EBay asking for national insurance number

[raik1performance]

Hi everyone, I recently joined for like 1 month and I start selling as a private seller , and now eBay is asking me to provide national insurance number.

"New UK digital sales reporting legislation requires sellers with 30 or more sales, or who have sales exceeding £1740 in a calendar year, to register this information"

[ev-530680]

No I said I do not remember seeing it round any DM Internet post that MIGHT have gone round my feed. 

Nothing to do with reading in a paper which is what you are clearly stating. If you have to point out what section in the paper I said I clearly do not read, it is.

Absolutely no idea why you responded to that in first place when I'm not a reader as I pointed out.

[ev-530680]

:😮  Really?? Offering preselected loan for a business! See that is 100% not normal.  Wouldn't be suprised if 1 of these snoopers on here has reported your account as business so Ebay are just testing if you are or aren't.

These threads always tend to be filled with not helpers but, either Employees or Naysayers wanting to put others down. When people just want to interact with anyone else who has same concerns or people who might know a more positive & fair ideology. 

Oh same hun , I am just going to leave thread also. I only use browser so when shut it will be gone lol. It's obvious there's a few on here thar just looking for any private sellers they can try out as businesses. Will leave them to it.

My house is absolutely filled!!. Some stuff I'm just going to bin, some can go to charity shop & obviously anything I consider nice or I'd really still want in future of course I listed it for sale & fair price. & done it first as why not try get bit of money in fir things I do need. I'm just so slow due to bad back & other conditions I get worn out so quickly. Ugh I just need space in my house again 😅 I'm just going to start bagging off the stuff for trash or charity though now I think, before trying to sell anything as just too much drama.

Hope you have a lovely Easter 🐣 😊 

Kind regards Jo

[crafty6272]

Yeah I just found out I have a heart condition think I will do the same
just keep my very favourite and bag and donate the rest😃

Happy and peaceful Easter to you too x

[ev-530680]

Aww I'm sorry to hear that.. Getting older really blows 😅 Like body shuts down instantly  , Good luck to both of us then getting through it all 😁 And agreed I will just keep anything nice or pricey if it doesn't go locally now.  Thankyou hun enjoy your day Jo x

[alfifletch27]

Agreed

Sent from my iPhone

[jeajeanstev]

Hi. I am a private seller and do not make a profit at all by selling my old clothes and shoes,I sell them at a fraction of the cost of the items and sell items as a hobby and also to provide a service for genuine bargain hunters. I am wary of providing my NI.Does anyone know what happens if you don't?

[papso22]

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@jeajeanstev wrote:

Hi. I am a private seller and do not make a profit at all by selling my old clothes and shoes,I sell them at a fraction of the cost of the items and sell items as a hobby and also to provide a service for genuine bargain hunters. I am wary of providing my NI.Does anyone know what happens if you don't?

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Ebay will withhold your payments and still provide the data to HMRC, possibly with a red flag for none compliance. 

[jeajeanstev]

Thank you for your response

[ett1954]

If eBay ask for your NI number and you don't provide they will stop you selling.

I would add that you are a very low volume seller and if you stop selling once you reach 28 or 29 items during this calendar year they will not request that from you.  You can then start selling again in January 2026 and repeat each year.  Only when you reach 30 sales in a single calendar year (or approx £1700 of income, which is unlikely on your items) will they ask you for the number.

Awkward I know, but it will allow you to continue selling.

[jeajeanstev]

Thanks for that

[jckl1957]

You could just choose to give Ebay your National Insurance Number.

People worry about handing over that information but, during a working life which spanned about 50 years, I had to give my NINO to supermarket chains, umbrella companies, employment agencies, small local shops and tiny businesses, multi-national businesses, various pension companies etc.  There has never been an issue.

Ebay have a legitimate reason for asking for your NINO and HMRC website states that this is information online marketplaces will be asking their members for.

I do understand why some people might not want to give Ebay another piece of information - that is your choice.

However, if you choose not to tell them, Ebay will choose to restrict your ability to sell on the site,

[tobyskarma]

Yes, ebay will restrict you from selling and as in my case, withhold funds
if you’ve gone over the selling limit!

[crafty6272]

I’ve already supplied it decided a couple of weeks ago I have nothing to
hide anyway but I won’t list anymore this year as I’m already at 30 items

[wintersdawn1]

Example — selling unwanted items

You’re clearing out your attic and decide to sell your unwanted items using online marketplaces. None of the items you sell are worth more than £6,000.

It’s unlikely that you’ll need to tell us about this income or pay any tax, no matter how many items you sell.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-need-to-tell-hmrc-about-your-income-from-online-platforms#s...

• If you are selling unwanted personal possessions such as old toys or clothes, this would not be classed as trading or miscellaneous income, and there is usually no tax to pay. In some circumstances there may be capital gains tax when selling valuable items such as jewellery, this is covered in our flowchart.

https://www.litrg.org.uk/news/selling-online-make-sure-you-keep-clear-records

Do I have to share information with HMRC?

From January 2024, new UK digital sales reporting rules require digital platforms like eBay to share information with them. However, this reporting doesn’t change your tax obligations.

On eBay, this should only affect newly registered accounts in 2024, which will extend to all accounts in 2025.

eBay will only report if you pass certain yearly sales thresholds:

• If your total sales on eBay exceed €2000, or roughly £1740, after fees.

• If you complete 30 or more sales transactions on eBay.

In general, selling personal items is not taxed if they’re below £6,000 and you’re not selling as part of a business.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sellercentre/selling/selling-online-and-hmrc

[dreubencr]

So will I get paid after those 28 days? Even if I don't provide a NIN (I don't have one and as a PhD student it's unclear whether I can get one...).

[lucy_farmer]

'.....if I don't provide a NIN (I don't have one and as a PhD student it's unclear whether I can get one...)....'

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?? I thought everybody got one on their 16th birthday?

Or are you a student from abroad?

[sml192]

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@dreubencr wrote:

So will I get paid after those 28 days? Even if I don't provide a NIN (I don't have one and as a PhD student it's unclear whether I can get one...).

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Ebay doesn't provide a specific timeframe for Compliance holds but the maximum period for any hold is 180 days unless fraudulent activity is suspected . 

[dreubencr]

Student from abroad!

[lucy_farmer]

Ahh..... I wonder how users from abroad deal with taxes....

Perhaps @papso22  (a very clear financially minded mentor!) has more of a clue?

[moorpiggys]

if you are already registered with inland revenue why give ebay your ni number ?