Frequently asked questions

Exchange of Services is a free UK marketplace where businesses, sole traders and freelancers swap services instead of paying cash. You list what you do, post what you need, and agree a fair exchange with another member: bookkeeping for a website, say, or photography for legal help.

No. Joining is free, and there are no fees, credits or commission on exchanges.

Any UK business, sole trader or freelancer with a service to offer. Your business profile can be set up as a company or as an individual.

Sign up with your name, email address and a password, then confirm your email with the link we send you (it lasts 48 hours). After that, set up your business profile and list the services you offer.

You post a request for the service you need. Other members send a proposal offering one of their listed services in return, and you talk it through with each of them in a private message thread. When you accept a proposal, the request is marked as exchanged and any other proposals are declined.

The sector and, if you like, the specific service you need; how far afield the work can be (local, regional or national); an optional value in pounds; and a description of what you need of at least 20 characters.

Local means your town, regional means your county or region, and national means anywhere, which suits work that can be done remotely.

No. Requests are public, so emails, phone numbers and links are not allowed in the description. Once you are talking to another member, you can share contact details in your private message thread.

A request stays open until you close it or accept a proposal. Closing a request declines any proposals still waiting.

Set up your business profile and list each service you offer, with an optional value and how far afield you work. Your profile appears in the directory, and you can send proposals on other members' requests using the services you have listed.

It helps both sides see that the swap is fair, and it gives you a figure to record for your own accounts. It's optional.

Yes. Once an exchange is agreed, each side can review the other's business, and ratings show on business profiles in the directory.

Exchange of Services introduces members and hosts the conversation. The agreement and the work itself are between the two of you, so agree the scope, the deadlines and what each side provides in your message thread before you start.

Generally, yes. HMRC treats payment in a form other than money as taxable trading income, valued at what it is worth, so a swap usually counts as income for both sides, just as a cash sale would (HMRC Business Income Manual BIM40051). Talk to your accountant about how to record it.

If you are VAT registered, a swap is treated as two separate supplies, and each one is valued at the price you would normally charge in money. HMRC explains this in VAT Notice 700. Your accountant can tell you what it means for your VAT return.

No. These answers are general information. For your own situation, talk to your accountant or read HMRC's guidance on GOV.UK.