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Coaching and consulting
Coaching helps people find their own way forward; consulting usually involves analysing a problem and recommending or delivering a solution. You can begin with a clearly defined service, careful boundaries and conversations with potential clients, without promising particular results.
Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →In plain words
- You help people solve a clear problem.
- Coaching helps clients find their next steps.
- Consulting means studying a problem and suggesting a solution.
- Agree the work, price and limits before starting.
- Income can change, so do not promise results.
Who it suits
A good fit if you have useful experience, enjoy listening and problem-solving, and can explain what you can help with. Choose a specific audience or problem rather than presenting yourself as an expert in everything.
People may pay for focused support, a fresh perspective or recommendations that help them work through a problem. A clear service makes it easier for someone to judge whether your experience fits what they need.
Step by step
- Choose one group and one problem to help with. Think about people whose needs you understand and problems you have relevant experience with. Describe the group and problem specifically enough that a potential client can recognise whether your service may fit. About 30-60 minutes.
- Decide what kind of support you will offer. Choose coaching, consulting or a clearly explained combination. Write down what the client receives, what they need to do, and what is outside your scope. About 1-2 hours.
- Check that you are ready to offer the service. Compare the work you plan to do with your experience and skills, and identify any gaps before taking on clients. Training is available as certificates, diplomas and degrees, but the source gives no general entry qualification or cost. Kim Tasso About 1-2 days.
- Keep your claims honest and within your expertise. Describe your experience accurately and do not imply clinical expertise or offer treatment unless appropriately qualified. The source says general life coaching is not regulated in the UK, but requirements can differ by role; protected psychologist titles require relevant registration. Practice with Robin About 30-60 minutes.
- Write a short description of your service. State who you help, the issue you address, how you work and what a client can expect. Describe the support rather than promising a particular outcome. About 1-2 hours.
- Ask potential clients what they need. Speak with people in your intended audience and ask what support would be useful to them. Use what you learn to improve your offer before spending on branding or promotion. About 1-2 weeks.
- Set your price and write down the terms. Explain the price, session or project format, payment timing, cancellations and how either side can end the arrangement. Put the agreed terms in writing before work begins. About 1-2 hours.
- Look for first clients through your contacts. Tell suitable professional or community contacts what service you offer and invite them to discuss their needs. Make clear whether a conversation is promotional or a free session. About 1-2 weeks.
- Review each engagement and keep records. Ask for feedback, check whether the work stayed within the agreed scope and note what you would change next time. Record income and expenses from the start. About 15-30 minutes after each engagement.
Your first 15 minutes
Write a short description of the client you want to help and the problem you can address, then ask three suitable contacts what would make that service useful.
The money
Estimate the time needed for preparation, sessions, follow-up and admin, then choose a price that reflects the service and your costs. Compare relevant services as a sense-check, explain exactly what the price includes and review it as you learn; there is no reliable earnings figure for this work.
Example only: UK, one week: 3 sessions × £60 = £180 income; £20 costs; £180 − £20 = £160 before tax. Ireland, one week: 3 sessions × €60 = €180 income; €20 costs; €180 − €20 = €160 before tax. These are made-up figures to show the maths, not typical prices or earnings.
The rules
You can offer coaching and consulting in the UK and Ireland. Keep your claims and work within your competence. Rules can differ for regulated or protected roles. Tax, consumer and data-protection rules may also apply.
UK and Northern Ireland
- Tax and Self Assessment. The trading allowance covers the first £1,000 a year of trading income. This is gross income before expenses. If your trading income is over £1,000, tell HMRC. If you need to register for Self Assessment, register by 5 October after the end of the tax year. GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles GOV.UK
- VAT. You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover is over £90,000. If you’re unsure how the threshold applies to your business, check with HMRC. Business.gov.uk
- Scope and qualifications. General life coaching is not regulated in the UK. Rules can differ by role, and protected psychologist titles require relevant registration. Don’t overstate your qualifications or present general coaching as clinical treatment. Keep coaching and consulting separate from financial, legal or investment advice unless you’re properly qualified and entitled to provide it. Practice with Robin Core Business
- Data protection fee. ICO guidance lists providing consultancy or advisory services to individuals and partnerships as an example of activity that requires a data-protection fee. Use the ICO self-assessment tool to check whether you need to pay a fee. The linked pages do not give fee amounts or payment deadlines. ICO: finance and insurance sector ICO: wholesale and retail sector
- Advertising and client terms. Mark social media posts as adverts when they are ads. Agree the service, price, cancellations and scope in writing, so you and your client know what to expect. ASA Core Business
- Age. This module is for people aged 18 or over. This is not a statement of a general legal age rule. Check any client or provider age terms before you start.
Ireland
- Income tax and returns. If you’re a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those levels, declare it on Form 12 through myAccount. If you’re self-employed, you pay income tax, PRSI (Class S) and USC under self-assessment. Preliminary tax is due by 31 October. If you’re unsure which rules apply, check with Revenue or an accountant. Revenue Citizens Information
- VAT. The VAT registration threshold for services is €42,500. If you’re unsure whether registration applies to you, check your turnover and circumstances with Revenue. Revenue
- Business name. If you trade under a name other than your own, register the business name with the CRO. Online registration costs €20. CRO
- Scope and qualifications. There is no general Irish coaching qualification rule set out here. Describe your experience and qualifications accurately. Keep coaching and consulting separate from financial, legal or investment advice unless you’re properly qualified and entitled to provide it. Core Business
- Advertising and client terms. Label commercial influencer content as advertising. The CCPC says to label it if you’re in doubt. Agree the service and terms in writing, so you and your client know what to expect. CCPC Core Business
- Age. This module is for people aged 18 or over. This is not a statement of a general legal age rule. Check any client or provider age terms before you start.
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.
Common mistakes
- Offering help to everyone instead of choosing a clear audience and problem.
- Making promises about results or implying qualifications you do not have.
- Starting work without written scope, price, payment and cancellation terms.
- Spending heavily on branding or promotion before checking whether people want the service.
- Forgetting to record income and costs or check tax and data-protection requirements.
AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.