How much does YouTube pay per view in the UK?

YouTube does not pay per view but per 1,000 views. UK creators typically earn £1 to £5 per 1,000 long-form views after YouTube’s share, so roughly 0.1p to 0.5p per view. Shorts pay far less, usually a few pence per 1,000 views.

How much does YouTube pay for 1,000 subscribers?

Subscribers alone do not earn money. Reaching 1,000 subscribers plus the watch-time requirement lets you apply for the Partner Programme and earn ad revenue on views. A channel at that size might earn anything from a few pounds to a few hundred pounds a month.

What percentage does YouTube take?

YouTube keeps 45% of long-form ad revenue and pays creators 55%. For Shorts, creators receive 45% of their allocated share of the pool. For memberships, Super Chat and Super Thanks, YouTube keeps 30% and the creator receives 70%.

What is the minimum payout on YouTube?

The AdSense payment threshold for UK accounts is £60. If your balance is below that at the end of the month, it rolls over until you reach it. You also need to verify your identity, address and tax information.

What date does YouTube pay?

AdSense usually pays between the 21st and 26th of each month for the previous month’s finalised earnings, provided you have reached the £60 threshold and there are no holds on your account.

Does YouTube pay more in December?

Usually yes. Advertisers spend heavily in the run-up to Christmas, so RPMs often peak in November and December, then fall sharply in January. Plan your budget and tax savings around this seasonal pattern.

Why does YouTube withhold tax from UK creators?

Google must withhold US tax on earnings from US viewers. Without a valid W-8BEN, the rate can be 24%. UK residents can usually claim the UK–US treaty rate of 0% on this type of income by submitting the form.

Do I need to declare YouTube income to HMRC?

If your gross self-employed income, including YouTube, exceeds £1,000 in a tax year, you normally need to register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year ends and declare it on your return.

Is YouTube Premium revenue taxable?

Yes. Your share of YouTube Premium revenue is part of your trading income, just like ad revenue. It appears in your AdSense payments and should be included in your total income on your tax return.

How can I increase what YouTube pays me?

Longer videos with mid-roll ads, a UK or US audience, commercially valuable topics and extra income streams such as memberships and sponsorships all help. Tracking your RPM by video type shows what pays best for your channel.

How much does YouTube pay UK creators?

Last reviewed 26 September 2026 by Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA FMAAT, Chartered Accountant

How much does YouTube pay? For long-form videos, YouTube passes 55% of ad revenue to the creator, which for UK channels usually works out at £1 to £5 per 1,000 views. Shorts pay from a shared pool and typically earn a few pence per 1,000 views. Payment arrives monthly through AdSense once you pass £60. Here is exactly how the money is calculated, when it lands and what HMRC expects you to do with it.

YouTube earns money when advertisers pay to show ads before, during and alongside videos. On long-form content, 55% of that net ad revenue goes to the creator and 45% stays with YouTube.

Shorts work differently. Ad revenue from the Shorts feed goes into a pool, part of which is set aside to cover music licensing. The rest is shared among eligible creators according to their share of Shorts views, and creators keep 45% of their allocation.

YouTube Premium subscribers do not see ads, so YouTube pays creators a share of Premium subscription revenue based on watch time instead.

RPM vs CPM: which number tells you what you earn?

CPM (cost per mille) is what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions. It is always higher than what you receive because it is measured before YouTube’s share and only counts views that showed an ad.

RPM (revenue per mille) is your total revenue divided by every 1,000 views, including views with no ad. That makes it the honest figure for planning. UK creators commonly see a long-form RPM of £1 to £5.

Plug your RPM into our YouTube money calculator to estimate monthly earnings and the tax you would owe.

How much does YouTube pay for Shorts?

Shorts RPMs are much lower, usually between about 3p and 20p per 1,000 views for UK creators. One million Shorts views might therefore earn £30 to £200.

Many creators use Shorts to grow subscribers and drive viewers to long-form videos, where ads and sponsorships pay far more. See our breakdown of how much YouTubers make by channel size.

Other ways YouTube pays creators

Channel memberships: fans pay a monthly fee; YouTube keeps 30%.
Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks: one-off fan payments during streams or on videos; YouTube keeps 30%.
YouTube Shopping: affiliate commission on products tagged in your videos.
YouTube Premium revenue: a share of subscription revenue based on watch time.

Each of these counts as taxable trading income in the UK. Our guide to YouTube monetisation in the UK explains eligibility for each.

When and how does YouTube pay?

Earnings accrue in your AdSense account and are finalised early in the following month. If your balance is at least £60 and your tax and identity details are complete, payment is usually made between the 21st and 26th by bank transfer.

Payments are made gross of UK tax, so nothing is deducted for HMRC. Set aside a portion of every payment. If you earn from US viewers, submit a W-8BEN in AdSense to claim treaty relief; see our W-8BEN guide for UK YouTubers.

Do you pay tax on YouTube payments?

Yes. YouTube income is normally self-employed income. Once your gross self-employed income exceeds the £1,000 trading allowance, you usually need to register for Self Assessment and pay Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance on your profit.

HMRC’s general guidance is at gov.uk/working-for-yourself. Our YouTube tax guide walks through expenses, deadlines and US withholding in detail.

One month of YouTube pay for a UK creator

Long-form views	300,000 at £2.80 RPM = £840
Shorts views	2,000,000 at £0.08 RPM = £160
Memberships (after 30%)	£210
Super Thanks (after 30%)	£40
AdSense payment	£1,250
Suggested tax set-aside (25%)	£312

Illustrative only. The right set-aside depends on your other income and expenses.

Common mistakes

1Quoting CPM as your earnings when negotiating with brands.
2Expecting Shorts views to pay like long-form views.
3Not completing tax info in AdSense, which can delay payments.
4Spending the full AdSense payment with no tax set aside.
5Forgetting that memberships and Super Chats are taxable too.

Frequently asked questions

Allowable expenses for YouTubers

How HMRC’s rules apply to YouTubers

If you are self-employed

Self-employed costs must be incurred wholly and exclusively for your trade. If you use the £1,000 trading allowance, you cannot also deduct actual expenses against that same income. Equipment treatment depends on cash basis or traditional accounting.

If you run a limited company

A limited company deducts costs incurred wholly and exclusively for its business. Equipment may need capital allowances rather than an immediate expense deduction. Personal use or company-paid private costs can create a taxable benefit or director’s loan entry; company ownership is not a blanket deduction.

For separable mixed-use costs, such as a phone bill, claim only the identifiable business proportion and keep evidence. This does not make ordinary clothing or every dual-purpose purchase deductible. A receipt alone does not prove a business purpose: retain the brief, invoice or usage record too.

Costs to review for your work

Business-use cameras, lighting, audio equipment and editing software
Editors, thumbnail designers, virtual assistants and licensed music
Travel to business shoots and the evidenced business share of home-working costs

Everyday clothing, ordinary grooming, personal meals, private gaming and fines are generally not deductible. Qualifying costumes or protective clothing and business-travel subsistence have different rules. Client entertaining is generally disallowed. Receiving a product from a brand does not automatically create an expense: record the income treatment separately and deduct only an allowable business cost.

HMRC: self-employed expenses HMRC: business travel HMRC: clothing HMRC: company deductions HMRC: capital allowances HMRC: creator income and gifts

Keep records alongside our creator expenses checklist, or discuss your costs with our bookkeeping team.

General UK guidance, not personal advice. The deduction depends on your facts and accounting basis.

Monthly accounting packages

Accountant packages for YouTubers

Self-employed or limited company, choose the support that fits how you trade.

Self-employed Limited company

Self-employed accountant packages for YouTubers

Trading in your own name? Choose support for your personal tax return and, where included, bookkeeping and MTD Income Tax updates.

Annual business turnover

Annual fees use the upper limit of your selected band: Starter 1%, Complete 0.75%. Monthly payments are the annual fee divided by 12, excluding VAT. Starter does not include bookkeeping. Turnover above £1 million is quoted individually.

Self Employed Starter

For sole trader creators who just need their tax return done properly

£20.83

per month + VAT

£250.00 per year + VAT · Bookkeeping not included

Your annual Self Assessment tax return, prepared and filed
All your creator income streams covered: AdSense, brand deals, affiliates, tips and subscriptions
Gifted products, PR trips and freebies declared correctly
Allowable expense review so you claim everything you are entitled to
Deadline reminders ahead of every filing and payment date
Free basic tax advice by email through the year*

Get a self-employed quote

Self Employed Complete

For full-time self-employed creators who want their books kept for them

£39.99

per month + VAT

£479.88 per year + VAT · Bookkeeping included

Everything in Self Employed Starter
Monthly bookkeeping across YouTube, TikTok, brand deal and affiliate income
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax quarterly updates, where required
Payment on account planning so January never surprises you
Sole trader vs limited company review as your income grows
Quarterly check-in on your numbers and tax position

Get a self-employed quote

Limited company accountant packages for YouTubers

Trading through a company? Choose support for company accounts, Corporation Tax and the director services included below.

Essential/Compliance

For creators who have just set up a limited company

From £45.83

per month + VAT

Year-end company accounts for your creator business
Corporation Tax return (CT600) and tax computation
Confirmation statement preparation and filing support (excludes the Companies House filing fee)
One director Self Assessment return (salary and dividends from the same company)
Deadline reminders ahead of every filing date
Free basic tax advice by email through the year*

Core/Complete

For full-time creators with brand deals and platform income

From £62.50

per month + VAT

Everything in Essential/Compliance
Monthly bookkeeping across YouTube, TikTok, brand deal and affiliate income
Quarterly Making Tax Digital VAT returns
Director payroll with RTI filing and pension submissions
Quarterly review call on your numbers and tax position
Gifted items, overseas payouts and payment platform reconciliation

Growth

For creator businesses with editors, managers or a team

From £75.00

per month + VAT

Everything in Core/Complete
Payroll for up to five team members, such as editors or assistants

Starting fees exclude VAT. Your turnover, records and agreed work determine the final quote. *Basic tax advice is free; technical work is quoted separately. MTD support applies where required.

See all fees and one-off services

How much does YouTube pay UK creators?

How YouTube pays: revenue share explained

RPM vs CPM: which number tells you what you earn?

How much does YouTube pay for Shorts?

Other ways YouTube pays creators

When and how does YouTube pay?

Do you pay tax on YouTube payments?

One month of YouTube pay for a UK creator

Common mistakes

Frequently asked questions

How much does YouTube pay per view in the UK?

How much does YouTube pay for 1,000 subscribers?

What percentage does YouTube take?

What is the minimum payout on YouTube?

What date does YouTube pay?

Does YouTube pay more in December?

Why does YouTube withhold tax from UK creators?

Do I need to declare YouTube income to HMRC?

Is YouTube Premium revenue taxable?

How can I increase what YouTube pays me?

Allowable expenses for YouTubers

How HMRC’s rules apply to YouTubers

If you are self-employed

If you run a limited company

Costs to review for your work

Accountant packages for YouTubers

Self-employed accountant packages for YouTubers

Self Employed Starter

Self Employed Complete

Limited company accountant packages for YouTubers

Essential/Compliance

Core/Complete

Growth

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