27/05/2026
If you’ve got a side hustle, there’s a good chance HMRC is already paying attention. And the problem is, many people miss income that doesn’t feel like income until it’s too late.
Here are 5 common examples people forget to declare:
Online selling
Selling on eBay, Etsy or Facebook Marketplace?
If you’re just clearing out old personal items, that’s usually different. But if you’re buying to resell or making products to sell, HMRC may see that as trading.
Example:
You sell your old sofa for £100 = usually not taxable.
You buy 20 phone cases and resell them for profit = that may need to be reported.
Casual jobs and one-off payments
Small bits of paid work can still count.
Example:
Helping a friend with admin, doing photography at an event, dog walking, gardening, or editing documents for cash.
Barter or “gift” payments
It doesn’t always have to be cash.
Example:
You design someone’s logo and they “pay” you with a laptop, free meals, or services in return. HMRC may still treat that as income.
Digital income
Online income is still income, even if it arrives in small amounts.
Example:
Selling Canva templates, Etsy downloads, Patreon subscriptions, stock photos, courses, or earning affiliate income.
Money from overseas
If you’re a UK tax resident, foreign income can still need to go on your UK tax return.
Example:
Payments from international clients, blog ad revenue from a US platform, or affiliate earnings from abroad.
The main issue is this:
It’s not about what feels like income. It’s about what HMRC classifies as income.
A good habit is to review:
bank transfers
payment platforms
online selling reports
digital platform earnings
overseas payments
Small amounts add up quickly, and that’s where people get caught out.
If you’re not sure whether something counts, it’s always better to check early than deal with tax, interest, and penalties later.