Jobseeker benefit / making some money

osirisrt

Hi folks,

Currently still on jobseekers, aside from all my jobhunting and trying to find work, I have a hobby that recently gave me the opportunity to make a (currently) one off smallish sum of money. (under £350 - of which would be going towards my personal debt which is currently around 4k). The impact of this would be minimal against my debt, but welcome all the same!

So, I wanted to know, would I be doing anything wrong by doing/accepting this while on jobseekers? Would I need to declare it? Is there any other reasons for me to/not to accept?

This is something I made, and then sold - although I haven't accepted the offer yet. Just wanted to know where I'd stand or whether I should pass on it or otherwise.

Thanks for any advise.

sammyjammy

Yes you need to declare it.

osirisrt

Ok thanks. I'll turn the offer down then.

osirisrt

Just a quick follow up to this so I understand a little clearer, if someone would be so kind.. So if I had accepted this, how would it have been classed? how would it be declared?

I didn't work fulltime, part time, temporary or otherwise. This was something I built in my spare time in the evenings as a hobby/interest - and was offered some money for it.

Would it have been classed self employed maybe? How would I put a 'time scale' on something I did as a personal spare time project that took me months to make? Would it be classed as a personal sale?

Just a little confused where I would have stood with this.

lindseykim13

The rules are if you made it with the intention of selling it on for a profit then you are indeed a business and need to declare it.
However if you built it for yourself and then decided to sell it on as you no longer needed/wanted it ect then it's not earnings at all.
Lots of people on jobseekers have a clear out and maybe do a car boot sell some old stuff on ebay it's not an income unless you are buying to sell on.

osirisrt

ahh right. thanks LindseyKim..

This was made for my own enjoyment, and took me a few months - as I say, like a personal interest/hobby played with now and then. I just came across the opportunity to sell and decided it was worth it.

I certainly have no interest in buying to sell on, or making a business/regular thing out of it or anything. If i want to make money regularly, itll be by working in a job! I only asked about it on here as I wanted to know how I stood - I wouldn't want to do anything wrong is all.

Thanks for the advice.

pmlindyloo

lindseykim13 wrote: »

The rules are if you made it with the intention of selling it on for a profit then you are indeed a business and need to declare it.
However if you built it for yourself and then decided to sell it on as you no longer needed/wanted it ect then it's not earnings at all.
Lots of people on jobseekers have a clear out and maybe do a car boot sell some old stuff on ebay it's not an income unless you are buying to sell on.

I agree with this.

I do not believe that it can be classed as income.

Declaring it could cause a lot of hassle. They might close down your claim while they investigated.

Since this is a one off I would use it as if you had sold something on ebay and put it towards your debt.

osirisrt

Thanks for the reply again.

As i say, I have no business intentions or buying in to sell on for profit - I just had something I personally made that I got an offer for. It would be going towards my debt anyhow.

Teahfc

If it is a one off then surely its no different to someone selling a private possession in a sale or car boot or from a advert in a supermarket window.
A sad world if someone cannot sell something for less than a winters gas bill and be quizzed about it !
if you were knocking out 10 a week for £350 then may be different but as a one off I would accept the bid and take cash !

osirisrt

I never intended to continue and make more, etc. Id spent time with this, i decided to sell, i got an offer. I asked in here for advice, as I genuinly don't like to think im doing something wrong. Thanks for all the advice though everyone, its been helpful.

bigboybrother

lindseykim13 wrote: »

The rules are if you made it with the intention of selling it on for a profit then you are indeed a business and need to declare it.
However if you built it for yourself and then decided to sell it on as you no longer needed/wanted it ect then it's not earnings at all.
Lots of people on jobseekers have a clear out and maybe do a car boot sell some old stuff on ebay it's not an income unless you are buying to sell on.

How on earth do HMRC or the DWP in this case, police this?

I bought a caravan a while ago for next to nothing. Having spent countless hours renovating it I have now added something like £2000 to the market value of it. If the original intention was to sell and make a profit it will be classed as income, yet if I say it was for my own use then decided to sell it, the proceeds are mine to keep without HMRC or the DWP getting involved. I know what I would say and probably most people would say the same thing.

I was the administrator of an estate and bought from the estate a box full of antiques (silver items, oil lamps, paintings, early 19th century wall clock etc.) for £100.

These items are in my loft space and have been for the past 5 years. The intention is to sell them at specialised auctions and anticipate the whole lot will realise maybe £3000. How is that treated? I would say that I bought them for my own use but decided against it.

From what I can see no one will be able to prove it otherwise if everything I buy and sell over the years is for my own use with no intention of selling it fro a profit.