eBay

cblack68 · ‎06-03-2026

Hi All. I've received a letter from HMRC, saying 'thanks for your letter advising you need to register as self employed. I haven't asked them anything about being 'self employed' I am a private seller, not making enough to class myself as a business, and justvery puzzled by this letter. I got in touch with ebay, but she didn't know anything about it, so I thought I'd try here, as I don't want to get in touch with HMRC, unless I really have to! Any advice would be appreciated, TIA.

papso22 · ‎06-03-2026

This can only be sorted by you contacting HMRC.

Incidentally there is no monetary threshold before you are a business.

jckl1957 · ‎06-03-2026

It sounds as if you have contacted HMRC as they say 'thanks for your letter'.

Why do you think this is connected to your Ebay account?

Can you screenshot the opening paragraph of the letter from HMRC, cutting out any identifying details obviously.

"There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”
Søren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher (1813 - 1855)

red_magpie · ‎06-03-2026

If you didn't write to HMRC in the first place it's odd that you have received a letter from them saying that you did. It may even be a scam. Unless of course your sales were sufficient for eBay to pass on your details.

Either way, surely the obvious thing to do is to contact HMRC, especially as you're sure that your earnings are below the trading allowance.