, invoice and payment history so the figures reflect what happened under your accounting method.
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 retained candidate search.
Bring the evidence into Avona, review the suggested categories and check the figures before submitting. These three examples show the records behind your retained candidate search, shared purchases and a placement-fee rebate under a guarantee.
| What you bring | How you use Avona | What you check |
|---|---|---|
| £1,800 for your retained candidate search £240 spent on candidate-search subscriptions | Connect your bank or import the payment, then upload the invoice or receipt for candidate-search subscriptions. Review the income and the purchase as separate records. | Keep £1,800 as the sale and the £240 cost separately. The £1,560 left after this cost is not turnover. Check that the spending is eligible for your business. |
| £100 mixed purchase £80 for business recruitment stationery; £20 for personal office supplies | Upload the itemised receipt and review the suggested category. Identify business recruitment stationery separately from personal office supplies. | 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. |
| £30 returned to a customer Against an earlier £120 fee | Keep the agreement and repayment evidence for a placement-fee rebate under a guarantee. Review the original receipt and the refund together. | The payment history now shows £90 retained. Keep the original fee and the £30 refund identifiable, applying your accounting method, rather than recording the repayment as a supplier purchase. |
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 recruitment consultants. Claim only eligible business costs; mixed use, equipment and your accounting method can change the treatment.
Candidate-search subscriptions
Recruitment software
Professional insurance
Business-use phone costs
Website hosting
Eligible business travel
One thing to watch
Keep rebate evidence with the original placement
If a guarantee leads to a partial refund, save the credit note and repayment evidence. A bank deposit from the original placement alone no longer tells the full story.
HMRC: keeping business records ↗Fit the admin around the work
A routine around your retained candidate search.
Gather search-tool invoices, reconcile placement payments and review any credits or rebates before approving the period’s records.
Capture the supporting documents
Upload receipts or invoices for candidate-search subscriptions. Keep the date, supplier and amount legible, and distinguish business recruitment stationery from personal office supplies.
How document capture works →Reconcile your retained candidate search payments
Review each customer receipt against the work it covers. Keep the breakdown for a placement-fee rebate under a guarantee 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 retained candidate search income is complete, and remove duplicate or personal spending. Keep the evidence for a placement-fee rebate under a guarantee ready for your annual-return review too.
Before you get started
Questions from recruitment consultants.
Does MTD apply to everyone in this profession?
No. This page covers recruitment consultants 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 should I retain when a placement triggers a rebate?
Keep the guarantee terms, original invoice, credit note and repayment evidence together. The initial bank receipt no longer describes the complete placement transaction.
How do I record a placement-fee rebate under a guarantee?
Example: £30 returned to a customer (against an earlier £120 fee). The payment history now shows £90 retained. Keep the original fee and the £30 refund identifiable, applying your accounting method, rather than recording the repayment as a supplier purchase.
Which bookkeeping issue should I watch for?
Keep rebate evidence with the original placement. If a guarantee leads to a partial refund, save the credit note and repayment evidence. A bank deposit from the original placement alone no longer tells the full story.
Can I keep using my existing spreadsheet?
Yes. Bring your retained candidate search income records and evidence of candidate-search 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
Make your recruitment bookkeeping 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.