Tutoring has a specific commercial problem: a cancelled Tuesday evening is revenue you cannot recover, because you cannot fill that slot at two hours’ notice. Everything about how you invoice should be designed around that fact.
The answer is prepaid blocks and a written cancellation policy — and both live on your invoice.
Invoice your sessions
Hourly, blocks or group classes. Professional PDF invoices, free and unlimited.
Key takeaways
Invoicing after every lesson creates weekly admin and gives the family a weekly opportunity to reconsider. Selling a block of six or ten sessions, paid upfront, solves both — and it is what established tutors and agencies do.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| GCSE Mathematics — block of 10 sessions, 1 hr, one-to-one | 10 | £42 | £420 |
| Block discount (10 sessions prepaid, 5%) | -£21 | ||
| Exam paper marking and written feedback | 3 | £15 | £45 |
List the scheduled dates underneath so the family can put them in the calendar:
Sessions scheduled: 8, 15, 22, 29 Sep · 6, 13, 20, 27 Oct · 3, 10 Nov 2026, Tuesdays 17:00–18:00.
If a family prefers to pay monthly, invoice at the start of the month for the sessions booked that month, and list the dates:
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-Level Chemistry — Oct 2026 (7, 14, 21, 28 Oct) | 4 | £48 | £192 |
| Additional revision session — 24 Oct (requested) | 1 | £48 | £48 |
| Late cancellation — 21 Oct, <24 hrs notice (50% per policy) | 1 | £24 | £24 |
Free invoicing for tutors
Add your name and payment details once, then invoice each family in under a minute.
A cancellation charge is only collectable if it was agreed in advance. Put the policy in your welcome email, and restate it on every invoice:
“Cancellation policy: sessions cancelled with more than 24 hours’ notice are rescheduled at no charge. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice, or missed without notice, are charged at 50%. Two consecutive missed sessions release the slot.”
The last sentence matters more than the charge. It converts your policy from a penalty into a scheduling rule, which is far easier for a parent to accept.
Address the invoice to the parent or guardian who is paying, using their name, and reference the student separately: “Tuition for Amelia Grant — Year 11 Mathematics.” Where an agency or a school is paying, invoice the organisation and expect Net 30.
Show the delivery mode and format on the line item, because they are different products at different prices: one-to-one in person, one-to-one online, small group of three, exam-crash-course. A parent comparing two invoices six months apart should be able to see why the rate changed.
Private tutoring income is taxable self-employment income in most countries even when it is a side activity, and in some places tuition is exempt from VAT/GST while in others it is not — check locally. Keep every invoice; see how long to keep invoices.
Yes, when notice is short, because the slot cannot be refilled. 50% for under 24 hours’ notice is a widely accepted standard. The charge is only enforceable if the policy was communicated before the booking.
Per block. It secures commitment, improves your cash flow, reduces cancellations, and cuts your invoicing admin by 80%. Offer a small discount to make the block the obvious choice.
You should, even for cash-paying families. It is your income record for tax, and it prevents disputes about which sessions were paid for.
As a business-to-business invoice: legal entity name, purchase order number if they use one, and Net 30 terms. Ask for the PO before the first session.
Create your tutoring invoice
Free professional PDF invoices for sessions, blocks and group classes.