Valid as of 10 May 2026
Evidence checked
Tutoring news for UK tutors
What happened to First Tutors? What UK tutors should know now
A timestamped guide for tutors trying to understand the First Tutors closure notice, the company record behind the brand, the contact emails captured, and whether Latimer Tuition could be a good fit.
EduNation Limited, 06071367
Company record
Enhanced DBS needed
Latimer fit check
Current answer
What happened to First Tutors?
Valid as of 10 May 2026. This is a developing story, and there is still very little hard evidence about the reason for the change. The live UK First Tutors page checked on 10 May 2026 says First Tutors has closed and gives two email addresses for contact. It does not explain why the closure happened.
“made the difficult decision to close” — First Tutors closure notice
For existing queries, the notice gives info@firsttutors.co.uk. For data privacy enquiries, it gives dpo@firsttutors.co.uk. We found no current official phone contact to rely on. Older contact pages, phone numbers or search snippets should be treated as historical unless First Tutors publishes them again.
The safest summary for tutors is: the First Tutors UK service appears closed, an official reason has not been found, and EduNation Limited remains active on Companies House. Website status and company status are different things, so the article separates them below.
What is confirmed, what is reported, and what is still unknown
Start by separating official evidence, public reports and unanswered questions before deciding what to do next.
Confirmed from official sources
The First Tutors UK page shows a closure notice. The notice gives info@firsttutors.co.uk for existing queries and dpo@firsttutors.co.uk for data privacy enquiries. Historical First Tutors privacy wording identifies the trade name as EduNation Limited, and Companies House lists EDUNATION LIMITED as active.
Reported publicly by users and tutors
Trustpilot and Reddit discussions from April and May 2026 include reports of an inaccessible site, worry about profile pages and reviews, concern about stored documents, and difficulty contacting support. These reports show reader concerns, not the official cause.
Still not confirmed
No official reason for the closure was found. No official closure timetable, account-restoration plan, data-retention note, refund process, insolvency notice, cyberattack statement, data-breach notice or confirmed migration to another service was found in the evidence used for this article.
Timeline of the evidence
This timeline is deliberately cautious: public posts can show when tutors started noticing problems, but they do not prove why the service changed.
Evidence timeline for First Tutors status reports and the closure notice.
| Date or period | What was seen | Source type | What it proves |
|---|---|---|---|
Mid-to-late April 2026 | Trustpilot reviews and tutor discussion posts reported site access problems, missing profiles, bounced emails or uncertainty. | Public reviews and forum discussion | Tutors and users were publicly reporting problems. It does not prove the technical cause. |
Early May 2026 | Public discussion shifted from “is the site down?” to “has First Tutors closed?” and “what evidence is there?” | Public discussion | Reader concern and uncertainty were active, but forum posts remain anecdotal. |
10 May 2026 | A live check of the UK First Tutors page showed the closure notice and the two contact emails. | Official First Tutors page | The First Tutors UK service page was still displaying the closure notice on this date. It does not explain the reason for closure. |
After the notice | Search results may still show old profile pages, FAQs, contact pages or review snippets. | Indexed or historical material | Old pages can remain visible in search. They should not be treated as current support instructions. |
Who was behind First Tutors?
The company trail matters because several similarly named companies exist. Historical First Tutors privacy-policy wording previously captured before the current closure notice said:
“First Tutors is the trade name of EduNation Limited” — First Tutors privacy policy
Because the live privacy URL now shows the closure notice rather than the old policy text, treat this as historic wording and pair it with current Companies House records rather than guessing from a company name alone. A registered office is a formal company address, not necessarily customer support.
Company identity and disambiguation table for First Tutors-related names.
| Record or source | Status / detail checked | Why it matters for tutors |
|---|---|---|
EDUNATION LIMITED, company number 06071367 | Companies House lists it as active, incorporated on 29 January 2007, SIC 63120 Web portals, with registered office at C/O Rfm Fylde Ltd, Unit 1d, Ground Floor River View, 96 High St, Garstang, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 1WZ. | This is the company named by the historical First Tutors privacy wording. Its active company status does not mean the First Tutors service is still operating. |
Edunation Holdings Limited | Companies House lists Edunation Holdings Limited as an active person with significant control of EDUNATION LIMITED. | This is ownership context. It does not explain why First Tutors closed. |
Nerdy / Varsity Tutors terms of use | The terms list Edunation Ltd d/b/a First Tutors among affiliates, independent contractors and partners. | This is corporate-family context only. It does not prove that Varsity Tutors is responsible for First Tutors support. |
FIRST TUTORS LIMITED, company number 05562753 | Companies House lists this company as dissolved on 3 May 2011. | It is a similarly named record and should not be confused with EduNation Limited. |
FIRST TUTORS UK LTD, company number 10351243 | Companies House lists this company as dissolved on 19 December 2017. | It is a similarly named record and should not be treated as the operator identified by the privacy wording. |
FIRST TUTORS LTD, company number 15575996 | Companies House lists this 2024 company as active. | No source used here identifies this 2024 company as the operator of firsttutors.com, so do not assume it is connected. |
What tutors can do now
These steps are practical, not legal advice. They are designed for tutors who had a First Tutors profile, messages, documents, reviews or billing records and need a sensible next step. According to ICO subject access guidance, organisations should respond to subject access requests “without delay and within one month” in most circumstances.
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Email existing-query questions to the address in the notice
Use info@firsttutors.co.uk for existing queries, based on the First Tutors closure notice. Include the email address you used for First Tutors, your tutor name, any profile URL you know and a brief explanation of what you need.
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Use the privacy email for data enquiries
Use dpo@firsttutors.co.uk for data privacy enquiries, based on the same notice. Keep the request focused and save a copy of what you send.
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Understand the company-record address
Companies House gives a registered office for EDUNATION LIMITED. That is a formal company-record address, not a confirmed customer-support address. Use the emails in the closure notice for queries unless First Tutors publishes different instructions.
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Save your own records first
Keep screenshots, old emails, invoices, payment records, profile text, references, lesson enquiries and any profile URLs you already have. Do not rely on search results staying visible.
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Make a subject access request if you need personal data
A subject access request asks whether an organisation holds personal data about you and asks for a copy of that data. The ICO says an organisation may ask for identity verification where necessary.
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Ask for data categories “if held”
For example: profile text, tutor biography, subject listings, reviews or feedback linked to your tutor account, messages, uploaded identity or qualification documents, references, billing history and account identifiers. The words “if held” are important because this article cannot confirm what is still available.
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Do not expect guaranteed recovery
A request may help you find out what personal data is held, but it does not guarantee the recovery of public profile pages, every review, deleted material, third-party data or a complete export that can be imported into another platform.
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Note the possible timing exceptions
ICO guidance says the usual response expectation may be extended by up to a further two months if a request is complex or if there are numerous requests from the same person.
A data-request email you can adapt
A simple data-request email tutors can adapt
Use this as a careful starting point and adapt it to your situation. Send personal-data requests to the privacy email given in the First Tutors notice.
Subject: Personal data request — former First Tutors tutor account
Hello,
I previously used First Tutors as a tutor. Please treat this as a request for access to personal data held about me.
My details:
- Name used on First Tutors: [your name]
- Email address used on First Tutors: [your email]
- Tutor profile URL, if known: [link]
- Approximate dates of use: [dates]
Please confirm whether you are processing my personal data and provide a copy of the personal data you hold about me, along with the supplementary information required for a personal-data request. If held, this may include my tutor profile text, subjects, prices, messages, reviews or feedback linked to my account, uploaded identity or qualification documents, references, billing records and account identifiers.
If any personal data I provided is available in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable form, please also let me know whether it can be supplied in that form.
Please tell me if you need reasonable identity evidence before responding, or if this request should be sent to another address.
Thank you, [your name]
This template does not guarantee recovery of records. It simply helps you make a clear, dated request.
Where tutors are discussing First Tutors
Public discussion can be useful when you want to understand what other tutors are worried about. It should not be used as proof of the reason First Tutors closed.
Trustpilot First Tutors reviews
Public reviews and sentiment
Recent reviews include tutors and users discussing website access, missing profiles, reviews, documents and communication concerns. Treat these as individual reports, not official evidence.
Public discussion only; verify dates and first-hand detail.
Reddit: First Tutors seems to have disappeared?
Tutor discussion
A place to see how tutors described the access problem and uncertainty. Check dates, first-hand detail and whether a claim is backed by evidence before relying on it.
Public discussion only; verify dates and first-hand detail.
Reddit: any actual evidence?
Evidence-focused discussion
Useful for seeing the questions tutors are asking. Do not treat comments as proof of insolvency, a cyberattack, a data breach or misconduct.
Public discussion only; verify dates and first-hand detail.
How First Tutors appeared to work for tutors
The best source-backed way to describe the old model is historical. In written evidence published by UK Parliament, First Tutors / EduNation referred to:
“First Tutors (an online tutoring agency)” — First Tutors / EduNation written evidence
That 2015 evidence said tutors were self-employed and could set their own rates. It also described a model where clients paid for an introduction to the tutor, while tutors could advertise their services. Public reviews also describe a one-off finder-fee style model. Because the current First Tutors page shows a closure notice, do not treat any old sign-up, fee or profile information as currently available.
Tutor status in the historical evidence
First Tutors described tutors as self-employed and able to set their own rates.
Fee model in historical context
The old model appears to have been closer to a direct marketplace or introduction-fee arrangement than an ongoing commission on every lesson.
Current availability
The historical model helps explain what former tutors may be comparing Latimer with. It is not a current First Tutors offer.
First Tutors and Latimer are different models
Latimer is not a like-for-like replacement for First Tutors. The fair question is fit: what model do you want now, and what eligibility requirements can you meet? Latimer’s current tutor page says:
“Latimer Tuition is an employment agency.” — Latimer Tuition
Latimer introduces tutors to clients, but tutors continue to work independently and Latimer says it cannot guarantee work.
Enhanced DBS, PVG and AccessNI: what UK tutors should know
Latimer’s tutor criteria use Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List wording. That matters because many tutoring roles involve direct work with children, but the terminology is not identical across the UK.
Latimer’s Enhanced DBS page says Latimer can guide tutors through applying for an Enhanced DBS check with a Children’s Barred List check. It lists a £30 + VAT Latimer admin fee, a £49.50 DBS fee and a £5 + VAT ID check fee, and says the certificate remains the tutor’s property. It also says a completed DBS certificate does not guarantee tutoring work with Latimer.
From 21 January 2026, DBS guidance says eligible self-employed people can apply for Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred List DBS checks through an umbrella body. The Disclosure and Barring Service news story gives the example of “private tutors offering lessons directly to children”. This is useful context for England and Wales. Scotland uses the PVG scheme, and Northern Ireland uses AccessNI checks, including enhanced checks for regulated activity.
England and Wales
DBS wording applies in England and Wales. Eligibility depends on the role and the type of work.
Scotland
Use PVG scheme terminology and role-specific Scottish guidance.
Northern Ireland
Use AccessNI terminology and check whether the role is regulated activity.
Latimer applications
DBS support and DBS completion do not guarantee Latimer acceptance, leads or income.
Key terms in plain English
These definitions help tutors read company records, data-rights guidance and Latimer eligibility wording without over-interpreting them.
Plain-English definitions for company, data-rights and safeguarding terms used in the article.
| Term | Plain-English meaning |
|---|---|
EduNation Limited | The company identified by historical First Tutors privacy wording as the company behind the First Tutors trade name; Companies House lists EDUNATION LIMITED as active. |
Companies House | The UK company register. It shows company status and filings, but it does not prove whether a website is working or whether customer support is available. |
Registered office | A formal company address for official records and notices. It is not the same as a customer-support address. |
Subject access request | A request asking an organisation for access to personal data it holds about you and related information about how that data is used. |
Data portability | A right that may let someone receive certain personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable form, where the legal conditions are met. |
Tutoring marketplace | A platform model where tutors and clients find each other directly, often with tutors setting rates and the platform charging an introduction, listing or other fee. |
Employment agency | In this article, a business that introduces tutors to clients while tutors remain self-employed contractors. Latimer says it is an employment agency. |
Commission | A fee charged as a percentage of lesson revenue. Latimer’s current tutor page says it charges tutors 25% + VAT on client payments. |
Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List | An enhanced criminal-record check with a check against the children’s barred list, where the role is eligible. Latimer uses this wording in its tutor criteria. |
DBS Update Service | A service that can let a DBS certificate be kept up to date and checked, where the certificate and role type are suitable. |
PVG scheme | Scotland’s Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme for regulated roles with children, protected adults or both. |
AccessNI | Northern Ireland’s criminal-record checking system, with basic, standard and enhanced checks. |
Sources and how to read them
The strongest evidence is the official notice, Companies House records, ICO/GOV.UK guidance and current Latimer pages. Public discussion sources are included because they show tutor concerns, but they are not proof of why First Tutors closed.
- Open source
First Tutors closure notice
- Open source
First Tutors privacy policy
- Open source
Companies House: EDUNATION LIMITED
- Open source
Companies House disambiguation records
- Open source
UK Parliament written evidence
- Open source
ICO and GOV.UK data-rights guidance
- Open source
Latimer Tuition tutor pages
- Open source
Latimer Tuition Enhanced DBS page
- Open source
DBS, Disclosure Scotland and AccessNI sources
- Open source
Trustpilot and Reddit
Related guidance
More guidance from this section
More guidance from this part of the Ed Centre that may help with the same decision, stage or next step.
Tutoring news and sector guides for UK tutors
Cautious, source-led guides for moments when the tutoring landscape moves quickly. Read dates carefully and pair posts with official sources.
Tutor guide to professional practice and sector updates
Start here for published tutor guides on the UK tutoring landscape, safer working practice and timely sector context.
Support and clarity
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.
Has First Tutors closed?
As of the 10 May 2026 check used for this article, the live First Tutors UK page displayed a closure notice saying First Tutors had closed after more than 20 years of trading. Because this is a developing story, the live First Tutors page should be refreshed before relying on the exact status.
Why did First Tutors close?
No official reason was found in the sources used for this article. Avoid treating public speculation about cyberattacks, data breaches, insolvency, restructuring or a move to another provider as fact unless a current official source confirms it.
Who owns or operates First Tutors?
Historical First Tutors privacy wording identifies First Tutors as the trade name of EduNation Limited, company number 06071367. Companies House lists EDUNATION LIMITED as active. That company status is not the same as saying the First Tutors service is still operating.
How can I contact First Tutors?
The closure notice gives info@firsttutors.co.uk for existing queries and dpo@firsttutors.co.uk for data privacy enquiries. No current official phone contact was confirmed, and older contact details should be treated as historical unless First Tutors republishes them.
Can I recover my First Tutors profile, reviews or documents?
There is no guarantee that a profile, reviews or uploaded documents can be recovered. You can ask whether personal data is held by making a subject access request. For exportable personal data, you can also ask whether any qualifying data can be supplied in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable form.
How long should a subject access request take?
ICO guidance says organisations should usually respond without undue delay and within one month. They may ask for identity checks where necessary, and may extend the response time by up to a further two months for complex or numerous requests.
Are Trustpilot, Reddit or tutor forums reliable evidence?
They are useful for seeing public concerns, dates and reader wording, but they are not proof of why First Tutors closed. Give more weight to official First Tutors pages, Companies House, ICO/GOV.UK guidance and current Latimer pages for factual claims.
Is Latimer a replacement for First Tutors?
No. Latimer is not a like-for-like replacement. First Tutors historically appeared closer to a direct marketplace or introduction-fee model. Latimer says it is an employment agency, introduces tutors to clients, and does not employ tutors or guarantee work.
What does Latimer charge tutors?
Latimer’s current tutor page says tutors are charged a 25% + VAT fee on lesson revenue and that there are no other fees. Always read the current tutor page before applying because fees and criteria can change.
Do I need an Enhanced DBS to tutor with Latimer?
Latimer’s current tutor criteria say tutors must hold an Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List issued within the last 4 years, be willing to arrange one, or have a previous Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List registered on the DBS Update Service. DBS terminology mainly applies in England and Wales; Scotland uses PVG and Northern Ireland uses AccessNI.
Sources and references
Sources and references
Official guidance
- 1.First Tutors closure notice
Closure notice stating that First Tutors has closed, with emails for existing queries and data privacy enquiries.
- 2.First Tutors privacy policy
Historical/indexed privacy-policy wording previously captured identifying First Tutors as the trade name of EduNation Limited and describing tutor data categories; current live URL may show the closure notice.
- 3.EDUNATION LIMITED overview
Company number, active status, incorporation date, registered office and SIC code for EDUNATION LIMITED.
- 4.EDUNATION LIMITED persons with significant control
Companies House record listing Edunation Holdings Limited as an active person with significant control.
- 5.FIRST TUTORS LIMITED overview
Disambiguation record for a dissolved similarly named company.
- 6.FIRST TUTORS UK LTD overview
Disambiguation record for a dissolved similarly named company.
- 7.FIRST TUTORS LTD overview
Disambiguation record for an active 2024 company not identified by the historic First Tutors privacy policy as the firsttutors.com operator.
- 8.First Tutors Edunation Ltd written evidence
Historical written evidence describing First Tutors as an online tutoring agency and explaining its self-employed tutor and introduction-fee context.
- 9.A guide to subject access
Official guidance on subject access requests, response times, identity checks, extensions and refusal limits.
- 10.Right to data portability
Official guidance on when personal data may be requested in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable form.
- 11.Respond to a data protection request
Plain-English government page on what organisations should provide when responding to a personal-data request.
- 12.Self-employed workers and personal employees can now apply for Enhanced DBS checks
DBS news story explaining the 21 January 2026 change for eligible self-employed people, including private tutors.
- 13.DBS checks for self-employed people and personal employees
Guidance for eligible self-employed people applying through an umbrella body, including a tutoring example.
- 14.Find out which DBS check is right for your employee
DBS scope note stating the tool is for England or Wales and that Scotland and Northern Ireland use different processes.
- 15.PVG scheme
Official Scottish source for PVG scheme caveats.
- 16.Types of AccessNI checks
Official Northern Ireland source for AccessNI basic, standard and enhanced checks.
- 17.Regulated Activity and Enhanced checks
Northern Ireland guidance on regulated activity, enhanced checks and barred-list checks.
Internal pages
- 1.
- 2.
Other sources
- 1.Nerdy / Varsity Tutors terms of use
Corporate-family context listing Edunation Ltd d/b/a First Tutors among affiliates, independent contractors and partners; not evidence of why First Tutors closed or a current First Tutors support contact.
- 2.First Tutors reviews
Public reviews and reader concerns only; not proof of why First Tutors closed.
- 3.First Tutors seems to have disappeared?
Public tutor discussion and reader-language evidence only.
- 4.First Tutors - any actual evidence of what has happened?
Public discussion about evidence and unanswered questions only.