Surveys/product testing and benefits conundrum

macavity

hi

should income from surveys be declared if you are on benefits? if so how?

i have alse been thinking of testing products, ie, they send me something to use (which sometimes you would keep) and i write a review.

would this be seen as work?

i see it this way:

• i have been given a free sample and have been asked to provide voluntary feedback.
• OR: i have purchased a product with my words.
• OR: would they see it as recieving a reward fro work done?

writing is my hobby and i have reviewed things that i have bought on amazon/ebay/my blog

are there any legal experts out there who could give me their opinion?

or is it such a grey area that the government would be unlikely to investigate?

jaygray

I'd be grateful for some advice on this too.

ootie

It is a very good question.

I am self employed and add any survey monies to my self assessment.

But...... I have no idea what I do, if anything, about the bzz and tesco samples etc that I have started to test this year.

thebeans_2

I have done surveys both online and in person, when doing them in person I was paid cash and asked the person (whom I know personally) running it all about tax ect, she told me that as its your opinion, you cant be taxed on it, you are not doing a job so its not seen as pay
HTH

dazza.mk

thebeans wrote: »

I have done surveys both online and in person, when doing them in person I was paid cash and asked the person (whom I know personally) running it all about tax ect, she told me that as its your opinion, you cant be taxed on it, you are not doing a job so its not seen as pay
HTH

Sorry, but if you are being paid a monetary value you can be taxed on it (ie vouchers from Surveys), I doubt they would be bothered regarding the product testing, as it is more difficult to establish a monetary value (ie if a tester got a rash from a product and threw it away what monetary value would you assign to it), unless of course there was a fee alongside the actual product test.

ootie

dazza.mk wrote: »

Sorry, but if you are being paid a monetary value you can be taxed on it (ie vouchers from Surveys)

That is true, vivatic are having a clamp down on this, recently asking for NI numbers, but after a backlash from everyone not wanting to give them, there is a reminder that you are an agent etc and that you must declare the money.

ThomasCrocker

I don't think surveys should be on there.