Maternity allowance and working a hobby business?

[QueenOfCatan]

I will be going on maternity at some point before Spring, I'm currently self employed. I would like to start selling things I've made though am unlikely to earn more than £1000 from it so I understand that it could come under the trading allowance? However I wondered if I'm allowed to do this whilst receiving maternity allowance?

I'm struggling to find anything conclusive, just lots of "Start your self employed business when on maternity leave!" 'articles' and blog posts when I google it or people asking before the hobby business thing came into existence. I know that there must be something on the gov website about it but I've either missed it by accident in my reading or I just can't find it.

[greencatbluecat]

Phone HMRC?

[delilahbucket]

No you cannot. You can only work 10 KIT days while receiving maternity allowance.

[delilahbucket]

Just to further add, if you are currently self employed and a sole trader, the £1000 allowance does not apply to you as it all comes under one earnings umbrella.

[ThePencil]

Your best bet is to email HMRC and explain. They'll be able to advise you on the details. I think what the PP said about KIT days is correct, although I don't know how that works if, for instance, you were planning to sell online - if you sell something on Monday, and package it up and take it to post, does that 15 minutes count as a full days' work?

I've always found HMRC to be very helpful, though.

[delilahbucket]

It isn't HMRC that deal with maternity allowance, it is the DWP.