Resale platforms now sharing seller info with UK tax authorities

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
January 4, 2024

Third-party online sellers are in the sights of the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) following the implementation of new tax disclosure rules.

Dubbed the ‘side hustle tax’, websites such as eBay, Vinted, Depop, Etsy and others can now be asked to record how much individual sellers on the site are earning.

Introduced on 1 January, it applies to those who earn more than £1,000 a year through online transactions and coversto a wide range of sellers of goods such as second-hand clothing, and furnishings, among others categories.

The regulations will support the government’s aim to “bear down on tax evasion,” HMRC said.

While HMRC already has the power to access information from UK-based platforms on the income of sellers on their platforms, implementing the rules will enable it to exchange information with other tax authorities to access data from platforms based outside the UK.

An HMRC spokesperson told the BBC: “These new rules will support our work to help online sellers get their tax right first time. They will also help us detect any deliberate non-compliance, ensuring a level playing field for all taxpayers.”

But despite some sensationalist press stories about the implementation of the new rules, businesses will not be required to share data about sellers who make fewer than 30 transactions (equivalent to £1,740 each year). And there are other caveats that means low-level sellers need not fear — such as if someone sells their items for less than they paid for them, or if they sell on gifts.