TaxReadySheets

Private tutor hourly rate calculator: what to charge for the income you want

Most tutors set their rate by looking at what others charge. This calculator starts from the other end: the income you want to live on. It adds back your costs, any agency cut and the 2026/27 income tax and National Insurance, then spreads the total over the hours you can really teach in a year.

Checked for 2026/27 — uses the rates for 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027, last reviewed 27 October 2026.

Your teaching year

What you want to keep after income tax, National Insurance and business costs.

Allow for school holidays, exam leave and cancellations.

Used to show what you really earn per working hour.

Books, past papers, software, DBS check, insurance, travel, a share of phone and internet.

If an agency or tutoring site keeps a cut of each lesson. 0 if you find your own students.

Tick if you live in Scotland. Class 4 NI is the same across the UK.

Your rate

Charge at least, per hour

£0

Exact rate needed
£0.00
Lesson income needed for the year
£0.00
Agency or platform fees
£0.00
Profit after costs
£0.00
Income tax and Class 4 NI
£0.00
Take-home per hour actually worked
£0.00

Results update as you type. No sign-up, and nothing you enter leaves your device.

Worked example

Amira tutors GCSE maths and science online and in students' homes. She wants to take home £20,000 a year, teaches 20 paid hours a week for 40 weeks, spends around 5 unpaid hours a week on preparation and travel, and has £1,000 of yearly costs. She finds her own students, so pays no commission, and has no other income.

StepAmount
Take-home wanted£20,000.00
Income tax: (£22,610.54 − £12,570) × 20%£2,008.11
Class 4 NI: £10,040.54 × 6%£602.43
Profit needed£22,610.54
Plus yearly costs£1,000.00
Lesson income needed£23,610.54
Paid hours: 40 weeks × 20800
Rate: £23,610.54 ÷ 800£29.51
Rounded up£30 an hour
Take-home per hour worked: £20,000 ÷ (40 × 25 hours)£20.00

At £30 an hour Amira hits her target. If she joined a platform taking 20%, she would need lesson income of £29,513.18 — about £37 an hour — to keep the same pay.

How it works, in plain English

Working out a fair rate means accounting for three things that a simple "hourly wage" ignores: the tax you pay as a self-employed person, the costs of running your tutoring, and the weeks and hours you cannot charge for.

Tax is worked backwards

The calculator finds the profit that leaves exactly your target once income tax and Class 4 National Insurance are taken off. For 2026/27 the first £12,570 of profit is tax-free, then basic-rate income tax is 20% (19–21% in Scotland) and Class 4 NI is 6%, so roughly a quarter of each pound above the allowance goes in tax for most tutors. It assumes tutoring is your only income — if you also have a salary, your tutoring profit will be taxed from the first pound and you should aim higher.

Costs and commission

Your costs are added to the profit needed. Agency or platform commission is a percentage of what students pay, so it is grossed up: with a 20% cut you need to bill £1.25 for every £1 you keep.

Realistic hours

Tutoring is seasonal. Demand drops in the summer holidays and after exams, and students cancel. Forty teaching weeks is a common working assumption. The last result line divides your take-home by every hour you work, including preparation, marking and travel, which is the honest measure of what tutoring pays you.

Rounding and different levels

The rate is rounded up to the next pound. Many tutors charge more for A-level, university entrance or specialist exam preparation, and less for younger children or groups — treat this figure as your average across all lessons.

Frequently asked questions

How much should a private tutor charge per hour in the UK?

Enough to cover your tax, costs and unpaid time and still leave the income you need. For many tutors that works out between £25 and £50 an hour depending on subject, level and location. Use the calculator to find the minimum for your own target.

Do private tutors pay tax?

Yes. If you tutor for yourself rather than as an employee, you are self-employed. Once your tutoring income is over £1,000 in a tax year you need to register for Self Assessment and pay income tax and Class 4 National Insurance on your profit.

What expenses can a tutor claim?

Costs used wholly for your tutoring: textbooks and past papers, stationery, subject software and subscriptions, DBS checks, insurance, advertising, travel to students' homes (for example at 45p a mile in a car), and the business share of your phone, internet and home costs.

Should I charge differently through a tutoring agency?

Agencies and online platforms usually keep 15–30% of each lesson, so to keep the same pay you need a higher listed price. Enter the commission percentage above to see the rate that covers it.

Does this include VAT?

No. Most private tutors are well below the VAT registration threshold, and some private tuition is exempt from VAT anyway. If you think you might be affected, check GOV.UK.

Estimates only, not tax advice. These figures are a guide based on the information you enter and the 2026/27 rules. Your own position can differ — check GOV.UK or an accountant before relying on them.