Content creators
Check if you need to tell HMRC about money you make
From sponsored posts to brand partnerships, this guide explains the tax rules content creators need to follow.
Made over £1,000 on top of your main income?
If it’s from creating content like online videos, podcasts or social media posts, as well as any other side hustles, you’ll need to tell HMRC. This is about your total side hustle income for the last tax year – from 6 April to 5 April.
You may have to pay tax on money you made from side hustles if your total income, including your main job, was above the basic personal allowance of £12,570
Your total income is the amount you earn before factoring in expenses. It is not the same as profit.
Made £1,000 or less? You don’t need to tell us about that.
How to tell HMRC if you need to
Firstly, you should check if you need to tell HMRC about additional income.
If you do need to tell us about money you’ve made from side hustles, you will need to register for Self Assessment as a sole trader.
That’s because HMRC likely classes you as “trading” – as you receive income from selling goods or services.
You will need to do this by 5 October.
The tax rules content creators need to follow for products or gifts
When working out your income from creating online content, you must include the value of any gifts or services you received from promoting products online. That’s because these count as income.
For example
Brands paid you £700 last year to post product review videos online. They sent you these items, which you got to keep for free. The gifted products were worth £300. You also made £200 from adverts that appeared on your videos.
This means overall, you had a total income of £1,200 from your content creation side hustle.
You need to tell HMRC as it’s above £1,000.
Questions answered
I have a main job and get paid through PAYE – doesn’t any tax I owe from side hustles get sorted through that automatically?
No. It’s your responsibility to tell HMRC about money you make on the side, not your main employer’s. Income from side hustles isn’t included on your payslip. If you don’t tell HMRC about those extra earnings you might be given a penalty.
What if I get a payslip for work I do as a side hustle, for example if I pick up evening bar shifts on top of my main job?
If you get a payslip, your tax should already be sorted out for you, so you don’t need to tell us about it through Self Assessment. But keep in mind, you will need to tell HMRC if you think you have overpaid or underpaid tax on any payslips. It’s slightly different if you already complete Self Assessment tax returns but all you need to do is show any tax that has already been deducted from payslips (through PAYE) on your tax return.
Can I earn up to £1,000 tax-free for each different side hustle I do?
No – you have a single £1,000 tax-free allowance (for each tax year) and anything you earn from different types of side hustles all counts towards this.
For example, if you earn £800 from content creation and £500 selling crafts online, that adds up to £1,300. You would need to tell HMRC as it’s above the £1,000 allowance.
What happens if I don’t register for Self Assessment and pay tax on my side hustle income when I should?
If we find that you needed to pay tax on your income, but you didn’t tell us about it, you may be given a penalty. HMRC also charges interest on any late payment of tax – so the longer you put off paying, the more you may owe. You might also get penalties if you don’t pay your tax on time.
Should I keep records of what money I make from side hustles?
Absolutely. It’s your responsibility to keep full and accurate records of all sales, income and business expenses – even if you use a tax agent or accountant. You’ll need this information to complete your tax returns properly. Read more about keeping your pay and tax records.
Can I use a tax agent or accountant to help?
You can appoint someone to deal with HMRC on your behalf like a friend, relative or a tax agent such as an accountant or bookkeeper.
What if I didn’t pay tax on my side hustle income from previous years?
It’s really important to stay on top of your tax affairs – make sure you pay what you owe as soon as you can and talk to us as soon as possible if you haven’t paid for previous tax years. Find out what you need to do if you have not told HMRC about income.
We’re here to help people get on the right track with their taxes and avoid any penalties. Our support services can help find a manageable way to help get your tax affairs sorted out. For example, if you cannot pay your tax bill in full, you may be able to set up a payment plan for you to pay in instalments. This is called a ‘Time to Pay’ arrangement.
We will always work to resolve any issues and find a solution.
I heard that I don’t need to do anything until I’m earning over £3,000?
That’s not true. If you’re earning over £1,000 from side hustles, you’ll still need to tell HMRC.
At the moment, you tell HMRC by doing a Self Assessment tax return. However, the UK government has announced that a new online reporting tool is on the way by 2029.
When it’s live, you’ll be able to use it to tell HMRC if you earn between £1,000 and £3,000 from side hustles – instead of having to do a Self Assessment return.
This should be a bit less admin to save you time. We’ll update this page once the new reporting tool is ready to go. But for now, check if you need to tell HMRC about your income for all the information you need.
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