The tax challenges of influencer travel
For UK influencers and content creators, travel isn't just about adventure—it's business. Whether you're attending brand events, creating destination content, or meeting with agencies, understanding how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC can mean the difference between a healthy profit and an unexpected tax bill. Many creators struggle with distinguishing between personal trips and legitimate business travel, leading to either missed deductions or compliance risks. With HMRC increasingly scrutinising the creator economy, getting your travel expense claims right has never been more important.
The fundamental question of how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC revolves around the "wholly and exclusively" rule. To claim travel costs as business expenses, the primary purpose of your journey must be business-related. This means that if you take a holiday but create some content while you're there, you can't typically claim the entire trip as a business expense. However, if the main reason for travel is business—such as attending a paid brand event or creating sponsored content—then your travel costs become potentially deductible.
What travel expenses can influencers actually claim?
When considering how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC, it's essential to understand which costs are allowable. You can typically claim for transport to and from business locations, including flights, train tickets, taxi fares, and mileage if using your own vehicle. For 2024/25, the approved mileage allowance payments are 45p per mile for the first 10,000 business miles and 25p per mile thereafter. Accommodation costs for business trips are also claimable, along with reasonable subsistence expenses like meals during business travel.
Many influencers wonder about international travel—how do influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC when creating content abroad? The rules remain largely the same: if the primary purpose is business, you can claim the costs. However, you need to apportion expenses if there's a personal element to the trip. For example, if you spend 4 days on business activities during a 7-day trip, you could typically claim 4/7 of your accommodation and subsistence costs, plus all direct business-related transport.
- Transport to business meetings, events, or content locations
- Accommodation during business trips
- Meals and subsistence while travelling for business
- Business-related car mileage at 45p/25p per mile
- Parking, tolls, and congestion charges for business travel
- Travel insurance for business trips
- Essential equipment transport costs
Record-keeping requirements and evidence
Proper documentation is crucial when understanding how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC. You must keep records for at least 5 years after the 31 January submission deadline of the relevant tax year. This includes receipts, booking confirmations, mileage logs, and evidence demonstrating the business purpose of each trip. Many influencers fall down by not maintaining adequate records, which can lead to disallowed claims and potential penalties if HMRC investigates.
Modern tax planning software like TaxPlan simplifies this process significantly. Our platform helps you track expenses in real-time, categorise trips by business purpose, and store digital copies of receipts securely. This approach to how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC ensures you have the necessary evidence while saving hours of administrative work. The key is to record expenses as they occur rather than trying to reconstruct them months later.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
One of the biggest mistakes influencers make is claiming personal travel as business expenses. HMRC is particularly alert to holidays disguised as business trips. If you're primarily vacationing with some content creation on the side, your travel costs likely aren't deductible. Another common error is failing to apportion mixed-purpose trips correctly. Understanding how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC means recognising when expenses serve both business and personal purposes and splitting them appropriately.
Many creators also overlook the importance of demonstrating a clear profit motive. If HMRC determines your influencer activities constitute a hobby rather than a business, your expense claims may be disallowed entirely. Maintaining proper business records, having a business plan, and demonstrating a serious approach to profitability all help establish that you're running a genuine business. Using dedicated tax planning software can provide the structure needed to maintain this professional approach.
Using technology to streamline travel expense management
Traditional methods of managing expenses—spreadsheets, paper receipts, and manual calculations—are time-consuming and error-prone. This is where modern solutions transform how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC. Tax planning platforms automate much of the process, from mileage tracking to receipt digitisation and expense categorisation. Real-time tax calculations help you understand the immediate impact of your claims on your tax position.
Our tax calculator feature allows you to model different scenarios for travel expense claims, helping you optimize your tax position while remaining compliant. For example, you can quickly calculate whether claiming capital allowances on a vehicle would be more beneficial than using mileage rates for your business travel. This level of analysis would be incredibly complex manually but becomes straightforward with the right tools.
Practical steps for compliant travel expense claims
So how should influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC in practice? Start by establishing a clear system before you travel. Decide in advance which trips are primarily business and document the business purpose. During travel, keep all receipts and make notes about business activities. Use a dedicated app or platform to log mileage if using your own vehicle. Upon return, promptly process and categorise all expenses while the details are fresh in your mind.
Consider using the simplified expenses system if your business turnover is below the VAT threshold (£90,000 for 2024/25). This allows flat rates for vehicle costs instead of tracking actual expenses, though it may not always be the most beneficial approach. Regularly review your claims to ensure they remain proportionate to your business income—excessive travel claims relative to revenue can trigger HMRC enquiries. A structured approach to how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC protects both your finances and compliance status.
Maximizing legitimate claims while staying compliant
The goal of understanding how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC isn't to minimize claims but to maximize legitimate ones while avoiding compliance issues. Many creators underclaim because they're uncertain about the rules or concerned about attracting HMRC attention. This leaves money on the table that could be reinvested in growing your business. With proper systems and understanding, you can confidently claim everything you're entitled to.
Remember that the rules around how influencers handle travel expenses for HMRC exist to ensure fairness, not to prevent legitimate business deductions. If you're travelling primarily for business purposes, your costs are generally allowable. The key is maintaining clear records that demonstrate the business nature of your travel. As your influencer business grows, consider seeking professional advice, particularly for complex international travel or high-value claims. In the meantime, using a comprehensive tax planning platform can provide the foundation for compliant and optimized expense management.
