Survey sites etc- taxes

mrsyardbroom

Flyonthewall wrote: »

The sites always say redeem a gift/reward, they don't tell you it's a place to earn an extra income/wage. Mostly they tell you it's not a place for that.

Here are a couple of typical survey sites and this is what they say on the welcome page.

Populuslive Earn £1 for every 5 minutes of your time
Note the word "earn."

Newvistalive - the online community that allows you to earn £s in return for your time completing surveys.

Money Saving Expert - Willing to give views on One Direction, washing-up liquid or if we should quit the EU? If so, it's possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent.

Please also read this part of the article on the Money Saving Expert site http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/make-money-surveys

DON'T forget tax

Before you start counting the dosh, don't forget some of it belongs to the taxman. For most people it'll be around a third. Survey earnings are unlikely to push non-taxpayers over the threshold, however.

As any sources of extra income need to be declared; ensure you're upfront with HM Revenue and Customs. Survey earnings are self-employed income, which means registering with the HMRC Helpline for the Newly Self Employed on 08459 15 45 15 by the end of the third calendar month after starting – or facing an automatic £100 penalty.

I think that pretending you're receiving gifts is just a way telling yourself that you don't have to pay tax. You should be aware though the HMRC may well catch up with you and if it was me I wouldn't be telling people on a public forum that no tax is being paid on the extra earnings.

Flyonthewall

mrsyardbroom wrote: »

Here are a couple of typical survey sites and this is what they say on the welcome page.

Populuslive Earn £1 for every 5 minutes of your time
Note the word "earn."

Newvistalive - the online community that allows you to earn £s in return for your time completing surveys.

Money Saving Expert - Willing to give views on One Direction, washing-up liquid or if we should quit the EU? If so, it's possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent.

Please also read this part of the article on the Money Saving Expert site http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/make-money-surveys



I think that pretending you're receiving gifts is just a way telling yourself that you don't have to pay tax. You should be aware though the HMRC may well catch up with you and if it was me I wouldn't be telling people on a public forum that no tax is being paid on the extra earnings.

I've never heard of either of them sites but I find it highly weird that both say the same on the homepage.

"Thank you for visiting Populuslive, the gateway to joining and participating in our exciting and growing community. As a member you will be financially rewarded for participating in our surveys and enjoy several other benefits."

"Thank you for visiting newvistalive; the gateway to joining and participating in our exciting and growing community. As a member you will be financially rewarded for participating in our surveys and enjoy several other benefits. "

I guess they may be owned by the same person, but just looking at that I'd avoid using either site because it looks like they're copying each other and usually copied content means a site is a scam. I might be wrong, but it's just odd.

However, they do state rewarded.

The Points2Shop site says "Sign up FREE & get 250 points". And also "SEARCH FOR REWARDS". The word earn does appear, but it says for earning rewards.

Swagbucks says "Earn reward points and redeem them for free stuff."

Toluna states "A rewarding experience Sharing knowledge gives you good karma, right? Well we think that can take a little too long, so we bring the rewards straight to you. Answer surveys, vote on special polls and give your opinion to earn points redeemable for cash, prizes or gifts. It's good to share.

A rewarding

A rewarding experience

Sharing knowledge gives you good karma, right? Well we think that can take a little too long, so we bring the rewards straight to you. Answer surveys, vote on special polls and give your opinion to earn points redeemable for cash, prizes or gifts. It's good to share.

"
." And further down it says "we bring the rewards straight to you."

Opinion Outpost states "Welcome to Opinion Outpost UK ! Become a member of Opinion Outpost today. Joining the community is simple and FREE! Once you're a member you can participate in surveys and you'll have the opportunity to earn cash and other exciting rewards!"


That article isn't from HMRC though.



I use sites that claim to reward me, not that employee me or give me a wage or even guarantee cash. I don't think HMRC can do much about a few quid of Amazon vouchers in my Amazon account or a couple of free items, nor do I think they would care too.

pweggie

mrsyardbroom wrote: »

Here are a couple of typical survey sites and this is what they say on the welcome page.

Populuslive Earn £1 for every 5 minutes of your time
Note the word "earn."

Newvistalive - the online community that allows you to earn £s in return for your time completing surveys.

Money Saving Expert - Willing to give views on One Direction, washing-up liquid or if we should quit the EU? If so, it's possible to earn £100s a year, without any special skill or talent.

Please also read this part of the article on the Money Saving Expert site http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/make-money-surveys



I think that pretending you're receiving gifts is just a way telling yourself that you don't have to pay tax. You should be aware though the HMRC may well catch up with you and if it was me I wouldn't be telling people on a public forum that no tax is being paid on the extra earnings.

The word "Earn" is used to drive traffic for marketing purposes. Market research relies on reaching as many people as possible, and most people will be drawn by the word "earn", especially when it's money for nothing - which is pretty much what survey taking is all about.

That said, some of us are under no illusion that we are "earning" in the employment sense of the word, but given the fact that there are plenty of people stuck at home who can't or don't want to go out to work makes the net even easier to cast, as they will instantly be drawn to the possibility of "earning", which in turn means more members, more information, and more successful marketing! The fact of the matter is that although the rewards are fairly nominal (in the grand scheme of things) survey takers are making a hell of a lot of money for market research companies, and receiving crumbs of the crumbs in return.

As for your comment about "....You should be aware though the HMRC may well catch up with you and if it was me I wouldn't be telling people on a public forum that no tax is being paid on the extra earnings....." - I have had lengthy discussions with HMRC about this; every year for the last few years I've disclosed full details of all my survey taking activities, focus groups etc in my tax return, and every year I get a polite note saying they are "not required". I pay my taxes on a generous middle management income, and also on the revenue I receive for advertising on my blogs and websites - HMRC do require this as it's revenue earned. Only this year they told me in writing to "refrain from including rewards and incentives from market research firms; these do not form part of taxable income, and will not affect your tax liability" - their exact words, not mine. I am, therefore, quite unafraid to speak openly about rewards and incentives received for taking surveys as my house is in order, so to speak.

mrsyardbroom

I worked for HMRC for thirteen years and believe me I had to check very carefully what I was allowed to do and what earnings I had to pay tax on. The senior managers took advice from their managers and my earnings and other online activities were checked very carefully. If I had gone by any other route and taken notice of people who are guessing at the tax situation and who have never worked for HMRC or been a tax advisor then I could have lost my job.
As for Populuslive and Newvistalive, they are just two of the survey sites I joined several years ago and I have been paid regularly with no problems. They certainly aren't scams but they are just two of many survey sites that talk about earning. Earning and reward can be taken as having the same meaning as far as HMRC are concerned. You are doing a set ask to get an extra income and that money is taxable. I have heard all the excuses over the years and you get to recognise them. People will try to twist words in any way they can to get out of paying tax but the upshot is, you do something for someone and they give you money in return you need to declare the money to HMRC. Of course people will argue until they're blue in the face. They will even tell you that because their wives do two hours work for a company they are entitled to a company car costing £30,000. They will also try to claim tax relief on a 50p ice cream bought for an employee several months before. As I say, I've heard it all and trying to pretend that getting rewarded with cash isn't getting paid or classed as earning is just ridiculous. I won't look at this thread any more as it has gone far enough and there is little point in continuing.

pweggie

mrsyardbroom wrote: »

I worked for HMRC for thirteen years and believe me I had to check very carefully what I was allowed to do and what earnings I had to pay tax on. The senior managers took advice from their managers and my earnings and other online activities were checked very carefully. If I had gone by any other route and taken notice of people who are guessing at the tax situation and who have never worked for HMRC or been a tax advisor then I could have lost my job.
As for Populuslive and Newvistalive, they are just two of the survey sites I joined several years ago and I have been paid regularly with no problems. They certainly aren't scams but they are just two of many survey sites that talk about earning. Earning and reward can be taken as having the same meaning as far as HMRC are concerned. You are doing a set ask to get an extra income and that money is taxable. I have heard all the excuses over the years and you get to recognise them. People will try to twist words in any way they can to get out of paying tax but the upshot is, you do something for someone and they give you money in return you need to declare the money to HMRC. Of course people will argue until they're blue in the face. They will even tell you that because their wives do two hours work for a company they are entitled to a company car costing £30,000. They will also try to claim tax relief on a 50p ice cream bought for an employee several months before. As I say, I've heard it all and trying to pretend that getting rewarded with cash isn't getting paid or classed as earning is just ridiculous. I won't look at this thread any more as it has gone far enough and there is little point in continuing.

With respect, I'd sooner rely on what I have in writing on headed notepaper from HMRC, and the advice of my accountant - I've declared everything, and been told what is what. Whether or not you've heard every excuse is irrelevant, because what you're not hearing in what I've said is that I'm not making excuses! My house is in order; I've declared everything, got my answers in writing, and I'm satisfied that the HMRC are satisfied. You may have worked for them - anyone here could say they work for HMRC and try to point out what is what - but what can't be denied or ignored is that someone (myself) has been through the process of declaring survey rewards for the last four years, and HMRC bat them aside each time. What do you want me to do? Insist that they tax me even though they can't??? LOL

clemmatis

Flyonthewall wrote: »

I've never heard of either of them sites but I find it highly weird that both say the same on the homepage.

"Thank you for visiting Populuslive, the gateway to joining and participating in our exciting and growing community. As a member you will be financially rewarded for participating in our surveys and enjoy several other benefits."

"Thank you for visiting newvistalive; the gateway to joining and participating in our exciting and growing community. As a member you will be financially rewarded for participating in our surveys and enjoy several other benefits. "

I guess they may be owned by the same person, but just looking at that I'd avoid using either site because it looks like they're copying each other and usually copied content means a site is a scam. I might be wrong, but it's just odd.

They use the same software. They aren't scams. They're reputable survey sites.

The Points2Shop site says "Sign up FREE & get 250 points". And also "SEARCH FOR REWARDS". The word earn does appear, but it says for earning rewards.

Points2Shop points may be regarded by HMRC as marginal; it tends to see cashback as a discount, IMO. (It does classify Tesco Clubcard points as discounts against future purchases.)

I don't think HMRC can do much about a few quid of Amazon vouchers in my Amazon account or a couple of free items, nor do I think they would care too.

I'm sure you're right, but that's a separate issue. It does though sound as though the "rewards" you receive aren't taxable income anyway.

Flyonthewall

"They use the same software. They aren't scams. They're reputable survey sites."

Perhaps, but that doesn't mean they have to say the same word for word.

"Points2Shop points may be regarded by HMRC as marginal; it tends to see cashback as a discount, IMO. (It does classify Tesco Clubcard points as discounts against future purchases.)


I'm sure you're right, but that's a separate issue. It does though sound as though the "rewards" you receive aren't taxable income anyway."

Thankyou.

psychic_teabag

clemmatis wrote: »

(It does classify Tesco Clubcard points as discounts against future purchases.)

I think the nectar canvass survey site pays rewards as nectar points. Are those a discount against future purchases no matter how they're earned ?

By the same token, are the amazon gift vouchers I might get from other survey companies also a discount against future (amazon) purchases ?

clemmatis

psychic_teabag wrote: »

I think the nectar canvass survey site pays rewards as nectar points. Are those a discount against future purchases no matter how they're earned ?

I only know about Tesco Clubcard points for sure (a tax law specialist wrote about it), but I treat Nectar points from shopping at Sainsbury the same way. There is a problem given that the Tesco ones can sometimes be used for other purchases, but I believe HMRC decided to let that be. I don't know nectar canvass or what view HMRC would take, sorry.

By the same token, are the amazon gift vouchers I might get from other survey companies also a discount against future (amazon) purchases ?

I wouldn't have thought so, but it's all a bit messy and odd.

usa1

mrsyardbroom wrote: »

I worked for HMRC for thirteen years and believe me I had to check very carefully what I was allowed to do and what earnings I had to pay tax on. The senior managers took advice from their managers and my earnings and other online activities were checked very carefully. If I had gone by any other route and taken notice of people who are guessing at the tax situation and who have never worked for HMRC or been a tax advisor then I could have lost my job.
As for Populuslive and Newvistalive, they are just two of the survey sites I joined several years ago and I have been paid regularly with no problems. They certainly aren't scams but they are just two of many survey sites that talk about earning. Earning and reward can be taken as having the same meaning as far as HMRC are concerned. You are doing a set ask to get an extra income and that money is taxable. I have heard all the excuses over the years and you get to recognise them. People will try to twist words in any way they can to get out of paying tax but the upshot is, you do something for someone and they give you money in return you need to declare the money to HMRC. Of course people will argue until they're blue in the face. They will even tell you that because their wives do two hours work for a company they are entitled to a company car costing £30,000. They will also try to claim tax relief on a 50p ice cream bought for an employee several months before. As I say, I've heard it all and trying to pretend that getting rewarded with cash isn't getting paid or classed as earning is just ridiculous. I won't look at this thread any more as it has gone far enough and there is little point in continuing.

Sorry, but would I have to pay tax in a £5.00 Amazon voucher?