New creators
Unsure what counts as a genuine business expense from day one.
Creator expenses checklist
Check common creator costs, keep evidence of business use and review the HMRC guidance before claiming.
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Part of our guide to creator tax guide UK.
Quick answer
Creator business expenses can reduce taxable profit when they meet the relevant rules. This free on-page checklist covers filming equipment, software, home costs and travel, with personal-use exclusions. Read it without giving an email address, then check HMRC expense guidance and your own circumstances.
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Contents
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Creator Expense Eligibility Checker
Test your common influencer expenses against official HMRC "wholly and exclusively" rules and tax case law.
Camera, Lenses & LightingProduction Gear
100% allowable under Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) or full expensing.
Equipment purchased exclusively for content capture is allowable plant and machinery.
Allowable
Everyday Clothing & High-Street OutfitsWardrobe & Beauty
Fails the HMRC duality test. Personal decency/warmth cannot be excluded.
Mallalieu v Drummond court precedent disallows clothing suitable for everyday wear.
Disallowed
Specialist Costumes & Theatrical AttireWardrobe & Beauty
Allowable if used exclusively for recorded sketches or character skits.
Distinct theatrical costumes not wearable on the street are permitted.
Allowable
Everyday Haircuts & Regular Salon VisitsWardrobe & Beauty
Disallowed by HMRC as personal grooming has dual personal benefit.
General grooming is non-deductible personal maintenance.
Disallowed
Specialist SFX Makeup & Face PaintWardrobe & Beauty
Allowable if purchased specifically for on-camera characters or tutorials.
Single-purpose consumable cosmetics for film/production are deductible.
Allowable
Video Editing Software (Adobe Premiere, Final Cut, CapCut)Software & Digital
100% deductible operating expense.
Professional digital tools directly used in trade are allowable.
Allowable
Music Licensing (Epidemic Sound, Artlist)Software & Digital
100% allowable business cost.
Commercial broadcast licensing fees are direct production costs.
Allowable
Personal Gym MembershipTravel & Subsistence
Disallowed even for fitness influencers due to personal health duality.
Personal health maintenance cannot be wholly and exclusively business.
Disallowed
Travel to Specific Filming LocationTravel & Subsistence
Allowable if travel is exclusively for documented content production.
Business travel between bases of operation for filming is allowable.
Allowable
Home Studio Room (Apportioned)Studio & Premises
Allowable based on square footage and business hours used.
Apportionment between domestic and exclusive business use is permitted.
Apportioned Only
Who this is for
Is this you?
Established creators
Want a second check that they are claiming everything allowed.
Sole traders and limited companies
Rules differ slightly, and the checklist covers both.
Anyone preparing for Self Assessment
A quick reference before pulling receipts together.
Income streams
Everything we handle for you
- Brand deals
- Platform ad revenue
- Affiliate commissions
- Subscriptions
- Merch sales
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Tax explained
How influencer expenses list UK works
Allowable business expenses reduce the profit you pay Income Tax and National Insurance on, so claiming everything you are entitled to genuinely lowers your bill.
For an expense to be allowable, it generally needs to be incurred wholly and exclusively for your creator business, with a reasonable business proportion if it is also used personally.
Common allowable costs include cameras, lighting, editing software subscriptions, a proportion of home studio running costs, props used purely for content, and travel directly related to shoots or brand work.
Costs that are personal in nature, such as everyday clothing, most meals eaten alone, and general household bills unrelated to your content, are usually not allowable.
Gifted products received in exchange for content are typically treated as taxable income at their market value, rather than as an expense.
Good records — receipts, invoices and a simple log of business use — are what actually let you claim these expenses with confidence at Self Assessment time.
Source: Income Tax rates and allowances (gov.uk) · Self Assessment (gov.uk)
General information only, based on 2026/27 UK rules. Not personal advice. Speak to us about your circumstances.
Expenses
The UK creator expenses checklist: claim it or leave it
This influencer expenses list UK creators use every tax season sets out exactly what reduces your Self Assessment bill and what does not. It covers the same ground as our detailed creator tax and expenses checklist, but as a quick on-page reference for equipment, software, home studio costs and travel to shoots. If you would rather have it done for you, bookkeeping for creators keeps every receipt filed as it happens, and Self Assessment for creators makes sure nothing allowable is missed.
Usually claimable
- Cameras, lenses, lighting and microphones
- Editing, design and scheduling software subscriptions
- A reasonable proportion of home studio running costs
- Props and set dressing used purely for content
- Website and domain hosting costs
- Travel and accommodation directly related to a shoot or brand trip
- Platform and payment processing fees
- Professional fees, including accountancy
- Public liability and equipment insurance
Usually not claimable
- Everyday clothing, even if worn in videos
- Most personal meals eaten alone
- General household bills unrelated to business use
- Gym memberships and personal grooming
- Personal holidays with no direct business purpose
- Fines or penalties
Still unsure about a specific cost? Book a free 15-minute call and we will check your claims line by line, or read the full creator tax and expenses checklist for the deadlines too.
How HMRC’s rules apply to content creators
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 expensesHMRC: business travelHMRC: clothingHMRC: company deductionsHMRC: capital allowancesHMRC: 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.
General information only, based on 2026/27 UK rules. Not personal advice. Speak to us about your circumstances.
Structure
Sole trader or limited company?
£
Sole trader£46,111
Limited company£46,091
Illustrative estimate only. Uses the published 2026/27 tax configuration. Assumes a single-director company drawing all profit, with no Employment Allowance. Excludes expenses, student loans, pensions, other income, Scottish rates and individual circumstances. Not tax advice.
Diary
Key deadlines
5 October
Register for Self Assessment for the previous tax year
31 October
Paper tax return deadline
31 January
Online return, balancing payment and first payment on account
31 July
Second payment on account
Want this off your plate?
Talk through your platform income, allowable expenses and next steps with a creator accountant.
Book your free creator tax callWritten and reviewed by
Waqas Sagar ACA FCCA FMAAT
Chartered Accountant with 18+ years' experience and founder of Accotax. Has served over 5,000 clients across London and the UK.
About Waqas SagarAccotax on LinkedIn Last reviewed: 2026-10-20
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