Overview
- The £1,000 limit applies to combined trading income across activities, with HMRC citing examples such as craft sales plus content creation.
- Sales made over the festive period fall into the 2025–26 tax year, with self-assessment returns due by 31 January 2027.
- Selling unwanted personal items on platforms like Vinted or Depop is generally not treated as trading, but buying or making goods to sell for profit counts toward the threshold.
- Registering may not create a tax bill due to the personal allowance, and allowable expenses linked to side hustles can reduce taxable income.
- HMRC’s Help for Hustles campaign directs traders to GOV.UK to check eligibility, and the National Association of British Markets has welcomed the guidance while noting that failure to register can result in penalties.