Built for Reading's businesses
Reading has real strength in tech, telecoms and professional services, and creators and online business owners here don't need a generalist down the road — they need specialists who answer quickly and price fairly. Because we work online, you get exactly that, plus a nudge towards the right local support: the Thames Valley Berkshire business network is a good first stop for grants and advice, and our Swoop-powered funding portal searches 1,000+ lenders and grant schemes on top.
Does a side hustle need declaring?
The £1,000 trading allowance is the line. If your total income from content, brand deals, affiliate links and platform payouts is £1,000 or less in a tax year, you generally do not need to report it. Above that, you register for Self Assessment and report it all — and you then choose between claiming the allowance instead of expenses, or claiming actual expenses, whichever gives the better result. Being employed elsewhere does not change any of it: PAYE covers the job, not the channel. HMRC also now receives income data directly from digital platforms, so the gap between what you declare and what they hold is visible.
