Do you pay tax on Facebook Marketplace sales in the UK?
Facebook Marketplace is where a lot of people shift unwanted furniture, clothes and household bits. If you have started to wonder whether the taxman wants a slice, here is the simple version: most of it is not taxable, but some of it can be.
General information, not tax advice. Check with HMRC or a qualified accountant before you act on it.
Selling your own things is not taxable
The bulk of Facebook Marketplace selling is people getting rid of their own belongings: the sofa that no longer fits, old furniture, clothes, a pushchair the kids have grown out of. That is selling personal possessions, not running a business, and it is normally not taxable, however much it adds up to.
Flipping for profit is trading
It is different if you are buying items specifically to sell on for a profit. If you pick up furniture cheap, do it up and sell it on, or buy job lots to flip, that is trading, and trading can be taxable once you pass the allowances. The test is why you got the item: to use it, or to sell it.
The £1,000 trading allowance
If you are trading, you get the same £1,000 trading allowance as any other seller. Under £1,000 of trading sales in a tax year and there is normally nothing to report. Over it and you will usually need to register for Self Assessment, though after your costs and personal allowance you may still owe little or nothing. Remember it is one £1,000 allowance across every platform you sell on, not one each.
Does Facebook report me to HMRC?
The rules that make platforms share seller data with HMRC apply to digital marketplaces. How they apply to casual local Facebook Marketplace sales can be less clear cut than on eBay or Vinted, especially for cash, in-person deals. But here is the key point: whether or not a platform reports you, the tax rules are exactly the same. Being reported never decides whether you owe tax. What you are selling and your profit does.
What to do next
If you are only clearing out your own things, you can relax. If you are flipping for profit and your sales are over £1,000, register for Self Assessment by 5 October after the tax year, keep a note of what you paid and spent, and file by 31 January to avoid the £100 penalty. This is general information, not advice, so check anything important with HMRC or an accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Is selling my own furniture on Facebook taxable?
Normally no. Selling your own used belongings is not trading, so there is usually no tax to pay, no matter how much you sell.
When does Facebook Marketplace selling become taxable?
When you are buying or making things to sell for a profit. That counts as trading, and it can be taxable once your sales pass the £1,000 trading allowance.
Does Facebook report sellers to HMRC?
Reporting rules apply to digital marketplaces, though casual local sales are less clear cut. Either way, being reported does not decide whether you owe tax. Your trading and profit do.
See where you actually stand
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This guide is general information, not tax advice, and reflects the UK rules for the current tax year. Always check with a qualified accountant before you file. FlipTally is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to eBay, Vinted, Depop or HMRC. Last updated 2026-08-03.