questions about universal credit and irregular art income

Hi,

I’m hoping for clarification about reporting occasional, irregular income from selling my own artwork online.

I’m not running a business full-time. Sales are infrequent and vary month to month. I’ve recently been informed by an online platform that they are required to report 2025 sales to HMRC under new digital platform reporting rules, and I’m worried about how this could affect my Universal Credit.

I’m currently on Universal Credit with a disability element (for 5 months) and was previously in the ESA Support Group.

If someone could help clarify the following, I’d really appreciate it:

• how Universal Credit treats irregular self-employed income from art
• whether income earned before my UC claim is relevant
• how deductions are calculated in months where income is received (I’ve heard its 55%)
• if they could review my benefits due to this

I just want to make sure I’m doing this right

regards,

Stu

Thanks for your answer David, I`m still concerned about telling UC about my situation ,
should I just message them and say "I am self-employed on a small scale selling artwork online. Income is irregular and varies month to month."
i`m worried they`ll ask when i started doing it, its been years, i never declared it when I was on esa, I`m worried they`ll want money back from when I was on ESA, its a few hundred I earn a month maximum,,maybe once or twice a year it was more, some months nothing at all. is a Compliance interview serious? do you have a guide for it please? I`ve had some very bad experiences with the DWP.
If i dont declare it to UC will they find out eventually via hmrc?

Stu

''...the new powers that the DWP have....''.

And honestly, David? It was long overdue. Well done, DWP. Sure, the DWP can be a pain in the neck at times.

But let's not stab in the back the very system that pays our rent, our bills, and buys us food. And more.

Never break any rules. That's the least one can do, in exchange for all the above.