Do I need to tell HMRC?
For side hustles, reselling, gigs and freelance bits. Four questions, a straight answer and your dates.
What kind of money is it?
Which tax year was the money earned in?
Gross means everything that came in. Add up all your side hustles together. If the year's still going, use your best guess.
Is any of it paid by your employer, a company you control, or a partnership?
How the rule works
Everyone gets a £1,000 trading allowance each tax year. If your gross trading income, from all your side hustles together, stays at £1,000 or under, there's no tax on it and usually nothing to report.
Go over £1,000 and you need to register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year ends, then file online and pay by 31 January. If you're over, you can take off either the £1,000 allowance or your actual costs, whichever gives the smaller figure.
Questions people ask
Does selling my old clothes on Vinted count?
Usually not. Selling your own unwanted things, normally for less than you paid, isn't trading. Selling apps may still report you to HMRC if you make 30 or more sales, or about £1,700, in a calendar year, but that's a reporting rule, not a tax bill.
Is the £1,000 based on profit or income?
Income. It's everything that came in from your trading in the tax year, before you take off any costs, and it covers all your side hustles added together.
I've heard it's going up to £3,000. Is that true?
A rise in the Self Assessment reporting threshold to £3,000 has been announced, but it isn't in force and has no confirmed start date as of 5 October 2026. Until it starts, the £1,000 test applies. The £1,000 trading allowance itself isn't changing.
I missed the 5 October deadline. What now?
Register for Self Assessment as soon as you can. Search 'register for Self Assessment' on gov.uk.
Sources
- gov.uk: Tax-free allowances on property and trading income
- gov.uk: Check if you need to send a Self Assessment tax return
- gov.uk: Self Assessment tax returns: deadlines
- gov.uk: Reporting rules for digital platforms
Checked 5 October 2026. Explains how the rules work. Not tax advice for your situation.
Over £1,000? Get the free tracker.
The Starter Pack tracker adds it all up and flags the moment you pass £1,000. Plus a reminder before each deadline.