Grandparents doing the school run could boost their State Pension by £359 a year

As children return to school, grandparents helping with drop-offs, pick-ups and after-school care are being urged to check whether they can claim a little-known National Insurance credit.

Quick answer: Grandparents below State Pension age who care for a grandchild under 12 may be able to claim Specified Adult Childcare National Insurance credits. A full qualifying year could add around £359 a year to someone’s State Pension at current rates, although the actual benefit depends on their National Insurance record.

The new school term does not just mean fresh uniforms, packed lunches and an alarming number of missing PE socks.

For many families, it also means grandparents stepping in to cover school runs, after-school care and the awkward gap between the final bell and the end of the working day.

This support can save parents hundreds or even thousands of pounds in childcare costs. However, grandparents may be able to get something valuable in return, particularly if helping the family has left gaps in their National Insurance record.

Before September arrives, families should check the financial support available, agree how the school-run arrangement will work and make sure everyone understands the rules.

Getting ready for September? Read our complete back-to-school money guide, including practical help for parents worried about the cost of the new term.

The little-known pension boost for grandparents

Grandparents who look after a grandchild under 12 may be able to claim Specified Adult Childcare National Insurance credits.

These are not a cash payment and grandparents are not paid directly for doing the school run. Instead, the credits can fill gaps in their National Insurance record and potentially increase the State Pension they eventually receive.

The credits can be particularly useful for a grandparent who:

• Has reduced their working hours to provide childcare
• Has temporarily stopped working
• Earns too little to pay National Insurance
• Has gaps in their National Insurance record
• Is not already receiving another qualifying National Insurance credit

You do not have to provide full-time childcare. Regular school runs, after-school care or helping during school holidays may count. HMRC says a Class 3 credit can be awarded for each week, or part of a week, in which eligible care was provided.

Who can claim grandparents’ childcare credits?

A grandparent or another eligible family member can apply if:

• They cared for a related child under the age of 12
• They were aged 16 or over but below State Pension age when the care was provided
• They were ordinarily resident in the UK, excluding the Channel Islands and Isle of Man
• The child’s parent or main carer claimed Child Benefit
• The parent did not need the attached National Insurance credit themselves
• The parent agrees to the credit being transferred

The scheme is not limited to grandparents. Other eligible relatives can include great-grandparents, adult siblings, aunts, uncles and certain relatives of the parent’s spouse or partner.

How could one year be worth around £359?

The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in the 2026/27 tax year. Under the new State Pension system, one additional qualifying year will commonly add around one thirty-fifth of the full rate.

That is approximately £6.89 a week, or just over £358 a year. Over a retirement lasting 20 years, that could add up to more than £7,000 before future State Pension increases are considered.

However, this is not a guaranteed payment. The amount will depend on the grandparent’s individual National Insurance history, whether they were contracted out in the past and whether they are already on track to receive the full State Pension.

Check before claiming: Grandparents can use the government’s free State Pension forecast service to see their National Insurance history and whether filling a gap could improve their pension.

How are the credits transferred?

A parent claiming Child Benefit for a child under 12 normally receives an automatic National Insurance credit.

If the parent already builds a qualifying year through their own job or self-employment, they may not need that credit. It can potentially be transferred to the grandparent or another eligible relative who provided childcare so that the credit is not wasted.

The parent or main carer must agree to the transfer and provide their details on the application.

There is only one credit available for each Child Benefit claim, not one credit for every child. If two grandparents share the childcare, the parent will generally have to decide who should receive it.

However, if the grandparents care for grandchildren belonging to two different adult children, there may be two Child Benefit recipients and therefore two separate credits available.

When can grandparents apply?

Families must wait until 31 October after the end of the relevant tax year before applying. This allows HMRC to check whether the parent has already built a qualifying National Insurance year and can transfer the childcare credit.

For example, applications relating to care provided during the 2025/26 tax year can be made from 31 October 2026.

Claims may also be made retrospectively for eligible childcare provided as far back as 6 April 2011. Grandparents whose grandchildren are now teenagers may therefore still be able to fill old gaps in their National Insurance record.

Families can check the full rules and download the relevant form through the government’s Specified Adult Childcare credits service.

Important: The parent should not transfer the credit if they need it to complete their own National Insurance year. Both the parent and grandparent should check their records first.

Can parents pay a grandparent for childcare?

Parents can make a private arrangement with a grandparent and may choose to cover petrol, food, days out or other expenses. They can also agree to pay the grandparent for their time.

However, regular payments could count as taxable income. If a grandparent is being paid frequently, they should keep a record of what they receive and what they spend providing the childcare.

They may also need to tell HMRC if the arrangement becomes regular paid work or if their relevant trading income exceeds the tax-free trading allowance.

Additional earnings could affect means-tested support such as Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Pension Credit, so grandparents receiving benefits should check before agreeing to regular payment.

Can Tax-Free Childcare be used to pay grandparents?

Parents cannot normally use Tax-Free Childcare to pay for an informal arrangement with a grandparent.

In England and Scotland, Tax-Free Childcare may generally be used to pay a relative only when that relative is a registered childminder and looks after the child somewhere other than the child’s own home.

A similar rule applies in Wales. Northern Ireland has its own childcare approval requirements and additional conditions can apply when the childcare provider is related to the child.

Informal care provided by a grandparent also does not qualify for England’s Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme.

Parents should use the government’s childcare support checker before attempting to claim Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare costs for care provided by a relative.

Do grandparents need to register as childminders?

A grandparent looking after their own grandchildren under a private family arrangement will not normally need to register as a childminder.

The position can change if they begin looking after unrelated children for payment or start operating a wider childcare business. Registration requirements differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Anyone planning to turn a family arrangement into paid childcare work should check the rules with their local authority or childcare regulator.

Do grandparents have parental responsibility?

Regularly looking after a grandchild does not automatically give a grandparent parental responsibility.

Parental responsibility includes important legal powers and duties, such as making decisions about a child’s education, consenting to medical treatment and applying for a passport.

A formal legal arrangement will not normally be needed for occasional school runs or after-school care. However, parents should give the school permission to release the child to the grandparent.

Schools may use collection lists, passwords or identification checks. Families should update these details before the first day of term rather than waiting until the first collection.

Grandparents must follow the car seat law

The driver is legally responsible for making sure a child under 14 is using the correct restraint.

Children must normally use an appropriate child car seat until they are either 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever happens first. After that, they must use an adult seat belt.

A seat that fits correctly in a parent’s car may not be suitable for the grandparent’s vehicle. It should be checked and fitted before the first school run.

The full requirements and limited exceptions are set out in the government’s child car seat guidance.

Still buying uniform?

Before paying full price, see our updated guide to the cheapest school uniforms in the UK. It includes £5 supermarket bundles, second-hand options and ways to find free uniform locally.

What if the grandchild lives with the grandparent?

Grandparents who are bringing up a grandchild, rather than simply helping with childcare, may qualify for more substantial financial support.

Depending on the family’s circumstances, this could include:

• Child Benefit
• The child element of Universal Credit
• Council Tax support
• Disability benefits for the child
• Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment
• Local authority kinship care support
• Guardian’s Allowance in certain circumstances

Guardian’s Allowance is £22.95 a week in 2026/27 and is paid on top of Child Benefit. Eligibility is tightly defined, including circumstances where one or both parents have died.

Kinship care support varies depending on where the family lives, the child’s needs and whether the arrangement was made privately or through a local authority. Grandparents in this position should request a kinship care assessment and independent benefits advice.

Back-to-school checklist for grandparents

• Ask the school to add the grandparent to its approved collection list
• Share any collection password or identification requirements
• Fit and check the correct car seat
• Provide emergency contact numbers
• Write down details of allergies, medication and medical conditions
• Agree how petrol, food and other expenses will be covered
• Keep a simple record of the weeks in which childcare is provided
• Check whether Specified Adult Childcare credits could fill a pension gap

The MoneyMagpie verdict

Grandparents provide an enormous amount of unpaid childcare and often make it possible for parents to stay in work.

Specified Adult Childcare credits will not pay for the petrol, snacks or emergency stationery runs, but they could protect a grandparent’s National Insurance record and make a meaningful difference to their retirement income.

The important thing is to check. The credits are not awarded automatically, and families may be able to claim for eligible care provided in previous years.

Remember: These credits are designed to fill National Insurance gaps, not provide an immediate cash payment. Check both the parent’s and grandparent’s records before requesting a transfer.

Frequently asked questions

Can a grandparent claim for doing one school run a week?

Potentially, yes. HMRC states that eligible credits can be awarded for each week or part of a week in which care was provided. All the other eligibility conditions must still be met.

Are grandparents paid cash for looking after grandchildren?

There is no general government cash payment for informal grandparent childcare. Specified Adult Childcare credits protect the grandparent’s National Insurance record rather than providing money immediately.

Can grandparents claim after reaching State Pension age?

The grandparent must have been below State Pension age during the period when the childcare was provided. Someone who has since reached State Pension age may still be able to claim for an earlier eligible period.

How far back can grandparents claim childcare credits?

Eligible claims can potentially be made for childcare provided since 6 April 2011.

Can both grandparents claim for the same child?

Only one credit is available for each Child Benefit claim. If grandparents share the care, the Child Benefit recipient will normally need to decide who receives the available credit.

This article provides general information and does not constitute legal, tax, pension or financial advice. Childcare and kinship care rules can differ across the UK and according to individual circumstances. Rates and rules checked on 25 August 2026.

The post Grandparents doing the school run could boost their State Pension by £359 a year appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Yes, you can get paid to brush your hair – here’s how this unusual side hustle works

Getting paid to brush your hair sounds almost too good to be true, but there really is a market for it. From relaxing hair videos and ASMR to subscriber content and brand work, your locks could potentially become an unusual little side hustle.

Harry Potter actress Jessie Cave has put the idea firmly in the spotlight after revealing just how much money she has made from hair-focused content online.

Cave, who played Lavender Brown in the Harry Potter films, joined subscription platform OnlyFans in 2025 and has spoken openly about creating non-explicit videos centred around her exceptionally long hair.

That has included brushing it, plaiting it, styling it and simply playing with it on camera.

Speaking about the venture in August 2026, Cave said she made more than £15,000 on her first day and has gone on to earn more from the platform than she did across her acting career.

That’s an extraordinary result and emphatically not what somebody starting from scratch should expect. Cave already had a sizeable public profile and an existing fanbase.

But her experience highlights something much bigger: there is a genuine online audience for hair content, and there are several ways ordinary people can potentially make money from it.

The MoneyMagpie takeaway

You don’t need to earn celebrity-sized sums for this to be worthwhile. A niche online audience can potentially generate money through subscriptions, advertising, brand work, affiliate commissions or paid content. Start small and see whether anybody actually wants to watch before spending money on equipment.

In this guide

• Why do people pay to watch hair content?
• What about the kink or fetish element?
• How to get paid to brush and play with your hair
• Hair content ideas you could try
• How can you actually make money?
• Should you accept custom requests?
• How to protect your privacy
• How much could you make?
• Do you need to pay tax?
• You can also sell your actual hair

Why do people pay to watch someone brush their hair?

It might sound strange until you realise how big the audience for niche video content has become.

Hair videos already attract viewers across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. People watch elaborate braids, dramatic hair transformations, hair washing, styling tutorials, curly-hair routines and videos involving particularly long or unusual hair.

Then there’s ASMR, or autonomous sensory meridian response.

Some viewers find repetitive sounds and slow movements relaxing. Brushing, combing, washing and playing with hair can work particularly well in this type of content.

For some creators and viewers it is simply relaxing or satisfying content.

For others, there can be another element.

Yes, there can be a kink or fetish market for hair content

It would be misleading to talk about paid hair content without acknowledging that some of its audience comes from people with a particular attraction to hair.

Hair can be a kink or fetish for some adults, and there is a paying market for content involving long hair, brushing, twirling, washing, cutting, particular hairstyles and similar activities.

There’s no need to sensationalise that. If consenting adults choose to create and buy legal content, that’s their decision.

What matters for somebody considering this as a money-making idea is understanding that what a customer finds appealing and what you agree to create are two separate things.

Jessie Cave has specifically described her own content as non-explicit. A creator can make hair-focused material without agreeing to nudity or sexual activity.

Set your boundaries before money gets involved

Decide exactly what you are and aren’t comfortable creating before you open an account. A paying subscriber is buying access to content you choose to offer. They aren’t buying the right to decide your boundaries.

How to get paid to brush and play with your hair

So how would somebody without a Harry Potter credit actually try this?

The sensible approach is to treat it like any other small online business: test whether there’s an audience before investing much money.

Step 1: Find your niche

Start by working out what might make your content interesting.

You could have exceptionally long hair, unusual curls, striking natural colour or simply be very good at braiding and styling.

You don’t necessarily need remarkable hair at all. Some creators succeed because they make beautifully filmed, relaxing or useful videos.

Hair content ideas to try

• Slow hair brushing
• Hair combing
• Hair twirling
• Braiding and plaiting
• Hair washing routines
• Hair ASMR
• Very long hair routines
• Curly hair routines
• Heatless curls
• Vintage hairstyles
• Hair transformations
• Haircare product demonstrations
• Hair accessories
• Before-and-after styling videos

Step 2: Decide whether you’ll show your face

You don’t necessarily need to reveal your identity.

Hair content could potentially be filmed from behind or framed so that your face isn’t visible.

If privacy matters to you, think about this before creating your accounts rather than trying to remove personal information later.

Step 3: Test your idea for free

You don’t have to immediately put your content behind a paywall.

TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts can help you find out what people actually want to watch.

Try several types of videos and look at what performs best.

If a 30-second hair tutorial gets 600 views but your slow brushing video gets 40,000, that’s useful information.

You can then decide whether there is enough interest to build more content around it.

Step 4: Don’t spend a fortune getting started

You almost certainly don’t need a studio.

A decent smartphone, good natural light and an inexpensive tripod may be enough to test the idea.

If your content begins earning money, you can then consider upgrading your lighting, microphones or camera equipment.

MoneyMagpie tip

Don’t spend £300 creating a side hustle before you’ve established whether it can make £3. Test it with equipment you already own first.

How can you make money from hair videos?

There isn’t just one way to monetise hair content.

1. Paid subscriptions

You can potentially charge followers a monthly fee for additional or longer content.

OnlyFans is the platform associated with Jessie Cave’s story, but subscription models exist elsewhere too.

Check the rules, fees and age requirements of any platform carefully before opening an account.

2. Paid individual videos

Some creator platforms allow people to sell individual pieces of content rather than relying entirely on subscriptions.

You might offer longer versions of popular videos or more specialised hair routines.

3. YouTube advertising

Hair ASMR, tutorials and transformation videos can also work on YouTube.

If your channel eventually qualifies for YouTube’s monetisation programme, advertising could become another income stream.

This is unlikely to produce quick money, but successful videos can potentially continue attracting viewers long after they were uploaded.

4. Make videos for brands

Don’t overlook user-generated content, usually called UGC.

Haircare companies need real people demonstrating shampoos, brushes, hairdryers, styling tools, accessories and treatments.

Sometimes a company wants access to your audience. But in other cases it simply wants you to create a good video that the brand can publish itself.

That means you don’t necessarily need hundreds of thousands of followers.

5. Affiliate links

If viewers regularly ask which hairbrush, shampoo or styling tool you’re using, affiliate links could potentially generate extra income.

You receive a commission when somebody follows your tracked link and makes a qualifying purchase.

Always clearly disclose advertising and affiliate relationships and follow the relevant UK advertising rules.

6. Hair modelling

You can also take your locks offline.

Hairdressers, salons, training academies, photographers and haircare companies sometimes require models for demonstrations, competitions and promotional material.

Just make sure you understand exactly what is being done to your hair before agreeing.

What about personalised and custom requests?

Once people start paying for content, creators may receive requests for particular videos.

That could be something as straightforward as somebody asking you to demonstrate a braid.

It could also be a highly specific request linked to an individual’s kink or fetish.

You are under absolutely no obligation to agree.

Before accepting a custom request

• Decide whether you’re genuinely comfortable with it.
• Check that the request complies with the platform’s rules.
• Agree exactly what you’re creating before filming.
• Agree the price in advance.
• Keep communication and payment on reputable platforms where possible.
• Don’t reveal personal information.
• Never allow a higher payment to push you past a boundary you’ve already set.

Protect your privacy before you upload anything

This matters for every creator, but it becomes particularly important when making content that could attract highly engaged or personally interested followers.

Before publishing a video, stop and look at the background.

The 30-second privacy check

Can viewers see any of the following?

• Your address on a letter or parcel
• Your child’s school logo
• A car registration number
• Your workplace name badge
• Family photographs
• A recognisable view from your home
• A phone or computer displaying private information
• Anything revealing exactly where you live

Consider using a separate email address and separate creator social accounts.

And remember an important reality of digital content: you cannot guarantee that something uploaded behind a paywall will stay behind that paywall forever.

Material can be copied, screen-recorded or redistributed.

Think carefully about what you would be comfortable potentially existing online in future.

Could you really make £15,000 brushing your hair?

It’s possible for an individual creator to earn an extraordinary amount, as Jessie Cave’s experience illustrates.

But using her first-day earnings as a benchmark would be wildly unrealistic.

Cave went into this with something most new creators don’t have: international name recognition, an existing following and considerable press interest.

Somebody starting today with no followers might make a few pounds, might eventually build a useful income or might make absolutely nothing.

Keep the numbers realistic

Stories about creators earning thousands make great headlines, but they tell you very little about what a typical beginner will earn. Think of this as an experiment rather than guaranteed income. Start cheaply, measure what works and only invest more if your audience grows.

Do you need to tell HMRC?

Potentially, yes.

Money you earn from creating online content can count as trading income.

HMRC currently provides a £1,000 trading allowance. Broadly, if your total gross trading income is more than £1,000 during the tax year, you may need to tell HMRC about it.

Gross income means the amount you receive before expenses are deducted.

You should keep accurate records of what you earn, even if you’re currently below the threshold.

Check HMRC’s current guidance on income from online platforms here.

Important tax note

The £1,000 trading allowance doesn’t simply mean everybody can earn £1,000 from every separate side hustle tax-free. Your circumstances and other trading income matter. Check HMRC guidance or speak to a qualified tax professional if you’re unsure.

Don’t fancy filming it? You can sell your actual hair instead

There is another way to make money from your locks that doesn’t involve becoming a content creator at all.

You can sell your hair.

Human hair is bought for wigs, extensions and hair pieces, and longer, healthy hair can be particularly desirable.

Buyers can be very specific about the length and condition they’ll accept, so don’t simply cut off a ponytail and assume somebody will buy it.

Thinking of selling your hair?

We’ve already put together a full MoneyMagpie guide covering what buyers look for, how to prepare your hair, how it should be cut and the different ways you can potentially sell it.

Read: How to make money by selling your hair

MoneyMagpie’s verdict

The real lesson from Jessie Cave’s story isn’t that everybody should buy a hairbrush and expect £15,000 to appear in their bank account.

It’s that the internet has made some remarkably specific niches commercially viable.

You don’t always need an idea that appeals to millions of people. A relatively small but enthusiastic audience can potentially be valuable if those people are prepared to subscribe, watch, buy products or pay for additional content.

And yes, with hair content, some of that audience may have a kink or fetish interest.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with acknowledging that. The important things are that everyone involved is an adult, what you’re doing is legal and consensual, and you remain completely in control of what you create.

Your privacy and boundaries are more important than a payment.

For everyone else, there are still plenty of non-adult routes into the same niche, including ASMR, tutorials, UGC, hair modelling, affiliate marketing and selling the hair itself.

So if you’d happily spend half an hour brushing your Rapunzel-length locks anyway, putting a camera in front of you could be an interesting experiment.

Just don’t hand in your notice yet.

MoneyMagpie disclaimer

Income from content creation is never guaranteed and unusually high earnings reported by individual creators should not be regarded as typical. Adult-oriented subscription services are for adults only. Check the terms and rules of any platform before joining, protect your personal information and consider the tax implications of money you earn. MoneyMagpie is not a financial or tax adviser and the information in this article is for general guidance only.

Frequently asked questions

Can you really get paid to brush your hair?

Yes. People can potentially earn money from hair-focused videos through paid subscriptions, advertising, brand deals, UGC, affiliate links and other forms of content creation. Earnings vary enormously and there is no guarantee that a new account will make money.

Why do people pay for hair videos?

There are several audiences. Some viewers enjoy hairstyling and haircare content, others watch relaxing ASMR videos, while some adults have a particular kink or fetish interest in hair.

Do hair videos have to be adult content?

No. Hair tutorials, ASMR, haircare, styling and brushing videos can all be completely non-explicit. Creators should establish their own boundaries and only make content they are comfortable publishing.

Can I make money from my hair without appearing on camera?

Yes. You could potentially create videos without showing your face, work as a hair model or sell sufficiently long and suitable hair to specialist buyers.

Do I have to pay tax on money earned from hair videos?

Income from creating online content may count as trading income. HMRC currently has a £1,000 trading allowance, but your individual circumstances and other trading income matter. Keep records and check current HMRC guidance.

Can I sell my hair in the UK?

Yes. There are specialist buyers for human hair, particularly longer, healthy hair suitable for wigs and extensions. Check a buyer’s requirements before cutting it. MoneyMagpie has a dedicated guide to making money by selling your hair.

The post Yes, you can get paid to brush your hair – here’s how this unusual side hustle works appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

This sofa side hustle could pay £250+ just for sharing your experiences

Make Money From Home by Sharing Your Healthcare Experiences

Looking for a flexible way to make extra money from home without committing to another job?

Your everyday experiences of healthcare could potentially earn you anything from a few pounds for an online survey to £250 or more for taking part in a healthcare research interview or focus group.

You don’t need medical qualifications or specialist knowledge. Paid healthcare market research is specifically interested in hearing from real patients, carers and members of the public about their experiences and opinions.

It can often all be done around your existing commitments, with many opportunities available online or by telephone.

So, could sharing your healthcare experiences become your next side hustle? Here’s how it works.

QUICK MONEYMAGPIE GUIDE

Paid healthcare market research can involve online surveys, video calls, telephone interviews and focus groups. Patient First Research says rewards can range from £5 to £60+ for surveys and £60 to £250+ for some interviews and focus groups. Opportunities and eligibility vary, so treat this as occasional extra income rather than a guaranteed wage.

What’s in this guide?

• What is paid healthcare market research?
• How much can you make?
• Do you need experience?
• Who could it suit?
• What if you don’t qualify?
• Is healthcare market research safe?
• How to get started
• Frequently asked questions

What is paid healthcare market research?

Before launching or improving healthcare services, treatments and products, researchers need to understand the experiences of the people who actually use them.

That might mean researching what it’s like to:

• Live with a particular health condition
• Take prescription or over-the-counter medication
• Care for somebody else
• Use NHS or private healthcare services
• Attend GP, hospital or specialist appointments
• Manage healthcare for your children or family
• Make decisions about your health and wellbeing

Research can take several forms, including paid online surveys, telephone interviews, video interviews, focus groups and online discussions.

Patient First Research is a UK healthcare market research community that connects patients and caregivers with paid research opportunities.

And don’t automatically rule yourself out because you don’t think of yourself as a “patient”. Researchers can be interested in a wide range of experiences depending on the particular study.

MONEYMAGPIE TIP

Paid market research isn’t a replacement for regular employment and opportunities aren’t guaranteed. However, it can be a useful addition to your collection of flexible side hustles.

How much can you make from healthcare market research?

This is where healthcare research can become particularly interesting.

According to Patient First Research, typical rewards can include:

Online surveys: £5 to £60+

These can often be completed entirely online and fitted around work, childcare and other commitments.

You might complete one while sitting on the sofa in the evening, for example, without travelling anywhere.

Telephone interviews and focus groups: £60 to £250+

Longer or more involved studies can offer considerably higher rewards.

An interview might involve spending an hour discussing your experiences with a researcher over the phone or by video call.

If the study is a good match, that could mean earning £100 or more for an hour of your time.

However, don’t start calculating your new monthly income just yet.

The amount you can make will depend on which research projects are running and whether your circumstances and experiences meet the criteria for a particular study.

You might receive several suitable opportunities at one point and very few at another.

For that reason, we’d treat healthcare market research as a way to earn occasional extra money, rather than income you can depend on every month.

Do you need experience or qualifications?

No.

In fact, researchers aren’t generally looking for professional survey takers. They want to hear from real people with relevant real-world experiences.

You don’t need a medical qualification or previous market research experience.

You simply need to answer questions honestly and be willing to discuss your experiences and opinions.

That’s one of the reasons this can work well as a flexible side hustle.

WHY IT CAN WORK AROUND YOUR LIFE

• No regular shifts
• No commute
• No requirement to accept every opportunity
• No need to give up your existing job
• Many opportunities can be completed from home

A survey could potentially be completed in your pyjamas from the sofa. Interviews can often be arranged around work, studying or childcare.

If an opportunity doesn’t suit you, you don’t have to take part.

Who could paid healthcare research suit?

Healthcare research could be particularly useful for people who want to make money around:

• A full-time or part-time job
• Childcare
• Studying
• Retirement
• Caring responsibilities
• Freelance or self-employed work
• Other side hustles

It may also appeal if you’re looking for ways to make money online from home but don’t want to sell products or commit to fixed working hours.

What happens if you don’t qualify for a study?

One frustrating thing about many market research sites is spending time answering screening questions only to discover you don’t qualify.

Patient First Research says it tackles this with its Always Reward Promise.

HOW THE ALWAYS REWARD PROMISE WORKS

If you qualify for a research project and complete it, you receive the advertised study reward.

If the study isn’t a match, Patient First Research says you’ll still receive a smaller Participation Reward for completing the initial eligibility questions.

That doesn’t mean every application will result in a big payment, of course, but it means your time spent answering the screening questions can still be recognised.

What could you do with the extra money?

The great thing about an occasional side hustle is that even relatively small amounts can be put towards something useful.

For example, you could use research payments to:

• Top up your weekly food budget
• Build an emergency fund
• Save towards Christmas
• Cover a family day out
• Put money towards a holiday
• Pay down debt
• Add to your savings

A £10 survey won’t transform your finances. But several small payments, combined with the occasional £60, £100 or £150 research opportunity, can add up.

Patient First Research members can also choose to donate some or all of their rewards to charity.

Is paid healthcare market research safe?

Whenever you’re asked to share information about your health, it’s sensible to check carefully who you’re dealing with and what will happen to your information.

Patient First Research is a UK-based company specialising in healthcare market research. It says it operates in accordance with UK GDPR requirements and healthcare market research industry standards.

The research is conducted for research purposes rather than as a way of selling products directly to participants.

You should still read the privacy information and terms for any study before agreeing to participate, particularly when sensitive health information is involved.

Never feel pressured to reveal information you’re uncomfortable sharing.

STAY SCAM-AWARE

A legitimate research opportunity should explain what you’ll be asked to do and how you’ll be rewarded. Be wary of unexpected messages asking you to send money or provide banking passwords, PINs or security codes.

You should never have to pay to join a legitimate market research panel.

How to get started with Patient First Research

Joining Patient First Research is free.

After registering and verifying your account, you’ll be asked to complete a profile. This helps the company identify studies that may be relevant to your experiences.

When there’s a potential match, you may be invited to answer some screening questions.

Before agreeing to eligible research, you should be told what’s involved, approximately how long it will take and what the reward will be.

That means you can decide whether the payment is worth your time before taking part.

If it works for you, accept it. If you’re too busy, you can give it a miss.

Want to see what paid studies are available?

MoneyMagpie regularly lists opportunities where you can get paid to take part in market research.

VIEW CURRENT PAID RESEARCH STUDIES

JOIN PATIENT FIRST RESEARCH

Can you really make money sharing your healthcare experiences?

Yes, but it’s important to have realistic expectations.

Paid healthcare market research isn’t a reliable salary and there is no guarantee you’ll qualify for particular studies.

What it can offer is a flexible way to earn extra money from home by sharing experiences and opinions you already have.

With online surveys potentially paying from £5 to £60+ and some interviews and focus groups offering £60 to £250+, a suitable opportunity could provide a worthwhile boost to your budget.

For people looking for flexible ways to supplement their income without taking on another regular job, it’s certainly one to investigate.

Frequently asked questions

How much can I earn from paid healthcare research?

Patient First Research says typical online survey rewards can range from £5 to £60+, while telephone interviews and focus groups may offer £60 to £250+ depending on the project. Earnings aren’t guaranteed because eligibility depends on the studies currently recruiting.

Do I need a medical condition to take part?

Not necessarily. Some research projects are looking for people with specific diagnoses, but others may want carers, family members or people with experience of particular healthcare services, treatments or decisions.

Do I need medical qualifications?

No. Researchers are generally looking for genuine experiences and opinions rather than medical expertise.

Can I do healthcare research from home?

Many studies can be completed remotely through online surveys, telephone interviews, video interviews and online focus groups.

Do I have to pay to join Patient First Research?

No. Patient First Research says registration is free.

Will I qualify for every study?

No. Research studies usually have particular eligibility requirements. Patient First Research says that under its Always Reward Promise, people who complete initial screening questions may receive a smaller Participation Reward even where a particular study isn’t suitable for them.

MONEYMAGPIE NOTE

Paid research opportunities, eligibility and reward levels can vary. Participation isn’t guaranteed. Always check the terms, privacy information and payment details before taking part.

The post This sofa side hustle could pay £250+ just for sharing your experiences appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

How to become a mystery diner in 2026: can you really get paid to eat out?

Imagine going out for dinner, ordering your meal and then getting some or all of the bill paid back. Mystery dining is a genuine way to do exactly that and, on some assignments, you can earn a fee on top. But the reality of getting paid to review restaurants is rather different from some of the claims you may have seen online.

If you’ve Googled how to become a mystery diner, the good news is that there are legitimate companies recruiting ordinary people across the UK.

The less exciting truth is that you probably aren’t going to turn eating steak and chips into a new full-time career.

THE QUICK ANSWER

Mystery dining is real, but “get paid to eat” can be misleading. Some restaurant assignments pay a fee plus expenses. Others simply reimburse your meal. For most people it is best treated as an occasional side hustle and a clever way to reduce the cost of eating out rather than a dependable wage.

What is a mystery diner?

A mystery diner is essentially a mystery shopper who has been asked to assess a restaurant, café, pub, takeaway or another hospitality business.

You visit anonymously and behave as an ordinary customer, but you’re also observing specific aspects of the experience.

You could be asked to notice:

• how quickly you were greeted
• whether staff followed a particular service procedure
• how long drinks or food took to arrive
• the cleanliness of the restaurant
• how knowledgeable the server was
• whether certain products were offered
• the quality and presentation of your food
• how the bill was handled
• staff names or descriptions
• specific timings throughout the visit.

You then complete a report about what happened.

That report is the important bit. The meal isn’t a reward for simply turning up hungry.

Do mystery diners really get paid to eat?

Yes, but not always.

This is probably the most important thing to understand before signing up.

Restaurant mystery-shopping assignments broadly fall into three groups.

1. Meal reimbursement

You pay for the food yourself and, assuming you complete the assignment correctly, the mystery shopping company reimburses some or all of the agreed cost.

For example, you could be offered reimbursement of up to £50 towards a required restaurant visit.

If dinner costs £50 and you subsequently receive £50 back, you have effectively eaten for free.

You haven’t earned £50.

2. Reimbursement plus a fee

This is more appealing from a money-making perspective.

The required purchase is reimbursed and you receive an additional payment for completing the assignment and report.

3. A fixed fee

Some general mystery shopping assignments offer a set payment rather than separating the shopper fee from expenses.

Always look at the exact terms of each assignment before accepting it.

MoneyMagpie reality check

A £60 restaurant reimbursement isn’t the same as earning £60. You’ve received something valuable, particularly if you would have eaten out anyway, but you haven’t made £60 of spendable income.

How easy is it to become a mystery diner?

Signing up can be relatively straightforward. Getting a regular supply of good restaurant assignments is considerably harder.

That is the bit many “get paid to eat” videos leave out.

You can register with several agencies and discover that there are no suitable dining jobs near you today.

Availability can depend on:

• your postcode
• which clients the company is currently working with
• your demographic profile
• your previous mystery-shopping record
• the dates and times you’re available
• specific requirements imposed by the client
• how quickly other shoppers take available assignments.

Living in or near a large town or city may give you access to more potential hospitality venues, but nothing is guaranteed.

BEST TIP FOR GETTING WORK

Don’t rely on one mystery-shopping company. Register with several reputable providers. One might have nothing suitable near you while another has restaurant, café or takeaway assignments available.

Legitimate mystery dining companies to try in 2026

Always register directly through the company’s official website rather than through somebody on social media promising access to “secret jobs”.

HGEM Mystery Dining

If restaurants are specifically what interest you, HGEM Mystery Dining is one of the most relevant places to start.

HGEM describes a mystery guest as someone who enjoys eating out and completes an objective report in return for an agreed reimbursement.

There is an important distinction here. Its current terms describe mystery guests as volunteers, and accepting a visit does not create an employment relationship.

HGEM says it reimburses eligible on-site expenses up to the limit stated when the visit is booked, provided the diner meets the criteria, follows the brief and supplies an appropriate receipt.

Its terms also recognise that some visits may include a fee.

This makes HGEM particularly interesting if your main aim is reducing the cost of eating out rather than generating regular cash income.

iShopFor Ipsos

iShopFor Ipsos offers mystery shopping assignments across different sectors, including restaurant visits.

Ipsos says shoppers can see the payment and reimbursement amount before accepting a job.

That is exactly what you should look for.

Its own UK guidance also describes mystery shopping as an occasional activity and says the money should generally be regarded as additional income rather than a primary source of earnings.

Tern

Tern has worked in mystery shopping since 1989 and currently covers hospitality, leisure and restaurants as well as other sectors.

Tern confirms that mystery shopping fees vary by assignment. Some offer a fixed fee, some reimburse a required purchase and some offer both.

Crucially, those details are displayed before you accept the job.

Market Force

Market Force is another established operator.

Its current shopper recruitment page specifically encourages people to mystery shop, eat or visit leisure businesses, and registration is free.

Assignments can involve restaurants, stores, banks and other customer experiences.

Proinsight

Proinsight provides another clue about what companies really want from their mystery shoppers.

Its application process currently includes assessments covering spelling, punctuation, grammar and recall.

In other words, enjoying a nice dinner isn’t enough.

You need to remember what happened and explain it clearly.

Mystery Shoppers Ltd

Mystery Shoppers Ltd also recruits UK shoppers.

Registration is free and assignments range from physical visits to telephone calls, emails and online customer-service exercises.

The company describes shoppers operating under its contract as self-employed independent contractors and explicitly says they are responsible for applicable tax and National Insurance on payments they receive.

LEGITIMATE COMPANIES TO CHECK

HGEM Mystery Dining – specialist hospitality mystery dining.

iShopFor Ipsos – general mystery shopping including dining.

Tern – mystery shopping including hospitality and restaurants.

Market Force – shopping, dining and leisure assignments.

Proinsight – mystery shopping with an application assessment.

Mystery Shoppers Ltd – UK mystery shopping assignments.

Never pay somebody to make you a mystery shopper

This is an important scam warning.

Several major mystery-shopping companies make a point of saying that signing up is free.

Ipsos, Tern, Market Force and Mystery Shoppers Ltd all currently advertise free registration.

Be extremely suspicious of anyone who asks you to pay a joining fee to unlock mystery-shopping work.

You should also be wary of unsolicited offers involving cheques, money orders or instructions to transfer money elsewhere after depositing funds into your own account.

SCAM WARNING

Mystery shopping is genuine. Unfortunately, scammers know that too. Never pay someone to release an assignment and never agree to cash a cheque or move money for somebody as part of a supposed mystery-shopping job.

What happens on an actual mystery dining assignment?

Imagine you accept an assignment for Saturday night.

You don’t simply turn up and decide afterwards whether you liked the restaurant.

You receive a brief first.

It could require you to arrive within a specific time window, bring one guest, order particular courses or drinks and observe certain aspects of the service.

During your visit you might have to remember exactly when you arrived, how quickly you were greeted, when your order was taken and when your meal arrived.

You may also need proof of purchase and, where specified, photographs.

Afterwards you complete a report, often against a deadline.

And this is where the supposedly easy side hustle starts to look rather more like work.

The dinner may last 90 minutes. The job doesn’t

Let’s imagine an assignment offers full reimbursement for dinner plus a £10 shopper fee.

You could spend:

• 20 minutes reading and learning the brief
• 20 minutes travelling there
• 90 minutes eating and conducting the assessment
• 20 minutes travelling home
• 40 minutes writing the report.

That’s more than three hours.

You might have received a restaurant meal you wanted and £10 extra in your pocket, which could still be a very good deal.

But describing that as earning fantastic money for eating dinner would be misleading.

You have to follow the brief

This point cannot be overstated.

Mystery-shopping companies aren’t paying for a restaurant review in the traditional sense.

They’re commissioning specific research.

If you’re told to order two main courses and one soft drink, ordering three cocktails and a sharing platter because you fancied them doesn’t mean the company has to reimburse the lot.

HGEM, for example, states that reimbursement can be withheld if the visit brief isn’t followed, the report is late or the information supplied is misleading or false.

It also says travel expenses aren’t normally reimbursed unless specifically stated.

BEFORE YOU ACCEPT A DINING JOB, CHECK:

• the actual shopper fee
• the maximum meal reimbursement
• what you’re required to order
• whether you need to take somebody with you
• whether drinks and tips are covered
• travel costs
• when the report is due
• when reimbursement is paid
• what happens if the assignment isn’t completed correctly.

You don’t need to be a food critic

Being able to identify seventeen varieties of olive oil probably won’t help you much.

Good mystery shoppers are observant, reliable and objective.

The restaurant wants to know what actually happened, not whether you consider yourself the next Jay Rayner.

That means reporting facts rather than producing colourful criticism.

Weak report: “Service was ridiculously slow.”

Useful report: “We were seated at 7.04pm. Our drinks order was taken at 7.13pm and the drinks arrived at 7.22pm.”

The second version gives the business information it can actually use.

Don’t try to catch restaurant staff out

The point isn’t to trick people into failing.

You are there to reproduce a genuine customer experience while observing whatever the client has asked you to assess.

If something goes wrong, report it accurately.

Equally, don’t pretend poor service was wonderful because you liked the person serving you.

Reliable mystery shoppers need to be fair, factual and discreet.

Can you make decent money as a mystery diner?

There isn’t a useful universal earnings figure because assignments vary enormously.

One might offer a small cash fee and cover required spending.

Another might primarily offer restaurant reimbursement.

And another week you may find no suitable dining assignments close enough to make doing one worthwhile.

Even Ipsos advises UK shoppers to regard mystery shopping as an occasional activity and the fees as extra money rather than their main income.

That’s a much more sensible way to approach it.

Where mystery dining can save you serious money

Cash isn’t the only measure of value.

Suppose you and your partner normally spend £60 eating out twice a month.

If you manage to replace one of those meals with an assignment reimbursing £60, that’s potentially £60 you no longer need to find from your normal entertainment budget.

If you were never going to eat out in the first place, however, calling it a £60 saving is stretching the truth.

MONEY TEST

Ask yourself: “Would I have bought this meal anyway?” If the answer is yes, reimbursement can represent a genuine household saving. If the answer is no, you’ve received a nice experience, but don’t automatically count the entire bill as money you’ve “made”.

Do you have to pay for the meal upfront?

Often, yes.

Reimbursement commonly means exactly that: you spend the money first and receive it back after completing the assignment correctly.

HGEM currently says eligible GBP reimbursements are normally paid directly to the mystery guest’s bank account within four weeks of the visit.

That delay matters if your budget is tight.

Don’t take a £100 assignment simply because you’re promised £100 back if being £100 down for several weeks would cause you financial difficulty.

Do mystery shoppers pay tax in 2026?

They may do.

If you’re being paid fees for providing mystery-shopping services, tax rules can apply in the same way as they do to other side-hustle income.

HMRC’s trading allowance remains £1,000.

HMRC says receipts from qualifying self-employment and miscellaneous income of £1,000 or less can be exempt under the trading income allowance.

If relevant gross income goes above £1,000, different reporting requirements can apply.

Remember that the trading allowance isn’t a separate £1,000 for every little side hustle you have.

There are also nuances around expenses, reimbursements and your individual tax position, so don’t simply assume that every amount arriving in your bank account represents taxable profit.

Keep records of assignments, fees and expenses and use the current HMRC trading allowance guidance if you’re unsure.

The Government has previously announced plans to increase the reporting threshold for some side-hustle income, but that should not be confused with the current £1,000 trading allowance. Check the rules applying to the tax year in which you earn the money.

How to become a mystery diner: step by step

1. Register directly with several established companies.
2. Complete your profile accurately. Location and personal circumstances can affect which assignments you’re eligible for.
3. Complete any assessments or training.
4. Check available assignments regularly.
5. Read the full brief before accepting.
6. Calculate what you’ll actually make or save.
7. Complete your visit naturally and discreetly.
8. Keep your receipt and any required evidence.
9. Submit a factual, detailed report on time.
10. Keep records of fees and expenses for tax purposes.

Is mystery dining worth it in 2026?

For the right person, absolutely.

But it’s probably better described as getting meals and experiences paid for in return for detailed feedback, with the possibility of extra fees rather than simply getting paid to eat.

You could particularly enjoy it if you:

• already like eating out
• live somewhere with plenty of hospitality businesses
• have flexible availability
• are good at remembering detail
• write clearly
• don’t mind completing reports
• are organised enough to follow precise instructions.

If you’re hoping for regular free Michelin-starred dinners and hundreds of pounds a week for saying whether you liked the pudding, expectations may need resetting.

MoneyMagpie verdict

Mystery dining is a legitimate and potentially very enjoyable side hustle, but we’d hesitate to sell it simply as “getting paid to eat”.

Some jobs genuinely offer a fee plus reimbursement. Others essentially exchange a free or subsidised restaurant experience for your time, observations and detailed report.

Our approach would be to register with several legitimate companies for free, never pay anyone for access to assignments and check every job carefully before spending your own money.

Treat the free dinner as the perk and any genuine cash fee as the side-hustle income. That way, mystery dining can be a very tasty way to make your money go further.

Frequently asked questions

Do mystery diners really get paid to eat?

Sometimes. Some assignments pay a separate shopper fee as well as reimbursing the required restaurant spending. Others mainly offer reimbursement. Check the payment terms before accepting the job.

How do I become a mystery diner?

Register directly with legitimate mystery-shopping companies, complete your profile and any required training or tests, then apply for suitable restaurant assignments when they appear.

Do I have to pay to become a mystery shopper?

You should not normally have to pay a joining fee. Several established mystery-shopping companies, including Ipsos, Tern, Market Force and Mystery Shoppers Ltd, currently advertise free registration.

Can I do mystery dining every week?

Possibly, but don’t rely on it. Assignment availability depends heavily on location, client requirements and how many other shoppers want the same jobs.

Can mystery shopping replace my job?

For most people it makes much more sense as an occasional side hustle. Even Ipsos describes its UK mystery-shopping opportunities as an occasional activity and advises treating payments as extra rather than primary income.

Do mystery shoppers have to pay tax?

Fees may count as taxable income. HMRC currently has a £1,000 trading allowance for qualifying trading and miscellaneous income, but individual circumstances vary. Keep records and check current HMRC guidance.

Disclaimer: Mystery-shopping fees, reimbursements and assignment availability vary between providers and individual assignments. Always check the relevant terms before spending money. Tax information is general guidance only and individual circumstances differ. Check current HMRC guidance or seek professional advice if required.

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