Two in five teenagers have earned money from a hobby, NatWest finds

What the research found

Source: NatWest Group, 16 September 2026.

NatWest Group published the findings on 16 September 2026 as part of research for NatWest Thrive. The survey covered 2,077 UK respondents, comprising 1,000 16 and 17 year olds and 1,077 adults aged 18 and over. Among the younger group, 39 percent have turned a passion, hobby or skill into a source of income in the past two years. Those who earned this way made an average of 389 pounds. The figures place informal earning alongside, and ahead of, the traditional teenage job. Only 15 percent of teenagers have earned money through a traditional weekend job or paper round, compared with 35 percent of adults at the same age. The average time invested among those earning or trying to earn is seven hours a week, and 21 percent are currently generating income from a passion, hobby or skill.

The routes into earning vary. 22 percent have earned from a skill or hobby such as sport, gaming, music or art. 19 percent have bought items specifically to resell for profit. 56 percent have made extra cash selling things they no longer wanted. Taken together, 91 percent have made, tried to make, or would like to make money from a hobby, passion or personal skill. The scale of intent is therefore wider than the share currently earning. The research suggests that for most teenagers in the survey, earning from an interest is either an active activity or an ambition, rather than something they have ruled out. The 389 pound average is a mean across those who earned this way, so individual amounts will vary widely, from a single sale of unwanted items to a regular stream of income from a skill.

Ambitions and the reality gap

The research points to a group that favours independence over a single secure role. 34 percent of teens would choose entrepreneurship over a secure, well-paid job. 80 percent ideally want at least two sources of income and 34 percent want three or more. The reasons cited include control and visibility of others doing the same thing. 42 percent want greater control over their future. 28 percent are inspired by seeing young people make money online. 23 percent are attracted by cheap online starts. Technology features in how they generate ideas: 35 percent already use AI to generate business or side hustle ideas, and 14 percent say AI advances make entrepreneurship more attractive.

Against that ambition sits a gap between how success is presented and how long it takes. 41 percent say business and side-hustle content makes success look quicker than it probably is. The survey also asked what young people want to see more of. 37 percent want entrepreneurs to be more open about how long it took to make a profit, 36 percent about mistakes, and 35 percent about startup costs. Emily Fuller, Head of NatWest Thrive, said: 'Young people are thinking differently about how they want to work and earn, and financial education needs to keep pace.' Joe Baggs, content creator and broadcaster fronting the campaign, said: 'When I started out, I had to learn a lot about money as I went, and that's often the part you don't see behind the success stories.' Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Rt Hon Lucy Rigby KC MP, was quoted in the release on young people sharing experiences of earning money.

KT: the tax a teenage earner needs to know

The money side starts with the HMRC trading allowance. The first 1,000 pounds of trading income in a tax year does not need to be reported. Where trading income exceeds 1,000 pounds, the individual must register for Self Assessment by 5 October following the end of the tax year and file by the following 31 January. Income tax is due only above the personal allowance, which most teenagers will not reach, but the registration duty is separate from whether tax is owed. Class 2 and Class 4 National Insurance apply above the relevant profit thresholds. The distinction between selling possessions and trading matters here. Selling personal possessions you already owned is not trading. Buying goods with the intention of reselling them at a profit is trading. That is the line 19 percent of these teenagers have crossed by buying items specifically to resell.

Platform reporting adds a second layer of visibility. Digital platforms report seller information to HMRC where a seller makes 30 or more sales or earns around 1,700 pounds in a calendar year. HMRC may therefore see the activity even where no tax is due. For a 16 or 17 year old earning from a hobby, the practical points are the 1,000 pound trading allowance, the 5 October registration deadline once trading income exceeds it, the 31 January filing date, National Insurance above the relevant profit thresholds, and the 30 sale or 1,700 pound platform reporting threshold. The registration duty applies independently of whether income tax is owed, so a teenager below the personal allowance can still have a filing obligation once trading income passes 1,000 pounds.

What the campaign is

Money Talks by NatWest Thrive is a campaign for 16 and 17 year olds. It launches with a free two-day event for 16 and 17 year olds in London on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026. The event features Joe Baggs, Chunkz, NYK Chazza, Alize Demange, Jake and Shae, and Team GB athletes Lola Tambling, Beth Shriever and Kieran Reilly. A creator-led digital series follows the event. NatWest Thrive reaches almost nine in ten secondary schools and youth organisations across the UK and reached one million young people in 2025. New entrepreneurship resources launch later this year. The press contact is natwestthrive@golin.com.

The campaign sits alongside the research findings on how teenagers earn and what they want to know. The survey of 2,077 UK respondents, including 1,000 16 and 17 year olds, recorded 39 percent earning from a passion, hobby or skill in the past two years, an average of 389 pounds among those who did, seven hours a week invested on average, and 91 percent who have made, tried to make or would like to make money from an interest. The tax framework that applies to that activity is set by HMRC: the 1,000 pound trading allowance, registration by 5 October after the end of the tax year where trading income exceeds it, filing by 31 January, National Insurance above the relevant profit thresholds, and platform reporting at 30 sales or around 1,700 pounds in a calendar year.

Source: NatWest Group press release, 16 September 2026.

Related coverage on Kael Tripton: Self Assessment: register by 5 October or face a penalty, HMRC July 2026 Self Assessment Deadline: Second Payment on Account Due 31 July, What Is the trading allowance? UK Meaning Explained, UK Trading Allowance Explained: The GBP 1000 Side Hustle Threshold, UK Side Hustle Tax Rules: When to Declare.

Frequently asked questions

How many 16 and 17 year olds have earned from a hobby or skill?

39 percent of 16 and 17 year olds have turned a passion, hobby or skill into a source of income in the past two years, according to NatWest Thrive research released on 16 September 2026. Those who earned this way made an average of 389 pounds.

How much can a teenager earn before reporting to HMRC?

The first 1,000 pounds of trading income in a tax year does not need to be reported under the HMRC trading allowance. Where trading income exceeds 1,000 pounds, the individual must register for Self Assessment by 5 October following the end of the tax year and file by the following 31 January.

Does selling old items count as trading?

Selling personal possessions you already owned is not trading. Buying goods with the intention of reselling them at a profit is trading. In the survey, 19 percent of 16 and 17 year olds had bought items specifically to resell for profit, while 56 percent had made extra cash selling things they no longer wanted.

When do online platforms report sellers to HMRC?

Digital platforms report seller information to HMRC where a seller makes 30 or more sales or earns around 1,700 pounds in a calendar year. HMRC may therefore see the activity even where no tax is due.

What is Money Talks by NatWest Thrive?

Money Talks by NatWest Thrive is a campaign for 16 and 17 year olds. It launches with a free two-day event in London on 19 and 20 September 2026 featuring Joe Baggs, Chunkz, NYK Chazza, Alize Demange, Jake and Shae and Team GB athletes, followed by a creator-led digital series. New entrepreneurship resources launch later this year.