Affiliate income
Do Discount Codes and Referral Bonuses Count as Income?
Written by Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA FMAAT · Chartered Accountant · Last reviewed 22 October 2026
How it works
A code that earns you a percentage of sales is affiliate income.
Bank or app referral bonuses earned by sharing links with your audience are income linked to your trade.
One-off personal referrals unconnected to your content may be miscellaneous income — still declarable above small amounts.
Free products through codes
Some brands pay creators in store credit when followers use their code. Store credit is income at its value when you can spend it.
Keep the brand's statement of code sales and credit.
If you spend credit on business items, those may also be costs.
According to Waqas Sagar, Chartered Accountant at influencers.accountants, if your audience made it happen, it belongs in your creator income.
Example
Dani earns £2,100 from discount-code commission and £400 store credit. Both go on her return. Cashback from her personal credit card does not.
Illustrative figures only, based on 2026/27 rules.
What you need to do
- List every code and referral scheme.
- Get yearly statements.
- Include store credit.
- Leave personal cashback out.
Want us to handle this for you? Our Self Employed Starter package covers registration, your Self Assessment return and expense review. See also our Self Assessment for creators and our page for affiliate marketers.
Common mistakes
- 1Ignoring store credit.
- 2Declaring personal cashback.
- 3Forgetting small schemes.
From our client work: We often see code commission paid as vouchers and never recorded.
Frequently asked questions
Related questions
Official sources
Not sure where you stand?
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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.
