Uc review and surveys payment

Soconfused14

Just going through review, sent all stuff but worried about payments for surveys.  Will this count as income and if so what will happen now?

Jyana

HMRC considers money/vouchers earned from surveys to be self-employment, and any amount of £1k and over will require a tax return for that year.

As far as I am aware the DWP also now consider it income now too, so you would need to declare it to them when it gets paid out. 

Soconfused14

Ok but I haven't declared it so what will happen at the review if they notice it

Newcad

How much, how often, are we talking about, and is it vouchers or money in the bank?

If it's just the occasional one, and/or paid as a shopping voucher, then there is probably no problem. (I did a government one last month and got a £10 Amazon voucher. I had done the same one about 2 years ago, only £5 then).

But if it's one of the online sites where you can do many surveys regularly and get money sent to your bank then that's a different matter.

Jyana

As Newcad says, the scale of your earnings will play into what happens next. If it's one of the so-called beer making sites, like Prolific, Opinium, or another one which pays cash directly into your bank regularly, then they will probably be more liable to notice, and take action, than a couple of supermarket or website questionnaires that payout in vouchers instead.

You are probably best getting ahead of this by saying you have found out that you need to declare it whilst you were getting the requested info together, which is true from what you've said here. Admitting a past mistake and requesting to rectify it is always viewed more favourably by them than hiding it, and usually only comes with a £50 fine on top of paying back any overpayment rather than facing a fraud case.

Soconfused14

It is prolific maybe 40 or 50 per month. If I had to.pay back how far would this go back

Jyana

Soconfused14 said:

It is prolific maybe 40 or 50 per month. If I had to.pay back how far would this go back

However long you have been creating an income from it.

ETA: I'm not very knowledgeable about UC so I'm not sure if income would be £ per £ or 55p per £1. One of the others will hopefully know how income works for it though?

poppy12345

Jyana said:

Soconfused14 said:

It is prolific maybe 40 or 50 per month. If I had to.pay back how far would this go back

However long you have been creating an income from it.

ETA: I'm not very knowledgeable about UC so I'm not sure if income would be £ per £ or 55p per £1. One of the others will hopefully know how income works for it though?

If you don't have the work allowance then earnings received each month reduces UC by 55p for every £1 of earnings received. 

Soconfused14 said:

It is prolific maybe 40 or 50 per month. If I had to.pay back how far would this go back

Yes, you would need to repay back any overpayment. You may also have a small fine on top for not reporting the changes. 

Soconfused14

@poppy12345. Should I get infront of this and ask them/ bring it to their attention before I send in my bank statements? If I do this what will happen. Will it be seen as fraud or just an oversight? been doing for couple of years so may be quite some to pay back.  

poppy12345

Yes you should tell them. Are you entitled to the work allowance? If so are you claiming UC with a partner that works? 

Soconfused14

My partner works so work allowance is used up by his wage. Will I be sanctioned or fined or what? How will I pay back?