HMRC steps up side hustle tax guidance for wedding season earners

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HMRC side hustle tax for weddings

Highlights

HMRC's Help for Hustles campaign reminds side earners that income over £1,000 from activities like wedding services must be declared via Self Assessment.
New entrants earning side income in the 2025 to 2026 tax year must register by 5 October 2026 and submit online returns with payment by 31 January 2027.
The £1,000 threshold applies to total combined side income, so earnings from different activities are aggregated for Self Assessment requirements.

Tax checks and filing deadlines

As reported by GOV.UK, HMRC is using its Help for Hustles campaign to remind side earners that income from regular profit-making activity may be taxable and may need to be declared through Self Assessment.

The guidance highlights wedding-related work such as selling stationery, filming first dances, photography and cake-making, alongside other forms of extra income including hobby businesses and content creation. HMRC says a free online tool on GOV.UK helps users check whether they need to file a tax return and explains how to register if required.

Anyone earning more than £1,000 from side hustles in a tax year may need to complete a Self Assessment return. New entrants for the 2025 to 2026 tax year need to register by 5 October 2026, and online returns and any tax due must be filed and paid by 31 January 2027.

Who is affected by the £1,000 threshold

The £1,000 threshold applies to total side hustle income combined, rather than to each activity separately. That means someone earning £600 from wedding photography and £500 from social media work may still need to register because total income exceeds the limit.

HMRC says not all extra income is taxable. Selling unwanted personal possessions, such as clearing out a wardrobe, does not usually need to be reported, but regularly selling goods for profit or providing paid services is likely to count as trading and may need to be declared.

Kevin Hubbard, HMRC's Director of Small Business & Individuals, says side hustles are a valuable source of extra income for many people and that checking tax obligations early can help avoid unexpected bills later. The department is encouraging anyone in a similar position to use its Tax Help for Hustles guide or the online checker to confirm their reporting responsibilities.

In our earlier article on the UK’s shrinking fiscal headroom ahead of the next Budget, we outlined how higher borrowing costs and spending pressures were narrowing the room for new measures. We also noted that limited options for raising major taxes were increasing the focus on alternative levers, including tightening tax collection from smaller sources of income.

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