Coaching Terms and Conditions Template: What Clauses to Include

A coaching terms and conditions document is a publicly visible statement of the rules that govern your coaching services — covering payment, cancellations, refunds, confidentiality, and your limits of liability. Unlike a coaching contract (which is signed per client), T&Cs are typically published on your website or booking page and apply to everyone who purchases from you. This guide sets out the key clauses UK coaches should include, why each one matters, and what to watch for under UK consumer law.

Why Coaching T&Cs Are a Separate Document from Your Contract

A signed coaching contract is an agreement between you and a specific client. Your terms and conditions are a standing policy document — incorporated by reference into every transaction. Many coaches publish their T&Cs on their website or booking page, then reference them in their contract with a line such as: "These sessions are delivered subject to our standard Terms and Conditions, available at [URL]." Having both documents means your per-client contract can stay focused on programme specifics (goals, session frequency, price) without repeating boilerplate policy every time.

The 12 Clauses Your Coaching T&Cs Should Cover

1. Parties and scope of services. Name your trading entity (sole trader name or limited company), your business address, and a plain-language description of what coaching is — and is not. Explicitly state that coaching is not therapy, counselling, medical advice, or regulated financial advice. This single clause does significant work in setting expectations and limiting liability.
2. How a contract is formed. Specify when a binding agreement comes into existence — typically when a client completes checkout and you send a confirmation email. Under UK consumer contract rules, it is good practice to confirm the key terms at point of purchase.
3. Pricing and payment terms. State your fee structure (single sessions, packages, subscriptions), accepted payment methods, and when payment is due. If you use instalment plans, specify the schedule and what happens if a payment fails. Avoid fixing prices in your T&Cs themselves — link to your current pricing page or offer page instead, so you are not contractually locked to stale figures.
4. Cancellation policy. Define your notice period for clients cancelling or rescheduling a session (e.g. 24 or 48 hours), and what happens if they cancel inside that window — whether that session is forfeited, charged in full, or offered as a credit. Apply the same logic to package sessions. Be explicit about your right to cancel or reschedule, and what remedy you will provide (rescheduled session or refund).
5. Refund policy. UK consumers purchasing a digital or service-based product online have a 14-day statutory right to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — unless they have expressly waived it and the service has begun. Your T&Cs should address this directly: either honour the 14-day window, or include a clear waiver mechanism (with the client's explicit consent at checkout) for programmes where delivery begins immediately. For B2B clients, your statutory obligations differ — it is worth distinguishing consumer and business purchasers if you work with both.
6. No-show policy. State clearly that sessions missed without notice are non-refundable and non-transferable. This clause is simple but prevents the most common payment disputes.
7. Confidentiality. Confirm that you will keep client information confidential, and set out the limited exceptions — for example, where disclosure is required by law, or where there is a serious risk of harm. If you work in groups or cohort programmes, include a mutual confidentiality expectation between participants.
8. Data protection and privacy. State that you process personal data in accordance with UK GDPR, reference your Privacy Policy (a separate document), and confirm what data you collect, why, and how long you retain it. If you use a booking or coaching platform that processes client data on your behalf, name it and confirm it acts as a data processor under your instructions.
9. Limitation of liability. Cap your total liability to the amount the client has paid you (or a reasonable multiple). Exclude liability for indirect or consequential losses. Note that UK law does not permit you to exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud — so do not attempt to do so.
10. Intellectual property. Confirm that any materials, worksheets, frameworks, or content you provide remain your intellectual property. Grant clients a personal, non-transferable licence to use them for their own development. Prohibit redistribution or resale without your written permission.
11. Termination. Set out the conditions under which either party may end the coaching relationship early — for example, if a client is abusive, if you judge that continued coaching is not in their best interest, or if payment lapses. Specify what happens to unused sessions or prepaid fees in each scenario.
12. Governing law and jurisdiction. State that the contract is governed by the laws of England and Wales (or Scotland, if applicable), and that disputes will be resolved in the courts of that jurisdiction. If you work with international clients, consider adding a note that consumer protection rights in their home country may still apply.

UK Consumer Law: What Coaches Often Miss

UK coaches selling to individual consumers (not businesses) are bound by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. A few points that frequently catch coaches out:

• The 14-day cancellation right applies to services sold at a distance (online or by phone). If your client buys a programme online and you start delivering it within those 14 days, you must get their explicit consent to waive the cooling-off period — a standard checkbox at checkout works, but it must be unambiguous.
• Unfair terms are unenforceable. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a term that creates a significant imbalance to the consumer's detriment — for example, charging the full programme fee for a single missed session — may be struck out by a court even if the client signed it.
• Pre-contract information requirements: before the client is bound, you must provide your business name and address, a description of the service, total price, cancellation rights, and the duration of the contract. A well-structured checkout page combined with published T&Cs covers most of this.

Where to Display Your T&Cs

T&Cs only protect you if clients can genuinely access them before they pay. Best practice for UK coaches is to link to your T&Cs on every checkout or booking page, require a checkbox confirming acceptance at point of purchase, and include the T&Cs URL in your confirmation email. If you use a coaching platform for your booking and checkout, check whether it supports embedding a T&Cs link or acceptance checkbox in the client flow — this is the point of maximum exposure, and burying T&Cs in a footer alone is not sufficient.

T&Cs vs Coaching Contract: A Quick Comparison

Using Minipod to Publish and Enforce Your T&Cs

If you run your coaching practice on Minipod, your T&Cs sit alongside the other documents clients encounter before and during a programme. Minipod supports contracts with e-signature as a built-in feature, so you can attach your standard agreement — which references your published T&Cs — directly to an offer. Clients sign before they access sessions or content, creating a clear paper trail. Your branded storefront and checkout are the public-facing surfaces where your T&Cs link belongs, and the client portal gives each client a single place to reference their signed documents, session history, and messages throughout the engagement.

Payments are handled via Stripe Connect, with payouts going straight to you — so your payment terms, instalment schedules, and refund policy all operate within a single, auditable system rather than being manually tracked across a bank account and a spreadsheet. That clarity makes it considerably easier to apply your T&Cs consistently if a dispute arises.

A Simple Clause Checklist

• Parties and scope (including what coaching is not)
• How and when a contract is formed
• Pricing, payment methods, and instalment terms
• Cancellation and rescheduling policy (client and coach)
• Refund policy and statutory cooling-off rights
• No-show policy
• Confidentiality (including group programme expectations)
• Data protection and UK GDPR reference
• Limitation of liability
• Intellectual property ownership and client licence
• Termination conditions and unused session treatment
• Governing law and jurisdiction