The trading allowance is the reason most small side hustles never need a tax return. It's also one of the most misunderstood rules online, so this guide covers the questions GOV.UK doesn't answer directly. If you sell online, the Vinted tax checker applies these rules to your own sales.
Has the £1,000 trading allowance been scrapped?
No. Headlines about the allowance being "scrapped" or "raised to £3,000" mix up two different things.
The government has announced a simpler way to report side income between £1,000 and £3,000, and says it will come in within this Parliament, so by 2029 at the latest. It isn't live yet. Until it is, if your trading income is over £1,000 in a tax year, you register and file as normal. No change to the £1,000 allowance itself has been announced.
How the trading allowance works in 2026/27
- £1,000 each tax year. The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April.
- Counted before costs. It's measured on what customers paid you (your takings), not your profit.
- One allowance across everything. Selling things you bought or made, dog walking, tutoring and other self-employed side income all share the same £1,000.
- £1,000 or less: you usually don't need to tell HMRC or pay tax on it.
Selling your own old things doesn't count towards the £1,000 at all, because it usually isn't trading.
Over £1,000: the allowance or your costs, whichever is bigger
If your trading income is over £1,000, you can still use the allowance. You take off either £1,000 or your actual costs, not both.
| Takings | Costs | Better choice | Taxable profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| £2,500 | £400 | The £1,000 allowance | £1,500 |
| £2,500 | £1,600 | Your actual costs | £900 |
| £900 | £300 | Nothing to report | £0 |
Either way, over £1,000 you'll usually need to register for Self Assessment and file a return, even if you end up owing little or nothing.
Can you use the trading allowance if you're also employed?
Yes. Having a job doesn't stop you using the trading allowance for your side income. But if any of your side income comes from your employer, or your spouse's or civil partner's employer, you can't use the allowance at all that year. If your extra income is a second job rather than self-employment, see second job tax. If your side profit is taxable, it's usually taxed at the same rate as the top slice of your pay. Our guide to side hustle tax when you also have a job explains how.
Is it on top of the personal allowance?
Yes. They're separate:
- The personal allowance (£12,570 for 2026 to 2027) covers your total income from all sources.
- The trading allowance covers the first £1,000 of trading income specifically.
So someone with no job and a side profit of £9,000 would usually pay no Income Tax, because the personal allowance covers it. They'd still need to register and file, because their takings are over £1,000.
Who can't use it
You can't use the trading allowance at all in a tax year if any of your trading income that year comes from:
- your employer, or your spouse's or civil partner's employer
- a company that you, or someone connected to you, owns or controls
- a partnership where you, or someone connected to you, is a partner
The property allowance is separate
If you also earn from property, like renting out a driveway, there's a separate £1,000 property allowance. You can have both: £1,000 for trading and £1,000 for property.
How to claim it on your tax return
If you're filing a return, you enter your total takings in the self-employment section, then either your costs or the trading allowance. You can't claim both. Pick whichever gives the lower profit.
When you might register even under £1,000
You don't have to register if your trading income is £1,000 or less, but you might choose to if:
- your costs were more than your takings and you want to record a loss, or
- you want to pay voluntary National Insurance to protect your State Pension record.