Most self-employed yoga and Pilates instructors teach through studios on a revenue-split basis — the studio takes a percentage (commonly 30–50%) of each class fee, and you keep the rest. As with any split-fee arrangement, your qualifying income for MTD is the full class fee before the studio's cut, not your net take-home percentage. The studio's share is then claimed back separately as a business expense.
Many instructors also sell their own class packages or memberships directly, alongside studio teaching and private 1:1 sessions. Under the cash basis, which most sole traders use by default, a client buying a 10-class package upfront counts as income when you receive the payment, not spread across the weeks they attend classes. All three income types — studio splits, direct packages, and private sessions — combine into one qualifying income figure.
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It's the full gross class fee before the studio deducts its percentage. The studio's share is then claimed back separately as a business expense, which reduces your taxable profit but not your gross qualifying income figure.
Under the cash basis, which is the default for most sole traders, it counts as income on the date the client pays you, not spread across the weeks they use the classes.
Yes, all self-employment income combines into one qualifying income figure, whether it comes from studio splits, private sessions, or your own packages and memberships.
Yes, regardless of how many studios or venues you teach at, all the income combines into a single qualifying income total for MTD purposes.
Yes, further training and continuing education directly related to your teaching practice is generally an allowable business expense.