Reselling
Do you pay tax on Vinted and eBay sales? The UK rules, simply
There was a lot of panic about “Vinted tax” when platforms started reporting to HMRC. Most of it was overblown. Here’s the calm, accurate version.
The key question: are you clearing out, or trading?
It comes down to one thing — why you’re selling.
Selling your own used stuff (clothes you no longer wear, old furniture) is generally not taxable. You’re not making a profit in the tax sense; you’re getting rid of personal belongings. No income tax to worry about, and personal-possession sales are usually outside Capital Gains Tax too (except high-value single items).
Buying things to sell them on for profit — sourcing stock, flipping, reselling — is trading. That income is potentially taxable.
The £1,000 trading allowance
If you’re trading, you get a £1,000 trading allowance per tax year. Earn under £1,000 from it and you generally don’t need to declare it. Go over, and you need to register for Self Assessment and declare the income (you pay tax on the profit, not the total sales).
What the platform reporting actually means
From 2024, platforms like Vinted, eBay and Depop share seller data with HMRC. This didn’t change the tax rules — it just means HMRC can see the numbers. If you’re a genuine declutterer, nothing changes. If you’re trading over the threshold and not declaring it, that’s the gap it closes.
The practical takeaway for resellers
If you’re reselling as a business, you need to know your profit — sale price minus what you paid minus fees — because that’s what you’re taxed on, and it’s what tells you if it’s even worth it.
That’s the core of the Reselling app in Sedonis: real profit per item after fees, across Vinted, eBay and Depop, kept private and ready at tax time. Free to start.
More on this: stop using a reselling spreadsheet.
General information, not tax advice. The rules depend on your circumstances — check GOV.UK or an accountant.