Family counsellor working from a rented therapy room

Parents, couples and families paying privately, plus some referred through charities, schools or community groups.

A fee per session, with room hire as your main running cost. Some counsellors also take on reduced-fee or charity-funded sessions to build a caseload.

• A recognised counselling or family therapy qualification
• Comfortable working with several people in one room
• Careful record keeping
• Building relationships with local referrers

• Professional indemnity and public liability insurance, check the cover applies when working with children and several family members
• Enhanced DBS check and a safeguarding policy if you see children or young people
• Data protection: check whether you need to pay the ICO fee and how you will store notes safely
• Room hire costs add up when you have empty slots, so check cancellation terms and keep a few regular sessions
• Fees paid by charities may be lower and slower to arrive, so check terms before agreeing
• Check whether the room's own insurance and terms of use cover your work

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on room hire terms, insurance, your qualifications and any marketing. Check cancellation terms so empty slots do not add up.

Monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000 in our estimates, depending on your session fees, how many clients you see and how quickly referrals grow. You could start with around eight hours a week.

Check that your insurance covers work with children and several family members, whether you need an enhanced DBS check and safeguarding policy, whether the ICO fee applies, and that the room's own insurance and terms cover your work.