OnlyFans Expenses You Can Claim: The Full List for UK Creators

One of the most effective ways to reduce your tax bill as a creator is to claim all the business expenses you are entitled to. Every legitimate expense you claim reduces your taxable profit, which means you pay less Income Tax and National Insurance.

The problem is that many creators either do not know what they can claim, or they are too cautious and miss things they are perfectly entitled to deduct. This guide covers the full list of common allowable expenses for UK-based OnlyFans creators.

Important note: This article is for general information only. It is not financial advice. Tax rules change and individual circumstances vary. Speak to a qualified accountant for advice specific to your situation.

The golden rule: “wholly and exclusively”

Before diving into the list, you need to understand the principle HMRC uses to decide whether something counts as a business expense. The cost must be incurred “wholly and exclusively” for the purposes of your business.

If something is used partly for business and partly for personal use, you can claim the business proportion. For example, if you use your phone 60% for your creator work and 40% personally, you can claim 60% of the cost.

If something is used entirely for personal reasons but you try to claim it as a business expense, that is not allowed and could land you in trouble with HMRC.

Equipment

This is usually the biggest category for creators.

• Cameras and lenses. Whether you use a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or a high-end phone specifically for content, the cost is claimable. If the phone is also your personal phone, claim the business-use proportion.
• Lighting. Ring lights, softboxes, LED panels, and any other lighting equipment used for content creation.
• Tripods and mounts. Phone mounts, camera tripods, wall mounts, and similar accessories.
• Microphones and audio equipment. If you create video content with audio, microphones, pop filters, and audio interfaces all count.
• Memory cards and storage drives. External hard drives, USB drives, and memory cards used to store content.

For expensive items (over £1,000), you may need to claim capital allowances rather than deducting the full cost in one year. Your accountant can advise on this.

Technology

• Phone. The business-use proportion of your phone contract and handset cost.
• Laptop or computer. If used for editing, managing your account, scheduling content, or communicating with subscribers. Claim the business proportion if you also use it personally.
• Internet. The business-use proportion of your home broadband. If you work from home full-time as a creator, a reasonable split might be 50% to 75%, depending on your household.
• Cloud storage. iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, or any cloud service you use for backing up or organising your content.

Content props and outfits

This is where it gets specific to the creator industry.

• Lingerie and outfits purchased specifically for content. If you buy items that are used exclusively for creating content and would not normally wear them in daily life, they can be claimed as a business expense. Keep the receipts and be clear about the business purpose.
• Costumes and themed outfits. Fancy dress, cosplay outfits, or specific looks purchased for content shoots.
• Props and set dressing. Anything you buy specifically to use in your content, from backdrops to decorative items.
• Beauty and grooming products. This is a grey area. Products used exclusively for content shoots (stage makeup, professional products for filming) are more easily justified than everyday personal grooming. Be conservative and speak to your accountant.

The key test is always whether the item is used exclusively for business or has a clear business proportion.

Software and subscriptions

• Editing software. Adobe Creative Cloud, Lightroom, Final Cut Pro, Canva Pro, or any editing tools you use for your content.
• Scheduling and management tools. Any software you use to plan and schedule posts.
• VPN. If you use a VPN for your work, the subscription is claimable.
• Cloud storage subscriptions. Ongoing costs for storing and organising your content.
• Music and sound licences. If you pay for licensed music or sound effects for your videos.
• Website hosting and domains. If you run your own website or landing pages for promotion.

Home office costs

If you work from home, which most creators do, you can claim a proportion of your household costs. There are two approaches.

Simplified expenses (flat rate)

HMRC offers a flat rate deduction based on the number of hours you work from home per month:

• 25 to 50 hours per month: £10 per month
• 51 to 100 hours per month: £18 per month
• 101 hours or more per month: £26 per month

This is simple but may understate your actual costs, especially if your household bills are high.

Actual cost method

You calculate the proportion of your home used for business and claim that proportion of your household costs. The costs you can include are:

• Rent or mortgage interest (not the capital repayment portion)
• Council tax
• Gas and electricity
• Water rates
• Home insurance

For example, if you have a dedicated room for content creation and it represents 10% of your home’s floor area, you could claim 10% of the above costs. If you use the room for a proportion of the time, the calculation adjusts accordingly.

The actual cost method usually results in a higher claim, but it requires more detailed records. Your accountant can help you decide which approach is better for your situation.

Marketing and promotion

• Paid social media advertising. If you run paid ads on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter to promote your creator brand.
• Social media management tools. Scheduling tools, analytics platforms, and other marketing software.
• Promotional expenses. Costs associated with collaborations, shoutouts, or cross-promotion.

Professional services

• Accountancy fees. The cost of your accountant preparing your tax return and advising you is itself a claimable expense.
• Agency management fees. If you work with a management agency, the monthly fees you pay are a business expense. At TalentGrow, for example, we invoice creators monthly for the agreed split, and that cost is deductible from your taxable profit.
• Legal costs. Solicitor fees for business-related matters, such as contract reviews.
• Financial software. Subscriptions to tools like Xero, FreeAgent, or QuickBooks.

Travel

If you travel specifically for your creator business, the costs are claimable:

• Train, bus, or flight costs for content shoots at different locations.
• Mileage if you drive (HMRC’s approved mileage rate is 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles, then 25p per mile).
• Accommodation if you need to stay somewhere overnight for a shoot.
• Parking and tolls.

Your daily commute does not count (and most creators work from home anyway), but travel to a specific shoot location or a meeting with your accountant does.

Training and professional development

• Courses and workshops relevant to your business. Photography courses, video editing training, marketing workshops, and similar learning are all claimable.
• Books and learning materials related to running your business or improving your content creation skills.

The training must be relevant to your existing business. You cannot claim for training to start an entirely new line of work.

What you cannot claim

To be clear, these are not allowable:

• Personal clothing (even if you happen to wear it in photos)
• Personal grooming and everyday beauty products
• Fines or penalties
• Entertaining clients or contacts (HMRC does not allow this for sole traders)
• The capital portion of mortgage payments
• Anything that is purely personal, regardless of how you try to frame it

Record keeping

Keep every receipt, invoice, and bank statement related to your expenses. HMRC can ask to see them for up to five years after the filing deadline for the relevant tax year.

The easiest approach is to use cloud accounting software, photograph receipts when you get them, and categorise expenses as you go rather than trying to reconstruct everything at year end. Use our tax calculator to see how your expenses affect your overall tax position, and our earnings calculator to model different scenarios.

Getting help

If you are not sure whether something counts as an allowable expense, ask your accountant. It is better to check than to either miss a legitimate claim or include something that could trigger questions from HMRC. A good accountant who understands the creator economy will know exactly what is and is not allowable.

If you are looking for support with the business and strategy side of your creator career, you can find out more about how we work or apply to work with us.

This article is for general information only and is not financial advice. Tax rules and rates can change. Always speak to a qualified accountant about your specific circumstances.