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Do Influencers Pay Tax in the UK?
Written by Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA FMAAT · Chartered Accountant · Last reviewed 22 October 2026
| Trading allowance | £1,000 |
|---|---|
| Personal Allowance | £12,570 |
| Basic rate | 20% up to £50,270 |
| Class 4 NI | 6% on main profits, 2% above |
How it works
HMRC treats regular creator work done to make money as a trade. Your income is everything you receive for that work, in cash or in kind.
You pay tax on profit — income minus allowable expenses. The first £12,570 of total income is usually covered by your Personal Allowance.
Income from platforms abroad, such as Google Ireland for YouTube, is still taxable in the UK if you live here.
What counts as creator income
Platform payouts (YouTube AdSense, TikTok Creator Rewards, Twitch, Snapchat and similar), brand deal fees, affiliate commission, subscriptions such as Patreon, merch and digital product sales all count.
Products, trips and experiences given in exchange for content count too, at their market value. So do usage-rights fees and payments made through an agency.
Your profit is added to any other income, such as a salary. Income Tax is charged at 20% up to £50,270, 40% up to £125,140 and 45% above, after your Personal Allowance. Class 4 National Insurance is 6% on profits in the main band and 2% above.
According to Waqas Sagar, Chartered Accountant at influencers.accountants, treat your channel like a business from day one — a separate bank account makes everything easier.
Example
Aisha, a TikTok creator, makes £18,000 profit. With no other income, she pays about £1,086 Income Tax and £326 Class 4 National Insurance — roughly £1,412 in total.
Illustrative figures only, based on 2026/27 rules.
What you need to do
- Add up all creator income, including gifts.
- Register for Self Assessment if over the allowance.
- Keep receipts for expenses.
- File online and pay by 31 January.
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 accountants for influencers.
Common mistakes
- 1Thinking only cash counts.
- 2Ignoring overseas platform income.
- 3Not setting money aside.
From our client work: We often see creators who declared brand deals but not affiliate or gifted income.
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.
