Mystery Shopping - recommendations?

MyUserNamesTaken

Remember, you're allowed to earn a certain amount per week before your benefit is affected. (Think it's around the £15 or so mark?) Expenses aren't taxable, so shouldn't count as earnings either.


Say you do a mystery shop on a pub one week, the fee is £5 but you get upto £15 expenses (you had to buy two meals and a glass of wine). For tax purposes (and I assume DWP purposes), you have only earnt £5 for that week, as the £15 is paying you back money you had to spend out.

Check with the DWP just to make sure, though.

If you do work for Retail Eyes and GAPbuster, these are the kind of small jobs you'll get. You shouldn't have a problem with the DWP if you make sure you stay below the maximum you can earn in a week without it affecting your benefits. If you start doing work for some of the other companies, you could well find yourself being offered work that will affect your benefit. I've got a job to do this week paying £40 for 45 minutes work, no buying anything and no outlay on my part. Fortunately for me, this is just supplimentary income. You get to pick and choose which assignments you want to do, though, so shouldn't have a problem with this.

louise35_2

can anyone tell me which company cover sainsburys and tesco?

Dazzieboo

Due to the confidentiality rules of the various companies, this information is not allowed to be publically discussed.

pondie1

how do the dss get told about mystery shopping,do u fill in forms every week or do you say you are only receiving petrol costs,i signed up to retail eyes but have never taken a job yet,theres plenty in my area and a free meal looks good

hjb123

Hi,

I mystery shop with https://www.tns-global.com this does several high street names.

I am currently out of work and on Incapacity Benefit, I just tell them that I dont get much and that on average it isnt more than £40 per month - never anywhere near it! I guess it depends what benefit you are on as to whether the income will affect the benefit.

black-saturn

louise35 wrote:

can anyone tell me which company cover sainsburys and tesco?

It's MEM Retail who I work for.