Man with a Van & Removals · Updated July 2026
✓ HMRC-sourced

Making Tax Digital for Man with a Van and Removals —
Multi-Platform Income Explained

📅 27 July 2026 ⏱ 7 min read Editorial policy ↗

Every Platform Booking Adds to the Same Total

Most self-employed removal and man-with-a-van operators work across several booking platforms at once — AnyVan, Shiply, Compare My Move — alongside direct bookings built up through word of mouth or their own advertising. Each platform reports what it pays out separately, but for MTD purposes, every job across every platform adds into one single qualifying income figure. There's no separate threshold per platform or per income source.

Platform fees (the cut taken by AnyVan or Shiply before paying you out) are claimed back as a business expense, but your qualifying income is the gross job value before that fee is deducted, not your net take-home from the platform.

Van Running Costs Are Usually Your Biggest Expense Category

For most operators, vehicle costs dwarf every other expense category — fuel, insurance (particularly goods-in-transit and hire-and-reward cover, which costs more than standard van insurance), servicing, and depreciation on a larger vehicle. You can claim actual costs, or use the simplified mileage rate (45p/mile for the first 10,000 business miles, 25p after), but you can't mix both methods for the same vehicle in the same tax year — pick one and stay consistent.

Worked Example

Blanca. Runs man-with-a-van removals, booking through AnyVan and Shiply, plus some repeat direct clients.

AnyVan bookings (gross, before platform fee): £18,400
Shiply bookings (gross, before platform fee): £9,600
Direct repeat clients (no platform fee): £7,200
Total qualifying income: £35,200 — above the £30,000 Phase 2 threshold. Blanca joins MTD from April 2027. The combined platform fees taken by AnyVan and Shiply are claimed back as a business expense against her profit, but her qualifying income is the full gross job value across all three income sources.

What You Can Claim

  • Van running costs — fuel, servicing, repairs (actual cost method), or 45p/mile mileage rate
  • Goods-in-transit and hire-and-reward insurance
  • Platform fees — the commission taken by AnyVan, Shiply, or similar booking apps
  • Moving equipment — straps, blankets, trolleys, dollies
  • Parking and congestion charges incurred on jobs
  • Van depreciation or capital allowances if you own the vehicle outright
  • Helper/labourer costs if you pay someone to assist on bigger jobs
Quick Check
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Best MTD Software for Man with a Van & Removals

Software links are affiliate, help fund CheckMyMTD. Recommendations based on ease of use for self-employed income tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

I book jobs through AnyVan and Shiply. Do I track them separately for MTD?

You can track them separately in your own records for clarity, but for MTD purposes they combine into one single qualifying income figure alongside any direct client work you do.

Is my qualifying income what the platform pays me, or the full job price?

It's the full gross job value before the platform deducts its commission. The platform's fee is then claimed back separately as a business expense, which reduces your taxable profit but not your gross qualifying income figure used for the MTD threshold.

Can I claim my van insurance as an expense?

Yes, including goods-in-transit and hire-and-reward cover, which most removal work legally requires and costs more than standard van insurance. This is a normal allowable business expense.

Should I use actual van costs or the mileage rate?

Either is allowed, but you must pick one method per vehicle and stick with it for that vehicle for as long as you use it in the business — you can't switch between the two methods year to year for the same van.

I occasionally get paid cash for small local jobs. Does that count too?

Yes, all income from your removals work counts towards your qualifying income regardless of payment method, whether it's a platform payout, bank transfer, or cash from a local job.

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