Gifts and PR
Are Gifted Products Taxable for Influencers?
Written by Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA FMAAT · Chartered Accountant · Last reviewed 22 October 2026
How it works
If a brand expects a post, story or review, the product is payment in kind. HMRC treats it like cash at what it would cost to buy.
If you then use the item only for the business, it may also be an expense, cancelling out. If you keep it for personal use, it stays as income.
Gifted items count towards your trading allowance and VAT turnover too.
How to value a gift
Use the price a customer would pay for the item at the time you received it — usually the brand's retail price. If the item was not on sale, use a reasonable estimate based on similar products.
For trips and experiences, use the cost of the travel, hotel and activities provided, which the brand can often confirm.
Gifted items also count towards the £1,000 trading allowance and, if you are near it, the £90,000 VAT threshold. That is another reason to keep a running log.
According to Waqas Sagar, Chartered Accountant at influencers.accountants, a simple spreadsheet updated when each parcel arrives saves hours at year end.
Example
Aisha receives a £600 skincare bundle in return for two posts and keeps the products. She adds £600 to her income. A £50 box sent with no request to post is noted but may not be taxable.
Illustrative figures only, based on 2026/27 rules.
What you need to do
- Log every gift: brand, date, value, obligation.
- Use retail price as market value.
- Add obligated gifts to income.
- Keep emails showing what was agreed.
Want us to handle this for you? Our Self Employed Starter package covers registration, your Self Assessment return and expense review. See also our tax on gifted items and our page for Instagram influencers.
Common mistakes
- 1Only declaring cash.
- 2Valuing at zero because you did not pay.
- 3Not keeping proof that a gift was unsolicited.
From our client work: We often see creators who kept every PR package but never valued them.
Frequently asked questions
Related questions
Official sources
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This is general guidance for UK tax residents for the 2026/27 tax year, not personal advice. Speak to us about your situation.
