Tax news · June 2026
Selling platforms now send your data to HMRC. Here is what is being shared, who it affects, and what to do if you have a side hustle.
If you sell online or earn on the side, HMRC now knows far more about it than it used to. New rules require digital platforms to collect details of their sellers and report them to HMRC, which has turned what felt like a private bit of extra income into something the tax office can see directly. This is not a new tax, but it is a major change in enforcement, and it has caught a lot of people by surprise.
Platforms including eBay, Vinted, Etsy, Amazon, Airbnb, Uber and Deliveroo must now report to HMRC the income of sellers who pass certain thresholds. A platform has to report you if in a calendar year you make more than 30 sales or receive more than around 1,700 pounds through it. You should also receive a copy of the information sent about you. HMRC then matches this against what people have declared, which makes undeclared trading income much easier to spot.
This affects regular online sellers, hosts letting rooms or properties, drivers and couriers, and freelancers using gig platforms. It is important to be clear, though, that being reported does not automatically mean you owe tax. Selling your own unwanted belongings is not trading and is not taxable. The reports matter for people who are genuinely trading, which means buying to resell, making things to sell, or providing a service.
The first step is to work out whether you are trading at all. If you are simply clearing out your own things, you can relax. If you are trading, remember the 1,000 pound trading allowance, which lets you earn that much in gross income before there is anything to report. Above it, you should register for self assessment and report your profit. If you should have declared income in the past and did not, it is far better to come forward through HMRC's disclosure service than to wait, because the penalties are much lower for those who volunteer. Our full guide to side hustle tax walks through all of this with examples.
Our honest view is that this is sensible enforcement aimed at genuine traders, but it has frightened a lot of people who are doing nothing wrong, such as parents selling old baby clothes. The key is not to panic, but also not to ignore a letter if one arrives. If you are trading and have not declared it, the worst thing you can do is hope it goes unnoticed, because the data is now flowing straight to HMRC. A short, honest review of your activity is all most people need, and where there is a problem, it is almost always cheaper and calmer to fix it early.
We help people work out whether they are trading, register if they need to, claim the right allowance or expenses, and make a clean disclosure where past income was missed. Book a free call back and we will tell you exactly where you stand, with no judgement.
Yes. Platforms must report sellers who make more than 30 sales or receive more than around 1,700 pounds in a year, and HMRC matches that data against what people declare. You should also get a copy of what is reported about you.
Not necessarily. Selling your own used belongings is not taxable. Tax only arises if you are trading and your gross income is above the 1,000 pound trading allowance.
We will check whether you owe anything and put it right calmly if you do. Book a free call back and we will help, with no judgement.