In recent weeks there has been a flurry of online activity discussing the new law that will require online marketplaces to report information about income made by their users to HMRC. The discussion has led to many people asking questions such as “Will I have to pay tax on the money I make from selling my old belongings on Vinted or eBay?”
The key point to remember is that the rules for declaring income and paying tax on it have not changed. HMRC had the power to request information from online marketplaces anyway; from 1 January 2024 the new rules will mandate digital platforms to give the information to HMRC automatically.
If you sell your old clothes or other household items online, it’s unlikely that this will constitute a taxable transaction, but if you undertake a commercial venture with a view to making a profit (e.g. buying stock to resell at a profit), this is likely to be considered trading and tax liabilities may arise.
Furthermore, if you are carrying on a trade, there is a £1,000 Trading Allowance which means sales income up to this level can be disregarded for income tax purposes.
HMRC have clarified the position on Self Assessment tax return reporting requirements for directors of close companies and updated their guidance for directors of charities.
HMRC have updated guidance on UK VAT refunds for non-UK businesses in a VAT group. Revenue & Customs Brief 10 (2026) explains changes to how non-UK businesses in a VAT group should make future UK VAT refund claims and the transitional arrangements. It also explains how to ask HMRC to reconsider claims made since 1 January 2021 that have been refused.