Terms of Service for Therapists

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) constitute a legally binding agreement between you (“Therapist,” “you,” or “your”) and L J Hyde Ltd, trading as Aligned, Aligned Therapy (“Aligned,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). They govern your participation on Aligned’s platform (the “Platform”) as a registered therapist. By registering, activating, or continuing to participate on the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms in full and agree to comply with them. If you do not agree with any provision, you must not register or must immediately cease using the Platform.

1. Definitions

1.1. “Client” means an individual seeking therapeutic services who is referred to you via the Platform.

1.2. “Match” means a referral in which a Client is introduced to you through the Platform for the purpose of commencing a therapeutic relationship.

1.3. “Session” means any therapeutic meeting — whether in-person, by telephone, or via video — between you and a Client, which takes place entirely outside the Platform.

1.4. “Aligned Fees” means the fees payable by you to Aligned as set out in section 7 of these Terms, comprising the first Session fee and the ongoing percentage fee on subsequent Sessions.

1.5. “Leakage” (or “Client Leakage”) means any attempt by you to circumvent the Platform by procuring, treating, or continuing to treat a Client outside Aligned’s referral and fee structure, including by encouraging a Client to re-engage directly rather than through Aligned.

2. What Aligned Is

2.1. Aligned operates as a referral and matching service. We connect individuals seeking therapy with qualified, independent therapists. We do not provide therapy ourselves, nor do we supervise, direct, or control the provision of any therapeutic services.

2.2. All Sessions take place entirely outside the Platform. Aligned’s role is limited to facilitating the initial introduction and managing the ongoing referral relationship.

2.3. Once a Client’s contact details have been transferred to you, you assume full legal responsibility, liability, and duty of care for that Client under UK law. Aligned disclaims any liability for the provision of therapy, clinical outcomes, or any acts or omissions by you.

2.4. Aligned does not guarantee any minimum volume of Matches, any particular level of income, or any specific client engagement. Matches are provided on a reasonable-efforts basis only.

3. Eligibility

3.1. You must hold active membership or registration with at least one UK-recognised professional body, such as the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), or the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), or an equivalent recognised body.

3.2. You must maintain current Professional Indemnity Insurance with a minimum cover of £1,000,000 per claim. Proof of insurance must be provided upon request. Failure to maintain adequate insurance constitutes a material breach of these Terms.

3.3. You must maintain all qualifications and licensures required to provide therapy lawfully in the United Kingdom.

3.4. You must immediately notify Aligned if your professional registration is suspended, revoked, or otherwise restricted.

4. Onboarding

4.1. All therapists must complete Aligned’s onboarding process before receiving Matches. This may include an introductory call, submission of documentation, and completion of your therapist profile.

4.2. During onboarding and upon request thereafter, you must provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information, including: (a) your full legal and trading names, professional registration number, and business address; (b) details of professional accreditations and memberships; (c) proof of Professional Indemnity Insurance; (d) a valid UK bank account; and (e) your contact email and telephone number.

4.3. Activation of your profile and continued participation on the Platform are entirely at Aligned’s discretion.

4.4. If any of the information you have provided changes, you must notify Aligned within 20 business days.

5. Referral and Handover Process

5.1. When a Match is made, Aligned will introduce you to the Client via email or WhatsApp. It is the therapist’s responsibility to send the first message to the Client following the introduction.

5.2. Aligned will provide you with a Match Summary for each referral. You must read the Match Summary in full before contacting the Client. The Match Summary contains important context about the Client’s presenting concerns and preferences.

5.3. You must not contact a Client before receiving the formal introduction from Aligned.

5.4. If you are unable to take on a referred Client for any reason, you must notify Aligned promptly so the Client can be re-matched.

6. Responsiveness

6.1. You agree to respond to new Client introductions within 24 hours. Rapid responses (ideally within 6 hours) are strongly recommended, as timely contact significantly improves client engagement and outcomes.

6.2. If you are unable to respond within the expected timeframe due to exceptional circumstances, you must notify Aligned as soon as possible.

6.3. Persistent failure to respond to introductions within 24 hours may result in your profile being paused or deactivated.

7. Fees

7.1. Fee Structure

7.1.1. For each Client who commences therapy with you following a Match, you agree to pay Aligned: (a) a referral fee equal to the full net amount charged to the Client for their first paid Session; and (b) a fee of 10% of the net amount charged to the Client for each subsequent Session thereafter, for as long as the Client continues therapy with you.

7.1.2. If the Client cancels or fails to attend their first Session and no payment is received, no referral fee shall be due.

7.1.3. No fee shall be due on any unpaid initial consultations.

7.2. Variable Pricing and Block Bookings

7.2.1. If you offer variable pricing (for example, reduced rates for certain clients), the Aligned Fees shall be calculated based on the amount actually charged to the Client.

7.2.2. If you offer block bookings or discounted packages, the Aligned Fees shall be calculated on the effective per-Session rate within that package.

7.3. Reporting and Invoicing

7.3.1. You must submit a monthly report to Aligned within 7 days of the end of each calendar month, confirming: (a) the number of Sessions conducted with each referred Client during that month; and (b) the fee charged per Session.

7.3.2. Aligned will issue an invoice based on your monthly report. Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date.

7.3.3. Outstanding fees left unpaid after 14 days may incur interest at the statutory rate under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 and may result in account suspension.

7.4. VAT

7.4.1. Aligned is not VAT-registered at present. If Aligned becomes VAT-registered, we will give at least 30 days’ notice and begin charging VAT at the prevailing UK rate on all Aligned Fees.

7.5. Changes to Fees

7.5.1. You must notify Aligned in advance of any changes to your Session fees.

7.5.2. Aligned reserves the right to amend the fee structure with at least 30 days’ advance written notice. Continued use of the Platform after such notice constitutes acceptance of the revised fee structure.

8. Integrity and Leakage Monitoring

8.1. Aligned’s fee model relies on honest reporting by therapists. Client Leakage undermines this model and is treated as a serious breach of these Terms.

8.2. If Aligned suspects Leakage, the following staged process will apply:

Stage 1: Aligned will pause new Matches to your profile and initiate a review. You will be notified and given the opportunity to provide an explanation within 7 days.

Stage 2: If the review concludes that Leakage has occurred, Aligned may permanently remove you from the Platform, recover any unpaid Aligned Fees, and pursue additional remedies including a penalty of £200 per unreported active Client.

8.3. Aligned reserves the right to contact Clients directly to verify reporting accuracy.

9. Confidentiality, Privacy, and WhatsApp Boundaries

9.1. You must comply with all applicable data protection legislation, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

9.2. You are solely responsible for collecting, storing, and processing any Client data obtained through your therapeutic relationship.

9.3. Where WhatsApp is used for Client introductions, you must limit communication on WhatsApp to scheduling and logistics only. Clinical or sensitive information must not be shared via WhatsApp or any other unencrypted messaging platform.

9.4. You shall keep strictly confidential all confidential information of Aligned, including fee structures, internal processes, and referral data.

9.5. If either party becomes aware of a personal data breach, that party must notify the other promptly and cooperate to comply with all regulatory notification requirements. Failure to notify within 72 hours constitutes a material breach.

10. Safeguarding

10.1. You must have appropriate safeguarding policies in place and operate in accordance with the safeguarding requirements of your professional body.

10.2. If at any point during your work with a referred Client you identify a safeguarding concern (including risk of harm to self or others), you must follow your professional body’s safeguarding procedures and, where appropriate, notify the relevant authorities.

10.3. You must notify Aligned of any safeguarding incident involving a referred Client as soon as reasonably practicable, providing only such information as is necessary and appropriate, while respecting Client confidentiality.

11. Independent Contractor Status

11.1. You are an independent contractor and not an employee, worker, or agent of Aligned. Nothing in these Terms creates an employment relationship, partnership, joint venture, or agency between you and Aligned.

11.2. You are solely responsible for your own tax affairs, including income tax and National Insurance contributions. Aligned will not make any deductions from payments to you.

11.3. You are free to provide therapeutic services to clients obtained independently of Aligned, provided that you do not engage in Leakage.

12. Suspension and Termination

12.1. These Terms commence on the date you first accept them and continue until terminated.

12.2. You may terminate at any time by providing at least 14 days’ written notice via liam@aligned.co.uk.

12.3. Aligned may suspend or deactivate your account at any time for breach of these Terms, suspected Leakage, failure to respond to Matches, misrepresentation, professional misconduct, or failure to comply with reporting or audit requests.

12.4. Upon termination, Aligned will issue a one-off final invoice covering all outstanding Aligned Fees for any ongoing Clients referred through the Platform who remain in active therapy with you at the date of termination. This final invoice shall be payable within 14 days.

12.5. Upon termination or suspension, you must immediately stop representing yourself as active on the Platform. Provisions regarding confidentiality, intellectual property, limitation of liability, and privacy shall survive termination.

13. Intellectual Property and Profile Materials

13.1. All Platform intellectual property, including but not limited to the website, branding, software, and content created by Aligned, is the exclusive property of Aligned or its licensors.

13.2. You retain ownership of any materials you provide (such as your profile biography, photographs, and qualifications) but grant Aligned a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, display, and reproduce those materials for the purposes of operating the Platform and promoting your profile to prospective Clients.

13.3. You must not use Aligned’s name, logo, or branding without prior written consent.

14. Liability

14.1. Aligned’s aggregate liability under or in connection with these Terms shall not exceed the lesser of: (a) three times the total Aligned Fees paid by you in the twelve months preceding the event giving rise to the claim; or (b) £1,000. This cap does not apply to death or personal injury resulting from negligence, fraud, or any liability that cannot be excluded under UK law.

14.2. Aligned shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, including loss of earnings, loss of clients, or reputational harm.

14.3. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Aligned from any third-party claims arising from your breach of these Terms, your negligence, or your violation of applicable laws.

14.4. Aligned does not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or completely secure. The Platform is provided on an “as-is” basis.

15. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. In the event of any dispute, the parties shall first attempt in good faith to resolve the matter through mediation. If mediation is unsuccessful within 30 days, either party may initiate legal proceedings.

16. Contact

For any questions or concerns regarding these Terms, please contact Aligned at:

General support: support@aligned.co.uk

Therapist enquiries: liam@aligned.co.uk

General Provisions

Entire Agreement — These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Aligned regarding your participation on the Platform.

Severability — If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Waiver — No failure or delay in exercising any right under these Terms shall operate as a waiver of that right.

Assignment — You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without Aligned’s prior written consent.

Force Majeure — Neither party shall be liable for any delay or failure to perform its obligations if such delay or failure results from events beyond reasonable control.

Notices — All notices shall be in writing and sent to the contact details provided by each party.

BY REGISTERING FOR, ACTIVATING, OR CONTINUING TO USE THE PLATFORM, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND ARE BOUND BY THESE TERMS.

For queries, contact Aligned’s team at liam@aligned.co.uk.