Gifts and PR
Is a Free Holiday From a Brand Taxable?
Written by Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA FMAAT · Chartered Accountant · Last reviewed 22 October 2026
How it works
HMRC looks at what you received and why. Flights, hotels, meals and activities paid by a brand in exchange for posts are part of your creator income.
If the trip is mainly work, with a clear brief and a full schedule of shoots, the travel cost is also a business expense. The two entries offset, leaving little or no tax to pay.
If the trip is mostly leisure with a couple of posts, the personal element remains taxable income.
Bringing a partner or extending your stay
If a brand pays for a partner or friend to come along and they have no business role, their share is personal benefit and stays as your income.
Extra nights you add for yourself are personal. Keep the brand's itinerary so you can show which days were work.
Ask the brand or agency for the trip value in writing. It saves guesswork when you complete your return.
According to Waqas Sagar, Chartered Accountant at influencers.accountants, ask for the trip value before you travel — brands and agencies usually have it ready.
Example
Amira goes on a five-day press trip worth £3,000 with daily filming and four agreed posts. She records £3,000 as income and £3,000 as business travel, so there is no net tax. A two-week holiday with one story would be treated very differently.
Illustrative figures only, based on 2026/27 rules.
What you need to do
- Get the trip value from the brand.
- Keep the brief and itinerary.
- Record the value as income.
- Claim the work element as travel.
- Leave personal add-ons out of expenses.
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 travel influencers.
Common mistakes
- 1Assuming free travel is never taxable.
- 2Claiming a partner's costs.
- 3No itinerary to show work days.
From our client work: We often see creators unsure how to value trips because the brand never told them the cost.
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.
