Short, faceless videos: a bodged job on screen, a plain voice explaining one CIS point, and a series format we can make cheaply and at volume. What the evidence says, the rules that decide how we run it, and how the videos turn into installs.
The idea: B-roll of trades work, often a deliberately terrible "five-minute hack" as a pattern interrupt, with a voiceover explaining a CIS problem. Faceless, so it can be made at a volume and cost no presenter-led channel could match, and targeted enough to reach subbies rather than everyone.
Nobody is doing CIS well in short-form video. The explainers are talking heads saying "What is CIS?", and they cap out at a few thousand views because subbies already know what it is. What they want to know is where their money went. Trade humour does travel, and so does the "expert corrects a terrible hack" genre (Ann Reardon's debunks of 5-Minute Crafts run to 8–9 million views). Putting the two together is new.
View counts were read on 23 September 2026 from the platforms themselves. Instagram numbers sit behind a login and TikTok's hashtag pages wouldn't load, so those are marked. The full list is in section 14.
| For the idea | Against, or a warning |
|---|---|
| Parody hacks work. "5-minute craft hacks nobody needs": 444.5K views, 52K likes (about 12% of viewers) | Bodge alone isn't a hook. A "bodge jobs" montage: 680 views. A "Bodge of the Week" Short: 832 |
| Expert-corrects-the-hack is proven. Ann Reardon: 8–9M views per debunk. Roger Wakefield "Real Plumber Reacts": 2.5M on a scam angle | Reaction on its own doesn't carry a brand. Mike Holmes' reaction video: 1.8K. Morris-Jenkins: 2.9K |
| Short fail clips are the breakout format on UK trade accounts. On The Tools: a 7-second ladder fail got 398K, while its sponsored posts get 1–5K | Faceless costs us on the hook. TikTok says a person on screen in the first two seconds lifts hook power (seen in a snippet only). So we show hands on tools in frame one |
| Tax plus trade humour wins. Fix Radio's "Evening, Mr Taxman": 115.9K views, more than any CIS explainer on TikTok | Paid placement buys views, not engagement. A sponsored refund-firm clip on the same account: 148.5K views, 605 likes, 6 comments |
| Participation beats "you could be owed". RIFT's quiz and vox-pop posts: 63–73K. Its "you could be owed £3K" posts: about 1K | AI voices trust less. A 2024 study found human voiceover beat AI on purchase intent, with the gap narrower when captions were on |
| The comments give us the script bank. The same five questions keep coming up under long CIS videos: turnover before or after the 20%, missing statements, "how much back?", what's claimable, when it arrives | Views don't mean installs. Cal AI's reported benchmark is about 10 installs per 1,000 views, and some of its 100M-view videos barely converted (third-party figures) |
| There's an open lane in other languages. A Romanian-language CIS video got 12K views this month; we found little in Polish, Bulgarian or Romanian | "What is CIS?" caps at about 3K. Lead with money in the pocket and the paperwork that goes wrong, not definitions |
A named series is easier to make at volume, easier for viewers to recognise, and easier to judge: we keep the series that turn views into installs and drop the rest.
A shoddy hack, then the paperwork version of it, then the proper fix. The flagship.
Voice · cadenceA real trade voice · 3 a week
An invoice or statement with one error. "Comment what's wrong." The answer goes in a pinned comment the next day.
Voice · cadenceEither · 2 a week
A worked number: £1,000 labour, £300 materials, what lands. The numbers build on screen.
Voice · cadenceEither · 2 a week
A real comment on screen, answered in 20 seconds. TikTok's reply-with-video format.
Voice · cadenceA real voice · as comments come in
A common situation ("I just hand in my hours"), paraphrased, never a real person's quote, and what the rules say about it.
Voice · cadenceEither · 1 a week
The 19th, 31 January, 6 April 2027, 1 October for right to work. Timed to the calendar.
Voice · cadenceAI, labelled · around each date
One glossary term in the time it takes the kettle to boil. 84 ready-made topics from the website glossary, each linking to its page.
Voice · cadenceAI, labelled · the volume filler, strongest on YouTube search
Why you might be on 30% and how people move to 20%. Only for that group (the brief's rule F9), so paid targeting and search only, never broadcast.
Voice · cadenceEither · paid and search only
Drafts to show the format, not approved copy. Each goes through the Claims Register before it's made. The sign-off uses "Solo" because the name isn't settled.
| Time | On screen | Voiceover |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3s | Close-up: a thumb pressing gum into a dripping pipe joint, then cling film wrapped round it. Text: Leak fixed. | Leak's fixed. |
| 3–6s | Still dripping. Cut to a phone's notes app: "CIS - £200? £160?? ask Dave" | And this is how a lot of subbies keep track of what CIS has stopped. |
| 6–22s | Site B-roll. Text builds: A statement every month · Due by the 19th · Keep every one | Every contractor who pays you under CIS has to give you a statement each month: what they paid you, and what they took. It's due within 14 days of the tax month ending, so by the 19th. Lose them, and come January you're guessing. |
| 22–27s | A plumber's hands fitting a proper compression joint. Dry. | Keep them in one place as they arrive. Chase any that don't. |
| 27–30s | End card: Solo · CIS paperwork for subbies · Free to start | (none, or the sign-off line) |
| Time | On screen | Voiceover |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3s | An invoice on a clipboard, on a tailgate. Text: Spot the mistake. | One thing's wrong with this invoice. Spot it. |
| 3–15s | The camera moves down the lines: Labour £800 · Materials £400 · CIS at 20%: £240 · Due £960 | Eight hundred labour. Four hundred materials. Twenty per cent CIS. Two-forty off. Look again. |
| 15–20s | Text: Answer in the comments. We'll pin it tomorrow. | Comment what's wrong. Answer's pinned tomorrow. |
| Pinned | The deduction's been worked out on the materials too. It comes off labour only: 20% of £800 is £160, so £1,040 is due, not £960. | |
| Time | On screen | Voiceover |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3s | The comment on screen, as TikTok's reply sticker, over a van dashboard | "I work under CIS, where tax is taken as I earn. Why do I have to do MTD?" |
| 3–18s | Two boxes build: CIS = tax taken in advance · MTD = how you report your income | Fair question. CIS is an advance on your tax, taken before you're paid. Making Tax Digital is about how you report your income. They're separate, so both can apply. From April 2027, if your income was over thirty thousand, you'll send HMRC an update every quarter. |
| 18–25s | Text: Check your number before April. End card. | Check which side of thirty thousand you're on now, not in March. |
38 written for the series above, from gov.uk rules and the subbies' own words, plus 84 "One brew" explainers built from the website glossary, so every video has a page to link to. 79 are ready to test; the rest wait for the Claims Register. Filter by series.
| Series | Hook (first line, on screen) | What's on screen | The point (voiceover) | Source | Month | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bodge | Fixed a leak with chewing gum. | A pipe joint packed with gum and wrapped in cling film, dripping anyway | That's about as solid as keeping your CIS deductions in your phone's notes app. Each contractor should give you a statement every month. Keep every one in one place. | CIS 340 | Oct | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | Spirit level? Use a can of beans. | A can rolled along a shelf to 'check level', shelf clearly wonky | Guessing your deduction on the invoice is the same move. It comes off the labour, not the materials. Split them and the number's right before you send. | CIS 340 | Oct | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | Shelf held up with a broom. | A shelf propped on a broom handle wedged against the floor | That's your paperwork system if it's a carrier bag of receipts in the van. Records for your tax return have to be kept for at least five years after the 31 January deadline. | gov.uk: records for SA | Nov | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | Tiling over the damp. | Fresh tiles going straight onto a visibly wet, mouldy wall | Covering it up doesn't fix it. Neither does ignoring a missing payslip. Ask for it now, while the job's fresh, not in January. | CIS 340 | Nov | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | Measuring with your arm. | A lad measuring a board by 'arm lengths', then cutting it way short | Working out 20% in your head on site is the same bodge. Labour on one line, materials on another, deduction worked out before you send. | CIS 340 | Oct | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | Brick holding the door shut. | A brick wedged against a door that keeps swinging open | Invoices on WhatsApp are the brick. They work until someone asks for one from March. Keep a proper copy of every invoice you send. | Voice-of-customer research | Any | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | Gaffer tape: the universal fix. | Gaffer tape on everything: a hose, a ladder foot, a wheelbarrow tyre | Gaffer tape won't hold your quarter together. From April 2027, if your income is over £30,000, you keep digital records and send HMRC an update every quarter. | gov.uk: MTD eligibility | Feb | Needs register |
| The Bodge | Sanded it with a brick. | Someone rubbing a door edge with a brick, dust everywhere | Doing your year's books in one go in January is sanding with a brick. A few minutes after each job does the same thing properly. | gov.uk: SA deadlines | Dec | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | Painted over the crack. | A roller going straight over a crack that reappears as it dries | Painting over a wrong invoice doesn't fix it either. If a deduction's been worked out on your materials, the number's wrong. Split them on the invoice. | CIS 340 | Nov | Ready to test |
| The Bodge | A sandwich bag is a waterproof seal. | A sandwich bag rubber-banded over an outdoor socket cover (unpowered, dressed set, no live work) | Your UTR on the back of a fag packet is the same level of protection. You need your UTR and National Insurance number to register for CIS, so keep them somewhere you'll find them. | gov.uk: CIS for subcontractors | Oct | Ready to test |
| Site maths | £1,000 labour. £300 materials. What lands? | Numbers building up on screen over a bricklayer laying a course | At 20%, the deduction is on the £1,000 labour only: £200. The materials aren't touched. So £1,100 lands. Get the split wrong and you're chasing the difference. | CIS 340 | Oct | Ready to test |
| Site maths | Same job at 30%. | The same numbers, the 20 ticking up to 30 | Not registered, or your contractor can't verify you? The deduction goes up to 30%. On £1,000 labour that's £300, not £200. Registering is free. | gov.uk: CIS for subcontractors | Oct | Needs register |
| Site maths | What does £30,000 actually mean? | A van dashboard, then a calculator app | The MTD test is on your income before expenses. For a subbie that's likely your gross, before the deduction, not what lands in the bank. Check it now, before April 2027. | gov.uk: qualifying income | Jan | Needs register |
| Site maths | Payments on account, in one go. | A calendar flicking from January to July | If your bill was £1,000 or more and less than 80% of it was taken at source, HMRC can ask for payments on account: half in January, half in July, towards next year. | gov.uk: payments on account | Jan | Ready to test |
| Site maths | £9.2 billion. | Slow pan across a big site, cranes and all | That's how much CIS deductions HMRC took in 2024 to 25, from around 850,000 subbies. Every pound of yours should be on a statement. | HMRC Construction Forum, June 2026 | Any | Ready to test |
| Spot the mistake | Spot the mistake on this invoice. | An invoice on a clipboard: labour £800, materials £400, CIS 20% £240 | The deduction's been worked out on the materials too. It should be 20% of the £800 labour: £160. Answer pinned tomorrow. | CIS 340 | Oct | Ready to test |
| Spot the mistake | What's missing from this statement? | A payment and deduction statement with the contractor's reference blanked | A statement should show the contractor's details and employer reference, what you were paid, the cost of materials, and what was deducted. Comment what's missing. | CIS 340 | Nov | Ready to test |
| Spot the mistake | Which of these can you claim? | Four items on a tailgate: a drill, a meal deal, work boots, a parking ticket at a temporary site | Comment your answers. The honest reply is 'it depends', and we'll say on what, with the gov.uk rule. | gov.uk: expenses if self-employed | Dec | Needs register |
| Spot the mistake | Is this subbie over £30,000? | Three numbers on a board: gross invoiced, CIS deducted, paid into bank | The MTD test uses income before expenses. Guess which number counts, then we show the working. | gov.uk: qualifying income | Feb | Needs register |
| Heard on site | 'I don't do invoices, I hand in my hours.' | Timesheet on a clipboard, a hand signing it on a tailgate | Plenty of subbies work like this. It's fine, but you still need a monthly statement from your contractor showing what was paid and what was stopped. | CIS 340 | Nov | Ready to test |
| Heard on site | 'He said he'd get me the payslips.' | A phone ringing out, a contractor's van driving off site | Your contractor has to give you a statement for each month they pay you, within 14 days of the tax month ending. Ask for it every month, not once a year. | CIS 340 | Nov | Ready to test |
| Heard on site | 'My other half does the books.' | Kitchen table, laptop, receipts, a brew | Whoever does the books is the one Googling at 11pm in January. Give them the statements and invoices in one place, and it's an evening, not a week. | Voice-of-customer research | Dec | Needs register |
| Heard on site | 'The app can't do a minus figure.' | An office-looking accounting screen, then a site | Loads of apps weren't built with CIS in mind. If you're typing your deduction in as a discount, the app wasn't made for you. | Voice-of-customer research | Any | Needs register |
| Heard on site | 'Statements went in the junk folder.' | An email inbox scrolling past a deleted-items folder | Contractors say it all the time: statements get emailed, go in junk, get deleted. Save them the day they arrive. | Voice-of-customer research | Jan | Ready to test |
| Dates that bite | From 1 October, your contractor has to check your right to work. | Site gate, a hi-vis vest, a clipboard | Right-to-work checks are being extended to cover subcontractors. What it means for you, in 30 seconds. Explainer only, no product claim. | Home Office draft guide (11 Sep 2026) | Oct | Needs register |
| Dates that bite | The 19th. | A calendar with the 19th circled in marker | The tax month ends on the 5th. Your contractor's statement should reach you by the 19th. If it hasn't, ask. | CIS 340 | Any | Ready to test |
| Dates that bite | 31 January is 17 weeks away. | A countdown overlay on a timelapse of a build | The online Self Assessment deadline is 31 January. Get your statements together now and it's a job, not a panic. | gov.uk: SA deadlines | Oct | Ready to test |
| Dates that bite | 6 April 2027. | The date stencilled on a board, sprayed in hi-vis | Earn over £30,000? From 6 April 2027 you'll keep digital records and send HMRC an update each quarter. Here's what that means for a subbie. | gov.uk: MTD eligibility | Feb | Needs register |
| Dates that bite | Your first quarterly update, explained. | A phone screen, gloves on, in a van | An update is a summary of income and expenses, every three months. Records kept as you go make it a much smaller job. | gov.uk: MTD eligibility | Mar | Needs register |
| Your questions | 'Why does MTD apply if CIS already takes tax?' | The comment pinned on screen over site B-roll | CIS takes an advance on your tax. MTD is about how you report your income. They're separate, so both can apply to you. | gov.uk: MTD eligibility | Jan | Needs register |
| Your questions | 'Is it 20% of everything?' | The comment on screen, then a split invoice | No. The deduction comes off labour. Materials and VAT aren't included. | CIS 340 | Any | Ready to test |
| Your questions | 'Do I need to charge VAT?' | A van door with a sticky note: VAT? | Only if you're VAT-registered. If you are, construction work for another VAT-registered contractor usually falls under the reverse charge. | gov.uk: VAT reverse charge | Any | Ready to test |
| Your questions | 'Can I claim my tools?' | A tool bag being unloaded | Tools and equipment you buy for the work can usually count as allowable expenses. Keep the receipt; a photo on the day beats a carrier bag in April. | gov.uk: expenses if self-employed | Dec | Needs register |
| Your questions | 'What even is a UTR?' | A letter from HMRC on a dashboard | Your Unique Taxpayer Reference. Ten digits. You get one when you register for Self Assessment, and you need it to register for CIS. | gov.uk: CIS for subcontractors | Oct | Ready to test |
| On 30% | On 30%? Here's why. | A 30 spray-painted on a board, then crossed through | Usually one of three things: not registered for CIS, your contractor can't verify you, or your details don't match. Each one has a fix. | gov.uk: CIS for subcontractors | Oct | Needs register |
| On 30% | Moving from 30% to 20%. | A dial turning down | Register as a subcontractor with HMRC, then give your contractor your UTR so they can verify you. Your rate is HMRC's call, not ours. | gov.uk: CIS for subcontractors | Nov | Needs register |
| The Bodge | Fixed the refund with gaffer tape. | Tape on everything | Any version of 'get money back' is a refund promise. Blocked by the register's red line. | Valla Terms v1.1 | Any | Blocked |
| Heard on site | 'Every payslip, all in one app.' | A phone scrolling statements | Only true for contractors on Hub until Valla confirms statements from others. | Valla Terms v1.1 | Any | Blocked |
| One brew | Construction Industry Scheme (CIS), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It decides how much of every invoice actually lands in your bank account, and what paperwork you need at tax time. | Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Contractor, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | The contractor paying you is the one who verifies you, deducts tax and must give you your monthly statement. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Subcontractor, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Being a registered, verifiable subcontractor is what gets you the 20% rate rather than 30%. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Deemed contractor, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If a large client pays you directly for building work, it may have to run CIS on your payments even though it isn't a builder. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Construction operations, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If your job is a construction operation, CIS applies to what you're paid for it, whoever you are. | Finance Act 2004, section 74 - Meaning… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Work outside CIS (excluded operations), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If all your work is excluded, you don't need to register and CIS deductions shouldn't be taken. | Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CIS registration, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Unregistered, you lose 30% of every labour payment instead of 20% until you sort it out. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Without a matching UTR your contractor can't verify you, which can mean 30% deductions. | Find your UTR number | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | National Insurance number, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | A missing or mismatched NI number is one of the common reasons verification fails. | Find your National Insurance number | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Verification, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | The result of verification sets your deduction rate, so your details must exactly match what you registered with. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Verification reference number, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If you've had 30% taken, you'll need this reference later to get credit for those deductions. | Construction Industry Scheme: a guide… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CIS deduction, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It's not a fee or a fine; it's your own tax paid early, and you need to account for it later. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Standard rate (20%), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Being registered and verifiable is the difference between losing 20% and 30% of your labour income as you go. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Higher rate (30%), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Often caused by a name or UTR mismatch rather than not being registered, so check your details first. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Gross payment status, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It improves cash flow, but only suits you if you can reliably set aside and pay your own tax on time. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Business test, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | A business run through a personal or unverifiable account can trip this test. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Turnover test, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | You can't apply on a part-year basis, so time your application to when your 12-month figure clears the bar. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Compliance test, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | One badly late return or payment can cost you gross status for a year or more, so deadlines really matter. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Gross payment status review and cancellation, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Losing gross status means 20% deductions start again, and fraud-linked removals now carry a much longer lockout. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Materials, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Showing genuine materials costs means the deduction is only taken from the labour part, so keep your receipts. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Labour, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Knowing your labour figure lets you check the deduction on every statement is right. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Payment and deduction statement, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | These statements are your proof of the tax already paid for you, so keep every one. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CIS monthly return (CIS300), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If you also pay other subbies, you become a contractor and this monthly return becomes your job. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Nil return, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If you take on other subbies even occasionally, quiet months still need a return or an inactivity notice. | Construction Industry Scheme: a guide… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Inactivity request, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It saves filing nil returns every month during quiet spells without risking late-filing penalties. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Tax month, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Your statement for work paid between 6 May and 5 June should reach you by 19 June. | Construction Industry Scheme: a guide… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CIS penalties, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Mostly a contractor risk, but late CIS filing also counts against you if you ever apply for gross payment status. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CIS deductions suffered, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Adding up your statements correctly is what makes sure the tax already paid for you is counted. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Offsetting CIS deductions via EPS, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | For a limited company this is the normal route to use the deductions during the year, rather than waiting. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | CIS refund claim, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Knowing the right route and paperwork avoids delays, but whether anything is repaid depends on HMRC's checks. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | CIS for partnerships, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | The structure you trade under changes how you register, how you're verified and which tax return shows your deductions. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CIS for limited companies, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Company deductions work very differently from a sole trader's, so the timing and paperwork are not the same. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Sole trader, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | As a sole trader, your CIS deductions go on your own Self Assessment return against your own tax bill. | Become a sole trader | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Gang leader, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If you take the money for a crew and pay them yourself, you take on contractor duties too. | Construction Industry Scheme: a guide… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Labour fraud in construction, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Businesses that knew or should have known they were in a fraudulent chain now face penalties and losing gross status. | Check for signs of labour fraud in… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | VAT registration threshold, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It's a rolling 12 months, not the tax year, so busy subbies can cross it mid-year without noticing. | Register for VAT | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Domestic reverse charge (construction), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If it applies, you'll receive less cash than you might expect because the VAT isn't paid to you, which affects cash flow. | Check when you must use the VAT… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | End user, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Whether your customer is an end user decides whether you charge VAT normally or use the reverse charge. | VAT domestic reverse charge technical… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Intermediary supplier, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Mostly relevant if you work for landlords, property groups or design-and-build firms. | VAT domestic reverse charge technical… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Specified services, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If your work is a specified service and the other conditions are met, the reverse charge applies to your invoice. | The Value Added Tax (Section 55A)… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | 5% disregard, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It can keep simple supply-heavy jobs on normal VAT, but only if agreed from the start. | VAT domestic reverse charge technical… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Reverse charge invoice wording, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Get the wording wrong and the invoice may not meet VAT rules, which causes problems for you and your customer. | VAT domestic reverse charge technical… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Employment status, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | CIS only applies if you're genuinely self-employed on that job; if you're really an employee, PAYE applies instead. | Employment status | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Self-employed vs employed, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | The same person can be self-employed on one job and an employee on the next, depending on the terms. | ESM4324 - Subcontractors in the… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It's a quick way to sense-check an engagement, but the answer is only as good as what you put in. | Check employment status for tax (CEST) | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Off-payroll working (IR35), in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Most sole-trader subbies aren't affected, but if you work through your own limited company it can change how you're paid. | Understanding off-payroll working (IR35) | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | False self-employment, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If a job looks and feels like employment, being paid 'under CIS' may not make you self-employed. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Umbrella company, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If an agency asks you to go through an umbrella, you'd usually be an employee paid via PAYE, not a CIS subbie. | Working through an umbrella company | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Agency worker, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If you find work through an agency, check who you actually contract with before assuming CIS applies. | Your rights as an agency worker | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Right to work check, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Contractors may soon ask you for a share code or ID before you start, even as a self-employed subbie. | Checking a job applicant's right to work | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Share code, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Having your share code ready can speed up starting on a new site once right to work checks cover subbies. | Checking a job applicant's right to work | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Self Assessment, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It's where your CIS deductions are finally matched against your real tax bill each year. | Self Assessment tax returns | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Registering for Self Assessment, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Registering late can bring a penalty, and without a UTR you can't be verified at 20%. | Self Assessment tax returns | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Tax year, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Your contractors' statements need to be grouped by tax year to fill in your return correctly. | Claim a refund of Construction Industry… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | 31 January deadline, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Missing it brings penalties and interest, and a late return also counts against gross payment status. | Self Assessment tax returns | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Payments on account, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Your first tax bill can look double because it includes the first payment on account for the next year. | Understand your Self Assessment tax bill | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Balancing payment, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Budgeting for it avoids a January shock if your income went up. | Understand your Self Assessment tax bill | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Class 2 National Insurance, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Most working subbies now pay nothing here but still build their State Pension record. | Self-employed National Insurance rates | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Class 4 National Insurance, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It's part of what your CIS deductions are set against at the end of the year. | Self-employed National Insurance rates | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Allowable expenses, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Recording genuine costs as you go means your return reflects your real profit, not just your turnover. | Expenses if you're self-employed | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Trading allowance, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Usually irrelevant for a full-time subbie, but useful for small side jobs. | Tax-free allowances on property and… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Simplified expenses and mileage, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It saves keeping every fuel and repair receipt, but may give a different figure from actual costs. | Simplified expenses if you're… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Many CIS sole traders will be brought in by 2027 or 2028, so record-keeping habits need to change. | Find out if and when you need to use… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Qualifying income, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It's based on turnover, not profit, so subbies with modest profits can still be in scope. | Sign up for Making Tax Digital for… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Quarterly update, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Four extra deadlines a year means keeping records up to date as you go rather than once a year. | Send quarterly updates (Making Tax… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Digital records, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Photographing receipts and recording income as you go becomes a legal requirement once you're in scope. | Create digital records (Making Tax… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | MTD-compatible software, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Choosing it before you sign up avoids a scramble at the first quarterly deadline. | Choose the right software for Making… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Government Gateway, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | You'll need it to register for CIS online, file returns and sign up for Making Tax Digital. | HMRC online services: sign in or set up… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | HMRC app, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Handy for checking your UTR, NI number and tax details on the go. | Download the HMRC app | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Invoice, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | A complete invoice is harder to dispute and supports your records for tax and CIS. | Invoicing and taking payment from… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | VAT invoice, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Your customer needs a valid VAT invoice to reclaim VAT, so mistakes delay payment. | VAT guide (VAT Notice 700), section 16.3 | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CIS invoice, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Splitting labour and materials clearly helps make sure deductions are only taken from the right amount. | What you must do as a Construction… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Self-billing, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If a contractor self-bills you, check each invoice, because it's still your supply and your VAT. | Self-billing (VAT Notice 700/62) | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Retention, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | A retention paid a year later can have a different deduction if your CIS status has changed. | Construction Industry Scheme: a guide… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Construction Act, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It gives subbies legal payment rights even when the contract is silent or unfair. | Housing Grants, Construction and… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Payment notice, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If the contractor doesn't issue a payment notice, your own application can become the amount due. | Housing Grants, Construction and… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Pay less notice, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Without a valid, on-time pay less notice, the payer generally has to pay the notified sum. | Housing Grants, Construction and… | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | Late payment interest, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | It gives you leverage with slow payers, though whether to use it is a commercial choice. | Late commercial payments: charging… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Day rate, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Working only on a day rate for one contractor can weaken the case that you're genuinely self-employed. | ESM4324 - Subcontractors in the… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Price work, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Pricing by the job, taking the risk and putting mistakes right yourself all support self-employed status. | ESM4324 - Subcontractors in the… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Labour-only, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Expect deductions on nearly all of your pay, and keep evidence of anything else that shows you're in business. | CISR11100 - The Scheme: overview:… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Public liability insurance, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Not legally required, but it's often a condition of getting work and protects you from large claims. | Insurance | Health and Safety Executive… | Any | Needs register |
| One brew | Employers' liability insurance, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | If you take on your own employees, this becomes a legal must-have, not an optional extra. | Employers' liability insurance | Any | Ready to test |
| One brew | CSCS card, in one brew. | Kettle on in the van, steam, a tailgate | Not the law, but in practice many sites won't let you on without one. | Frequently Asked Questions | Official… | Any | Ready to test |
Blocked rows are kept so the ideas aren't lost: any version of "get money back" waits on the register, and "every payslip in one app" waits on Valla confirming statements from contractors who aren't on Hub.
We can run several faceless accounts, but not anonymous ones. Here is what the law and the platforms allow, from their own pages (44 rules in section 14).
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Can an account promote the app without saying it's us? | No. Posing as a consumer is a banned practice outright, and the CMA can now fine up to 10% of worldwide turnover without going to court | DMCC Act 2024, Sch. 20 · CMA207 |
| Is our brand name in the handle enough? | Generally, yes. If the brand username is shown, the ASA says extra "Ad" labels are unlikely to be needed | ASA guidance on brand-owned social |
| What if the handle is a series name, like "Bodge Report"? | Then every video has to say it's from us, upfront. A line in the bio doesn't count | ASA ruling on We Are Tala (2024) |
| Do we tick the commercial box on TikTok? | Yes, on every post that promotes the app. TikTok requires it for "promoting your own business"; without it, posts lose the For You feed and repeat misses can get the account banned | TikTok Community Guidelines |
| Can we pay creators to promote it on TikTok? | Possibly not. TikTok's branded content policy (from 31 August 2026) prohibits paid creator content for "Professional services – Including accounting". We need TikTok to say whether a CIS invoicing app counts | TikTok Branded Content Policy |
| Do AI-made shots need a label? | Yes, when they look real, on TikTok, YouTube and Meta. UK law doesn't require AI disclosure as such, but a label can't fix a misleading video | Platform policies · ASA |
| Can we post the same video on several of our accounts? | No. One video, one account per platform. Clone channels and "coordinated networks" are spam on YouTube, and reused content loses TikTok's For You feed | YouTube spam policy · TikTok |
| Can we automate posting and replies? | Scheduling through an approved tool, yes. Bots, scripts and "tricks designed to bypass our systems", no | TikTok Community Guidelines |
| Stage | Accounts | What moves us on |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · October to November | One brand account on each of TikTok, Instagram (cross-posting to Facebook) and YouTube. All series run there | 60 videos posted, and a first read on which series turn views into installs |
| 2 · December to January | Spin out the best series as its own openly branded account, for example "The Bodge, by Solo", with the brand in the handle and on screen | A series that beats the brand account's average installs per 1,000 views, over at least 20 videos |
| 3 · February to March | Up to six accounts in total: a second series account, and a Romanian or Polish account if the app works for those users | Each account has to pay its way on installs per 1,000 views; any that doesn't after eight weeks stops posting |
All in GBP, excluding VAT. US prices converted at the European Central Bank rate on 22 September 2026 (US$1 = £0.748). 60 options priced in section 14.
| Stack | What's in it | 60 videos a month | 150 videos a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest | Envato stock, an ElevenLabs AI voice, Remotion templates, free platform music, Metricool, a couple of AI shots a video | ~£92 | ~£146 |
| Recommended software | Adds Artgrid footage (the licence doesn't lapse if we cancel), about 24 seconds of AI shots a video, a Remotion company licence, Postiz and Epidemic music | ~£283 | ~£445 |
| + a real voice | About 20 scripts a month recorded by a paid UK voice. Free if Luke records them | quote needed: Fiverr ranges from about £7 to £109 a script before advertising rights | |
| + a shoot day | One day a quarter, on a real site or yard, with releases | quote needed (we couldn't get UK day rates online) | |
| + someone's time | Register sign-off, QA, posting and daily comment replies | our estimate: 1 day a week at 60 videos, 2–3 days at 150 | |
Where the money comes from: software plus voice comes to roughly £280 to £2,600 a month, and the voice decides where in that range we land (20 scripts at £7–£109 each is £140–£2,180, or £0 if Luke records them). Towards the lower half, it fits inside the plan's Creators line (£1,800–£2,500), which needs a second look anyway if TikTok's branded content policy rules out paid creator posts on TikTok. The shoot day is a quarterly one-off.
For comparison, a human British voiceover on every video would be about £85–£90 a video, or about £13,000 a month at 150, which is why the voice is split by series.
| When | What happens | Moments to hit |
|---|---|---|
| Early October | Accounts set up (once the name is settled), templates built, first shoot day, TikTok questions asked. First videos go out at about one a day | 1 October: right-to-work checks reach subbies (explainer only). "31 January is 17 weeks away" |
| November | Two a day. Spot the mistake and Heard on site added. First read on installs per 1,000 views, and the first winners go into Meta ads | Missing statements, before the January scramble |
| December | Hold the volume while ad spend drops about 40%, and build the January bank | Expenses and receipts: "which of these can you claim?" |
| January | Peak. The first series gets its own account if it has earned one | 31 January, payments on account, "why MTD if CIS already takes tax?" |
| February to March | Up to 150 a month across no more than six accounts, if the numbers hold | 6 April 2027: MTD at £30,000. "Is this subbie over £30,000?" |
| Risk | What we do |
|---|---|
| An account gets banned, taking others with it | Every account openly ours, the commercial toggle on, no clones, no bots, and posting through an approved scheduler only |
| The platforms class it as unoriginal and stop showing it | Our own bodge footage, a voiceover that adds real information, a different look and music per series, and no reposting |
| A tax fact is wrong, or goes out of date | Every topic carries its gov.uk source, a person signs off each script, and date-sensitive facts (thresholds, deadlines, rates) are re-checked each month |
| Comments fill up with refund questions | A reply bank written from the voice guide; we never estimate anyone's refund, and we point people to HMRC or an accountant |
| The trades take it as mockery | The joke is always the paperwork. Bodges are obviously staged, and we never show unsafe gas, electrical, height or structural work |
| Lots of views, no installs | Judged on installs per 1,000 views from week one. Series that don't convert stop after eight weeks, whatever their views |
| TikTok restricts the category (ads and paid creators) | Organic on our own accounts isn't affected. We ask TikTok about Spark Ads and creators now, and move that money to Meta if the answer is no |
And, as on every other page, the Claims Register v0.2: 79 topics can be tested without it, and the rest wait.
| Who | Rule | Their words | Organic or paid | What it means for us | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK law | Banned practice: paid editorial content without disclosure (in force 6 Apr 2025) | Using editorial content in the media to promote a product where a trader has paid for the promotion without making that clear in the content or by images or sounds clearly identifiable by the consumer. | both | Any paid creator/agency-run account posting 'editorial' CIS tips that push the app must disclose in the content itself. Civil penalty only (not criminal) per CMA207. | |
| UK law | Banned practice: posing as non-trader / consumer | Falsely claiming or creating the false impression that the trader is not acting for purposes relating to the trader's business or falsely representing oneself as a consumer. | both | An unbranded 'just a sparky sharing tips' persona account that is really Valla and recommends the app is the textbook case. This is a banned practice regardless of whether consumers are shown to be misled. | |
| UK law | Banned practice: fake or undisclosed-incentivised reviews | submitting, or commissioning another person to submit or write-(a) a fake consumer review, or (b) a consumer review that conceals the fact it has been incentivised. | both | No 'I switched to Solo and it saved me' voiceovers that pose as real subbies, and no seeded comments from the other accounts. | |
| UK law | DMCCA replaces the CPRs; penalties | These provisions replace and update the existing Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPUTRs), | Breaches of all banned practices can attract civil action ... monetary penalties of up to the higher… | both | CMA can fine directly without going to court. The exposure is statutory, not just an ASA name-and-shame. | |
| UK law | Misleading omission: failing to identify commercial intent | A commercial practice involves a misleading omission if it fails to identify its commercial intent, unless this is already apparent from the context. | A failure to identify the commercial intent of a practice could… | both | Educational-looking CIS explainers that end in an app pitch need the commercial intent clear up front, not only in the last 2 seconds. | |
| UK law | Worked example of posing as a non-trader | A second-hand car dealership puts a used car on a nearby road and displays a handwritten advertisement reading 'One careful owner... Call Jack on 01234 56789'. The sign gives the impression that the seller is not a… | both | The direct analogue of a faceless 'Dave the plasterer' account that is really the software vendor. | |
| ASA / CAP | Marketing must be obviously identifiable | Marketing communications must be obviously identifiable as such. | both | Applies to organic posts on accounts the brand controls (see remit row). | |
| ASA / CAP | No posing as consumer; commercial intent clear | Marketing communications must not falsely claim or imply that the marketer is acting as a consumer or for purposes outside its trade, business, craft or profession; marketing communications must make clear their… | both | Mirrors DMCCA para 25. A trade-persona account run by Valla breaches this rule unless it discloses. | |
| ASA / CAP | Advertorials must be labelled | Marketers and publishers must make clear that advertorials are marketing communications; for example, by heading them 'advertisement feature'. | both | A 'tax tip' video that is really an app pitch works like an advertorial, so label it. | |
| ASA / CAP | Brand's own social content is in remit if connected to its products | any content that bears a relationship to the products or services they offer has the potential to be considered directly connected and therefore within the ASA's remit. | organic | CIS explainer videos from any Valla-controlled account are likely in remit, even when the app isn't named in that post. | |
| ASA / CAP | Brand username displayed = generally enough; non-obvious username = must disclose another… | When businesses or brands post about their own products or services on their own social media accounts, and they are identifiable as the entity that posted the content (i.e. their brand username is displayed), this… | organic | This decides the multi-account question. A handle like @solo.cis is fine without #ad. A handle like @sparkytaxtips is not, so each post needs an upfront on-screen/caption disclosure such as 'Ad - from Solo, the CIS… | |
| ASA / CAP | Bio disclosure is NOT enough; must be clear upfront in each post | her bio could not be seen without actively visiting her profile page. We considered that information in an individual's social media bio did not amount to sufficient disclosure for individual ads. | the commercial… | organic | Answers 'is the bio enough?' with a no. For a non-obvious handle, the disclosure has to be in every video/caption at the start, because TikTok/Reels/Shorts serve to non-followers via For You. | |
| ASA / CAP | Brand name alone insufficient unless widely known and synonymous | Guidance lists rulings where a brand-linked account needed '#Ad'; the Mrs Hinch exception applied only where the brand was widely known (quote per WebFetch summary of the guidance page; ruling pages not opened) | organic | A brand-new app launching Oct 2026 won't be 'widely known'. Assume disclosure is needed on any account whose handle doesn't carry the brand. | Partial |
| ASA / CAP | No blanket AI-disclosure duty, but disclosure can't cure a misleading ad | There is no blanket legal requirement in the UK to disclose the use of AI in ads | disclosure alone is very unlikely to mitigate the harm caused by a fundamentally misleading message. | both | AI B-roll of generic trades is fine under CAP as long as it doesn't imply things about the product. Never use AI footage to depict app output, savings or real customer results. | |
| ASA / CAP | Media-neutral code; advertiser primarily responsible even with automated tools | AI might change how ads are made, but it doesn't change how they're regulated. The Code is media-neutral, meaning the rules apply regardless of how the content was created. | the advertiser was still primarily… | both | Mass-produced AI scripts and voiceovers are Valla's responsibility line by line. Tax claims in scripts need human checking against HMRC CIS rules before publishing. | |
| ASA / CAP | Must not materially mislead; puffery OK if not taken literally | Marketing communications must not materially mislead or be likely to do so. | Obvious exaggerations ('puffery') and claims that the average consumer who sees the marketing communication is unlikely to take literally are… | both | Staged 'shoddy bodge' B-roll as an obvious comic pattern-interrupt is low risk. What matters is the CIS/tax claims in the voiceover, and those must be accurate. | |
| ASA / CAP | Must not condone or encourage unsafe practice | Marketing communications, especially those addressed to or depicting a child, must not condone or encourage an unsafe practice | both | '5-minute hack' framing of dangerous electrical/gas bodges presented as tips would breach this. Frame them as 'don't do this' / fails, never as how-to. | |
| TikTok | Must label AI/significantly edited content showing realistic scenes | we require creators to label AI-generated or significantly edited content that shows realistic-looking scenes or people. Unlabeled content may be removed, restricted, or labeled by our team | You can add your own clear… | organic | Photoreal AI trades B-roll needs the AIGC label switched on for every such post. Build that into the posting checklist. | |
| TikTok | Multiple accounts allowed but not to deceive; automation banned | You can have multiple accounts-for example, for fan content or creative expression-but not to deceive others or break the rules. If we find deceptive account behavior, we may: Ban your account Ban additional or new… | organic | Several accounts are OK if they are transparent. Unbranded accounts that hide who runs them risk a ban on the whole network, including the main brand account. | |
| TikTok | Spam and fake-organisation examples | Spam, such as: Using automation to run many accounts or send repetitive content ... Impersonation by pretending to be someone else ... Pretending to be a fake person or organization with the goal of misleading people | organic | A fictional 'tradesman' persona fronting a Valla account = 'fake person ... misleading people'. Don't schedule cross-posts via bulk automation tools, and don't reuse near-identical videos across accounts. | |
| TikTok | Unoriginal/reused content not eligible for For You feed | Content is also ineligible for the FYF if it includes unoriginal or reused material without anything new. | [FYF INELIGIBLE] unoriginal content posted without creative edits ... Low-quality or minimally edited content | organic | Stock clips plus a TTS voiceover repeated across accounts risks losing FYF reach, and that reach is the whole point of the programme. Each video needs original scripting and editing. | |
| TikTok | Own-business promotion must use the content disclosure setting | commercial content on TikTok, you must clearly disclose it using the content disclosure setting ... Disclosure is required when you're: Promoting your own business, product, or service | If commercial content isn't… | organic | Every Valla account (branded or not) posting anything that promotes the app must switch on the disclosure toggle ('Your brand'). Hiding the brand is also a TikTok rules breach, not only a UK-law one. | |
| TikTok | Branded content (third-party, incentivised) in prohibited industry: professional services… | Branded content ... is content that promotes or reviews a third-party brand or its products or services in exchange for payment or any other incentive. | You must not post Branded Content that promotes or reviews… | organic | Paying creators/influencers or a contractor-run account to promote the app on TikTok is likely prohibited if TikTok classes a CIS app as 'accounting'. Keep TikTok organic on accounts Valla owns ('Your brand', which is… | |
| TikTok | Toggle mechanics | When posting Branded Content, you must enable the commercial content disclosure toggle. ... your content will be automatically labelled to indicate that it is Branded Content. | organic | Relevant only if third-party creators are used (see prohibition above). | |
| TikTok | UK accounting/tax ads: allowed WITH restrictions (ads only) | Ad content and landing pages advertising services related to tax planning, tax accounting, and tax declaration are generally allowed. ... Accounting and taxation content is allowed with restrictions in the following… | paid | Correction to the plan: TikTok UK RESTRICTS accounting/tax ads rather than banning them. The restrictions aren't spelled out on the page (UNVERIFIED what they are, so ask a TikTok rep). This is an ads policy and doesn't… | |
| TikTok | UK financial services ads: licensed + 18+ | United Kingdom Ads for financial services and products may be allowed if the following requirements are met: Be licensed by local and regional authorities The ad must be restricted to audiences aged 18 years and older | paid | Tax/accounting isn't listed here. It sits under 'Other Products and Services'. Target 18+ anyway. | |
| TikTok | Imitable dangerous acts removed; moderate-harm restricted | We remove content that depicts activities likely to be imitated and that could cause significant physical harm. Content showing activities that may lead to moderate physical harm is ineligible for the FYF, restricted to… | organic | Shoddy-hack clips showing live electrical or gas bodges (risk of electrocution, CO poisoning, burns) that look imitable risk removal. Keep the bodges to non-hazardous trades (bad grouting, wonky shelves, silicone fails). | |
| YouTube | Mass-produced / templated content not monetisable | We're making a minor update to our 'repetitious content' policy to better clarify that this includes content that is repetitive or mass-produced. We are also renaming this policy from 'repetitious content' to… | organic | Applies to YPP (monetisation) only. A non-monetised brand channel isn't affected by this rule, but the spam policy below applies to everyone. | |
| YouTube | Mass AI production banned for ALL channels (Community Guidelines) | Using automated tools or AI to churn out high volumes of similar content with minimal changes. ... we don't allow use of these tools to flood our platform with repetitive content. This includes coordinated mass… | organic | The example describes the planned format almost exactly (same music, AI imagery, AI script). It applies to non-monetised channels and to 'coordinated networks of channels'. Vary music, visuals and scripts, add real… | |
| YouTube | Disclose realistic AI scenes | we require creators to disclose content that is generated or meaningfully altered with AI when it appears realistic. | Generates a realistic scene that didn't actually occur. | Creators who consistently choose not to… | organic | Tick 'altered or synthetic content' on every Short using photoreal AI trades footage. Using AI for script/voice production assistance alone doesn't need it (per page). | |
| YouTube | Endorsements include creator's OWN brand where relationship unclear | Endorsements are content created for an advertiser (or for a creator's own brands if the relationship between creator/brand is not clear) with a message that users are likely to believe reflects the opinions of the… | organic | An unbranded channel recommending Solo must tick 'includes paid promotion'. A clearly branded Solo channel arguably needn't. | |
| YouTube | Adults risking serious harm / electrocution | Behaviour that shows adults risking serious bodily harm or death, particularly if someone watching could imitate the dangerous act ... such as acts that risk asphyxiation or electrocution. | organic | Same as TikTok: no live-wire or gas bodges. Educational/documentary context can be allowed, but a comedic 'hack' framing is not educational. | |
| Meta | Must self-disclose photoreal AI video/realistic audio | We'll require people to use this disclosure and label tool when they post organic content with a photorealistic video or realistic-sounding audio that was digitally created or altered, and we may apply penalties if they… | organic | Use the AI disclosure toggle on Reels with photoreal AI footage. A realistic AI voiceover is arguably 'realistic-sounding audio', so disclose that too. | |
| Meta | 'AI info' label | We will begin adding 'AI info' labels to a wider range of video, audio and image content when we detect industry standard AI image indicators or when people disclose that they're uploading AI-generated content. | organic | Expect auto-labels from C2PA metadata in Veo/Sora/Runway output anyway. | |
| Meta | Repeat reposters lose monetisation and distribution | lose access to Facebook monetisation programmes for a period of time | reduced distribution on everything that they share | simply stitching together clips or adding your watermark does not qualify as meaningful… | organic | This is the 2025 announcement. Stock-clip compilations with a voiceover need genuine voiceover commentary to count as original. Page is JS-rendered, so quotes come via WebFetch extraction. | Partial |
| Meta | Narrating on-screen footage without adding meaning = unoriginal; non-recommendable | Reels selectively incorporating third-party content ... are considered original when the focus is an on-screen presence from a creator presenting something genuinely new ... Simply watching along, reacting with facial… | organic | This hits the faceless format directly: third-party stock B-roll plus voiceover risks being classed unoriginal. Mitigate with self-shot or licensed/AI-generated original footage (not scraped), voiceover that adds new… | |
| Meta | No inauthentic assets that deceive about the entity behind them | The creation, use, or claimed use of Inauthentic Meta Assets (Accounts, Pages, Groups, etc.) in order to: Deceive Meta or our users about the identity, or origin of an audience or the entity that they represent | organic | Pages that hide that Valla runs them are exposed. Run all Pages from the Valla Business Portfolio with an accurate Page transparency/About. | Partial |
| Page names must reflect content; no misleading representation | Page names and Facebook web addresses must accurately reflect Page content. | not mislead others into thinking that it is an official Page of the Page's subject matter | organic | Don't name a Page 'CIS Help UK' or anything that implies it's official/HMRC. | Partial | |
| Meta | High-frequency posting/asset creation is spam | Posting, sharing, engaging with content or creating accounts, groups, Pages, events or other assets, either manually or automatically, at very high frequencies. | We may place restrictions on accounts that are acting at… | organic | Don't spin up many Pages at once or cross-post the same Reel across them. | Partial |
| Meta | Paid partnership label for third-party creator content | UNVERIFIED - facebook.com/business/help/221149188908254, facebook.com/policies/brandedcontent and help.instagram.com/1695974997209192 all returned only a title shell (JS-rendered/bot-gated) on 23 Sep 2026; no text read | organic | Assume paid creators must use the Paid partnership label. Own-brand Page posts are generally outside branded content. Re-check in a browser. | Unverified |
| Meta | No UK-specific rule found; tax/accounting not listed | Advertisers may be required to be licensed in the country they are targeting (per WebFetch extraction; covered list: Insurance products, Mortgages, Loans, Investment products and opportunities, Credit card applications) | paid | CIS invoicing software is probably outside the restricted financial category. Not verified against Meta's UK FCA-verification help page (URL tried returned 404). | Partial |
| Safety | All gas work by Gas Safe registered; prosecution of social-media-advertised illegal fitter | All gas work must be carried out by people on the Gas Safe Register. | pleaded guilty to ten breaches under the Gas Safe (Installation and Use) Regulations 1999 | both | Depicting DIY gas work as a 'hack' shows illegal work. HSE actively prosecutes social-media gas activity. Exclude gas bodges entirely. | |
| Safety | Charity campaigns against social-media DIY electrics | DIY work is often driven by tutorials found on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. | Don't put lives at risk by following unreliable advice from social media DIYers. | A lot of electrical work in the home is… | both | Electrical bodge 'hacks' put the brand on the wrong side of a live safety campaign, and it would be a reputational own-goal with sparkies (a core CIS audience). Show only clearly labelled fails with a 'use a registered… | |
| Safety | Gas Safe campaign on DIY overconfidence | UNVERIFIED - page returned a bot-detection interstitial to both WebFetch and curl on 23 Sep 2026 | both | Re-read in a browser before citing. | Unverified |
| Account / video | Where | Numbers (as published, date) | Lesson for us | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Minute Crafts (YouTube) | YouTube | 80.5M subscribers; top sampled video 16,969,042 views, 9,600 comments (2026-09-23) | Faceless hack B-roll can reach huge audiences, but the 5MC brand is synonymous with fake/dangerous content: borrow the visual grammar, not the reputation | |
| 5-Minute Crafts (TikTok) repair-hack video | TikTok | 4.0M views, 54K likes, 509 comments (posted 2025-02-16) (2026-09-23) | Expect a very skewed distribution: most posts do low thousands, a few break out. Plan for volume and judge on the top decile | |
| 5-Minute Crafts TikTok recent 25 posts | TikTok | Recent posts 4,000 to 4,000,000 views; most 9K-41K (2026-09-23) | Account size does not guarantee reach; individual hook quality decides | |
| paula6693 '5-minute craft hacks nobody needs' (parody) | TikTok | 444,500 views, 52,000 likes, 1,067 comments (2026-07-17) (2026-09-23) | Strongest direct evidence FOR the 'absurd hack' idea: knowingly bad hacks, framed as a joke the viewer is in on, get high engagement | |
| paula6693 'The crafts nobody needs' (parody) | TikTok | 211,100 views, 26,700 likes, 470 comments (2026-07-20) (2026-09-23) | A named recurring series (e.g. 'Bodge of the Week') is more repeatable than one-off gags | |
| How To Cook That (Ann Reardon) 'Debunking Fake Videos & WHO'S behind… | YouTube | 8,416,319 views, 19,000 comments; channel 4.95M subscribers (2026-09-23) | The 'expert corrects the bodge' beat is proven: our voiceover should BE the expert correction, not the bodge itself | |
| How To Cook That 'Exposing Dangerous how-to videos 5-Minute Crafts &… | YouTube | 9,083,154 views (2026-09-23) | Stakes (money lost, HMRC fine) play the role that 'danger' plays in hack debunks | |
| How To Cook That 'Is 5-Minute Crafts the WORST channel on YouTube?' | YouTube | 8,587,750 views (2026-09-23) | A known 'villain' (cowboy accountant, HMRC, the contractor who never sends statements) makes a hook | |
| Jay Exci '5-Minute Crafts Makes the Worst Life Hacks of All Time' | YouTube | 6,683,477 views, 21,000 comments; channel 561K subs (2026-09-23) | Mocking bad advice is a proven long-running genre | |
| ThreadBanger '5 Minute Crafts EXPOSED - 5 Minute CRAPS #1' | YouTube | 1,439,795 views (2026-09-23) | Give the bodge segment a memorable series name | |
| Bothwell '5 Minute Crafts Has a Body Count.' | YouTube | 486,765 views on a 3,710-sub channel (uploaded 2026-08-10) (2026-09-23) | The 'bad advice causes real harm' story still travels | |
| Khaby Lame | TikTok | 163M followers, 2.7B likes (Google snippet of profile) (2026-09-23) | The 'hack vs the obvious simple way' contrast is universal; our payoff can be 'or just use the app' | Partial |
| Vector 'Exposes TikTok Life Hacks Compilation' | YouTube | 11,514,813 views (2026-09-23) | Evergreen: debunk content keeps earning views for years | |
| Sambucha 'I Tested AI Life Hacks' | YouTube | 4,802,927 views (2026-09-23) | 'AI told me to claim this on my CIS return' is a timely variant of the fake-hack hook | |
| Roger Wakefield 'Real Plumber Reacts to the BIGGEST PLUMBING SCAMMERS' | YouTube | 2,496,578 views; channel 731K subs (2026-09-23) | Real expert reacting to bad work is proven in trades; a 'real accountant/real subbie reacts to terrible tax advice' twist is plausible | |
| Roger Wakefield 'Guy DESTROYS City Plumbing with Orbeez - Real… | YouTube | 1,654,068 views (2026-09-23) | Pair absurd B-roll with a concrete consequence (the bill, the fine) | |
| Roger Wakefield 'Real Plumber Reacts to the BIGGEST PLUMBING FAILS on… | YouTube | 580,521 views, 1,100 comments (2026-09-23) | Design for 'experts correcting' comments: leave one deliberate, harmless-but-obvious error for pros to call out | |
| Roger Wakefield TikTok (@therogerwakefield) | TikTok | Recent 'Real Plumber Reacts' TikToks 2,780 to 16,000 views; one scam-angle post 51,600; site claims 1.7M followers… | Reaction format alone is not enough on TikTok; the 'scam/rip-off' angle is what spikes | |
| ToolBox Talk For Electricians 'He wired this wrong for years' | YouTube Shorts | 852,979 views on a 29,400-sub channel (2025-03-24) (2026-09-23) | Hook: 'You've been doing your CIS return wrong for years' is the tax equivalent | |
| Starving Electrician shorts | YouTube Shorts | 58,398 views (17s short); channel 648K subs (2026-09-23) | Fail B-roll with a pro's calm correction is an established Shorts genre | |
| Morris-Jenkins 'Real electricians react to viral electrical fail' | YouTube Shorts | 2,860 views; channel 7,710 subs (2026-09-23) | Format copying alone does not work for brands; the hook and voice carry it | |
| On The Tools 'Jimmy Bullard reacts to the best tradie fails' | TikTok | 31,800 views (2026-04-07), Jewson-sponsored (2026-09-23) | Fails compilations beat branded/sponsored reactions on the same account | |
| Mike Holmes 'Sherry Holmes REACTS to DIY FAILS' | YouTube | 1,808 views (2026-09-23) | Reaction is saturated; a brand name does not rescue a generic reaction | |
| Scott the Plumber / Sparky Hacks / Plumbing with Ryan | YouTube | Not found as meaningful trade channels in YouTube search (2026-09-23) | Do not cite these names in the plan | Unverified |
| ElectricianJoe (US) | YouTube | Top result 64,543 views; most videos 2-18K (2026-09-23) | Not a useful benchmark for us | |
| Fix Radio (@fixradiouk) | TikTok | 229.8K followers, 6.2M likes (Google snippet); recent 30 posts 1,726 to 572,900 views, median ~6K (2026-09-23) | Relatable trade in-jokes beat informational content roughly 10-50x on the same account | |
| Fix Radio 'Evening, Mr Taxman' clip | TikTok | 115,900 views, 6,446 likes, 20 comments (2026-02-08) (2026-09-23) | The single strongest proof point: tax content wrapped in trade humour outperforms every CIS explainer we found | |
| Fix Radio x RIFT Tax Refunds sponsored clip | TikTok | 148,500 views but only 605 likes, 6 comments (2023-05-24) (2026-09-23) | Paid reach on a trade account buys views, not engagement; organic humour earns both | Partial |
| Fix Radio (@fixradiouk) | 107K followers, 4,732 posts (Google snippet); one 2022 reel 500K likes, 3,639 comments (2026-09-23) | Cross-post everything; IG is a meaningful secondary channel for UK trades | Partial | |
| Fix Radio YouTube short 'Tradesmen admit their WORST BODGE JOBS' | YouTube Shorts | 1,183 views; channel 3,280 subs (2026-09-23) | Weight TikTok and Reels over Shorts for trade-humour formats | |
| On The Tools (@onthetoolstv) | TikTok | 1.6M followers, 36.1M likes (Google snippet); recent 25 posts mostly 1,074 to 8,870 views; UGC fails 12K-57K… | A big follower count means little: branded content underperforms raw site-fail B-roll | |
| On The Tools 'No ladders were harmed in the making of this video' | TikTok | 398,100 views, 239 comments (2026-07-28), 7s (2026-09-23) | Short (<10s) fail B-roll with a one-line caption is the account's breakout format | |
| mrjackskipper 'Blagging the Job as a Builder - UK Comedy' | TikTok | 652,600 views, 58,600 likes (2021-07-08) (2026-09-23) | 'Blagging it' incompetence humour is native UK trade comedy: fits the bodge idea | |
| aidyscape 'SITE TRADIE Walks Of Shame' | TikTok | 693,700 views, 28,500 likes, 580 comments (2024-02-06) (2026-09-23) | Compilation B-roll with a named format works | |
| welsh_erectionboys 'Morning' sketch | TikTok | 93,100 views, 2,275 likes (2025-07-03) (2026-09-23) | Site banter is a steady mid-tier performer | |
| The Bald Builders pranks | TikTok | 30,600 views (2022-11-03) (2026-09-23) | Pranks are mid-performers; less relevant to faceless | |
| thetradesmanuk 'When dad builds the ramp' | TikTok | 432,800 views, 22,700 likes (2025-06-28), 5s (2026-09-23) | Clip length: fails work at 5-10s; tax explanation needs 20-40s, so the fail must be the hook, not the whole video | |
| __jasko__ 'bodge jobs in the construction industry' | TikTok | 680 views (2025-10-11) (2026-09-23) | 'Bodge' on its own is not a hook; it needs a joke or stakes | |
| Integrity Surveying 'Bodge of the WEEK - Ep 01' | YouTube Shorts | 832 views (2026-09-23) | A series name alone does not deliver reach | |
| feedspot Top 35 UK Construction TikTok Influencers | Web | List page (not opened) (2026-09-23) | Use for a creator-collab or stitch list, verify each | Partial |
| _alejandrocanales 'Rage Bait One-Liner for Superintendents' | TikTok | 1.1M views, 52,100 likes, 2,874 comments (2026-04-17), 5s (2026-09-23) | Rage-bait drives comments at scale, but it's US and people-led | |
| tytheconcreter 'Rage baiting the boss' | TikTok | 236,800 views (2026-06-12) (2026-09-23) | Rage-bait is a live trend: '20% gone before you're even paid' can be framed as rage-bait | |
| tuff.cut.construc 'Who taught my tape how to rage bait me?' | TikTok | 108,000 views, 143 comments (2026-08-17), 11s (2026-09-23) | Proof that faceless tool/B-roll + caption works in trade TikTok | |
| r/Construction thread on TikTok rage bait | Thread (count not captured) (2026-09-23) | Be openly fake (parody) rather than covertly fake; never fake an injury or unsafe act | Partial | |
| gosimpletax 'Construction industry scheme - paying tax and claiming… | TikTok | 51,700 views, 224 likes, 24 comments (2024-04-19); account 4,372 followers (2026-09-23) | A software brand CAN get CIS reach on TikTok; the ceiling so far is ~50K | |
| steph_taxgem 'Construction industry scheme' | TikTok | 32,700 views, 270 likes, 21 comments (2022-11-11) (2026-09-23) | Refund-owed framing is the recurring hook in the best CIS posts | |
| joshbuffin_theaccountant 'CIS for the self employed… explained' | TikTok | 18,400 views, 253 likes, 17 comments (2023-11-05) (2026-09-23) | Talking-head accountants top out ~15-20K on CIS | |
| joshbuffin_theaccountant 'Do you work in CONSTRUCTION industry?' | TikTok | 16,800 views, 98 likes, 27 comments (2023-11-04) (2026-09-23) | Call out the trade in the first line | |
| visataxltd CIS refund (Romanian-language) | TikTok | 12,000 views, 33 likes (2026-09-11) (2026-09-23) | Language-specific versions (Romanian, Polish, Bulgarian) are an open lane | |
| joyandcoaccountants 'Why CIS subcontractors are taxed at source' | TikTok | 9,508 views, 78 likes, 12 comments (2025-06-01) (2026-09-23) | Long (4 min) CIS explainers cap at ~10K | |
| joyandcoaccountants 'Verify your CIS subcontractors BEFORE they start' | TikTok | 3,978 views (2024-12-17) (2026-09-23) | Lead with subbie money-in-pocket topics | |
| rraccountants CIS deductions | TikTok | 3,450 views, 22 likes (2024-04-30) (2026-09-23) | Salesy framing underperforms | |
| johnmacaulay.accountant 'CIS Scheme for Limited Companies' | TikTok | 3,547 views (2025-06-25) (2026-09-23) | ||
| johnmacaulay.accountant '5 Essential Steps for Self-Employed… | TikTok | 2,538 views (2025-04-14) (2026-09-23) | ||
| kimsonesaccounts 'Understanding CIS' | TikTok | 3,125 views, 119 likes (2024-06-25) (2026-09-23) | ||
| mccreathaccountancy 'CIS Explained' | TikTok | 3,074 views, 59 likes (2026-05-14) (2026-09-23) | 'What is CIS?' hooks cap at ~3K: subbies already know what it is, they want their money | |
| pinksquared2 'CIS gross status' | TikTok | 1,930 views (2025-04-21) (2026-09-23) | ||
| readassociatesltd 'How To Reclaim CIS Tax on a Monthly Basis' | TikTok | 1,776 views (2024-03-01) (2026-09-23) | The hashtags #cistax/#cistaxrefunds exist but carry low volume | |
| readassociatesltd 'Earn Interest on CIS Deductions From HMRC' | TikTok | 1,169 views (2024-03-11) (2026-09-23) | ||
| bsassociate 'Time to File Your Tax Return if You Are In CIS' | TikTok | 1,645 views (2025-04-19) (2026-09-23) | ||
| copa.accounting 'CIS Tax Refunds - Why Now is the Time to Act' | TikTok | 1,334 views (2024-12-23) (2026-09-23) | ||
| vladimir.aksiutin 'Let's Talk About CIS' | TikTok | 806 views (2025-10-30) (2026-09-23) | ||
| chrismetcalf_thomasemlyn 'CIS Refund Process' | TikTok | 730 views (2025-03-06) (2026-09-23) | ||
| iamelizan 'Claim your CIS tax refund' | TikTok | 667 views (2026-03-17), 22s (2026-09-23) | ||
| teaandtruthpodcast_uk CIS rules (Sinhala-language) | TikTok | 153 views (2026-04-13) (2026-09-23) | ||
| RIFT Tax Refunds (@riftrefunds) TikTok | TikTok | Branded posts ~359-1,700 views; street vox-pop 72,900; 'pause and write your answers' quiz 63,500 (2026-09-23) | Participation formats (comment-your-answer quiz) beat 'you could be owed £X' ads | |
| Tax2u 'How to claim a CIS TAX REFUND in 15 minutes' | YouTube | 30,521 views, 36 comments; channel 29K subs (2026-09-23) | YouTube long-form captures search intent ('how do I claim'), not discovery | |
| Tax2u 'CIS SELF ASSESSMENT - How To Maximise Your Tax Refund' | YouTube | 50,277 views (40 min) (2026-09-23) | Comment questions = our script bank | |
| Heelan Associates 'CIS TAX REBATES EXPLAINED! (UK)' | YouTube | 29,688 views, 90 comments; channel 74K subs (2026-09-23) | The same 5 confusions repeat: gross vs net turnover; missing statements; how much back; what's claimable; when it arrives | |
| HMRCgovuk 'What is the Construction Industry Scheme and how do I… | YouTube | 31,513 views (2018); channel 111K subs (2026-09-23) | ||
| MDH Chartered 'CIS - EVERYTHING You Need to Know' | YouTube | 20,335 views; channel 4,900 subs (2026-09-23) | ||
| The Accountancy Partnership 'Taking on Subcontractors? What CIS Means' | YouTube | 42,337 views (2026-09-23) | ||
| YouTube Shorts search: CIS | YouTube Shorts | Every CIS-specific Short found <=2,400 views except Taxpro 11,914 (on a 10-sub channel, probably paid) (2026-09-23) | Wide-open lane on Shorts, but also a signal that raw explainers don't pull there | |
| Instagram CIS reels (Charlotte Baroukh, RIFT, Agile/Profit… | Metrics not loadable (Instagram login wall) (2026-09-23) | Lift the hooks, not the formats: refund size and delay are the two emotional levers | Unverified | |
| TikTok hashtag/discover pages #cistax #cisrefund | TikTok | Page did not load (JS wall); post counts not captured (2026-09-23) | Hashtag volume UNVERIFIED; re-check in app | Unverified |
| Taxfix UK 'Tax in 10(ish) seconds' series | YouTube Shorts | 12,568 / 10,123 / 4,671 views on a 450-sub channel (2026-09-23) | A tax app's short series gets low-teens-thousands on Shorts | Partial |
| HMRCgovuk 'How do I use the HMRC app to make a Self Assessment… | YouTube Shorts | 212,018 views (2026-09-23) | Screen-record 'how-to' works when paid behind; discount as organic evidence | Partial |
| Heelan Associates 'SELF-EMPLOYED EXPENSE BASICS' | YouTube | 184,063 views (2026-09-23) | Expenses ('can I claim my van/lunch/boots?') is the widest door into CIS | |
| Crunch 'What is Construction Industry Scheme (CIS)?' | YouTube | 16,782 views (2026-09-23) | ||
| Cal AI multi-account TikTok (third-party analysis) | TikTok | 12+ accounts, 1,000+ videos, 10.2M views; ~700K monthly downloads, ~$1.1M MRR (USD) claimed; article dated 2026-09-17… | Multi-account owned content is a real app growth lever, but not isolatable from paid | Partial |
| Cal AI creator programme (third-party analysis) | TikTok | 300+ influencer partnerships; ~10 installs per 1,000 views early benchmark; some 100M+ view videos converted minimally;… | Plan for installs per 1,000 views, not views; top-of-funnel virality can convert near zero | Partial |
| Alberto Perez slideshow apps (reported) | TikTok | 'Reportedly' 2-5M views/month from simple slideshows (Google snippet; not opened) (2026-09-23) | Treat faceless-slideshow success stories as anecdotes | Unverified |
| AttentionClaw slideshow strategy guide | Web | No real case metrics; its only example is labelled illustrative (2026-09-23) | Discount unsourced multi-account playbooks | |
| Better Marketing 'Why Faceless Social Media Accounts Don't Work' | Web | Page returned 403; snippet: faceless accounts 'struggle to stand out because they blend into the crowd' (2026-09-23) | Failure case exists but UNVERIFIED detail | Unverified |
| TikTok Ads Help: Creative best practices for performance ads | TikTok (platform) | Platform guidance (no stats on page) (2026-09-23) | The CIS point (e.g. '20% gone before you're paid') must land by 3s; text overlay at reading speed | |
| TikTok Creative Codes blog | TikTok (platform) | '90% of ad recall impact is captured within the first six seconds' (TikTok Marketing Science, 2020); '88% of TikTok… | Sound on + first 6s decide it; voiceover is not optional | |
| TikTok creator ads PDF (via MediaPost) | TikTok (platform) | Snippet: showing a person/creator in the first two seconds 'increases hooking power by 50%' (2026-09-23) | Faceless is a measurable handicap on the hook; compensate with hands/people in B-roll in frame 1 | Partial |
| Wang, Zhang & Jiang (2024) J. Retailing & Consumer Services 81 | Academic | 4 studies (2026-09-23) | If AI TTS is used, always burn in captions; prefer a real UK trade voice | |
| Azerion/Differentology UK audio study (2026) | Third-party | 3,000 UK respondents, Mar-Apr 2026: AI and human both +3% brand uplift; regional AI accent +9%; 37% thought AI ad was… | A regional UK accent matters more than human vs AI; don't use a generic US TTS voice | Partial |
| Audacy Innovation Tracker (via realvotalent) | Third-party | 55% trust human voice vs 23% AI (1,120 US adults), cited second-hand by a voice-talent vendor (2026-09-23) | Trust gap exists; for a money/tax product, trust is the conversion bottleneck | Partial |
| YouTube monetisation policy: inauthentic content | YouTube (platform) | Updated 2025-07-15: 'repetitious' renamed 'inauthentic'; covers 'mass-produced, generic, repetitive' and 'AI-generated… | Templated AI-voice faceless shorts are the exact target; we don't need monetisation, but vary the template and add real value | |
| Tubefilter on YouTube July 2026 clarification | Third-party news | 2026-07-13: 3 demonetised types incl. 'AI personas related to sensitive topics' presenting AI as human experts on… | Never present an AI voice as a human tax expert; disclose or use a real voice | |
| YouTube Harmful or dangerous content policy | YouTube (platform) | Policy page (2026-09-23) | Bodges must be visibly harmless (cosmetic, silly), never electrical, gas, height or structural | |
| TikTok AIGC labelling and FYF eligibility pages | TikTok (platform) | Pages did not load (JS wall) (2026-09-23) | Check TikTok AIGC label + FYF standards in-app before launch | Unverified |
| Option | Layer | Price (as published) | In GBP | Commercial use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD/EUR/NZD to GBP | Exchange rate | 1 USD = 0.74832 GBP; 1 EUR = 0.8578 GBP; 1 NZD = 0.42884 GBP | n/a | n/a | |
| Storyblocks Essentials | Stock footage | $21/mo billed annually (1 user, Individual license, unlimited downloads, no music) | £15.71/mo | Individual license: internet use incl. social; indemnification US$20k; 'Perpetual use of assets after your subscription ends: No'; 1 YouTube channel… | Partial |
| Storyblocks Unlimited All Access | Stock footage | $30/mo billed annually (adds music & SFX, voiceover credits) | £22.45/mo | As above (Individual license, not perpetual, 1 YouTube channel) | Partial |
| Storyblocks Small Business | Stock footage | $40/mo billed annually | £29.93/mo | Small Business License: licensed to the organisation; 'under 50 employees, excluding agencies, production, and broadcast companies'; not perpetual; 1… | Partial |
| Artgrid Junior | Stock footage | US$19.99/mo ($239.90 billed annually); HD H.264 | £14.96/mo | 'All plans include: Lifetime use, Coverage for all platforms worldwide, YouTube monetization'; unlimited downloads | |
| Artgrid Creator | Stock footage | US$29.99/mo ($359.90 billed annually); 4K-8K, ProRes | £22.44/mo | Lifetime use, all platforms worldwide; 'Best for social content and client work' | |
| Envato (Elements) Core | Stock footage | From $16.50/mo; unlimited downloads of 29M+ assets (video, music, SFX, templates) + 20 AI… | £12.35/mo | 'Lifetime commercial license for all stock assets & AI generations'; Fair Use Policy; each download must be registered to ONE project/End Product… | |
| Envato Plus (stock + AI) | Stock footage | From $39/mo; 200 AI credits/mo (Seedance 2.0, Minimax H3, ElevenLabs etc.) | £29.18/mo | Lifetime commercial licence incl. AI generations | Partial |
| Pond5 pay-per-clip | Stock footage | Video 'Starting at $39' per clip; Footage Plus sub $199/mo for 10 downloads ($19.90/item) | £29.18/clip; £148.92/mo | Per-asset licence; terms page not read | Partial |
| iStock Premium + Video | Stock footage | NZ$140 +GST/mo (new-customer, annual) for 10 downloads = NZ$14/download | £60.04/mo (NZ geo price) | Standard royalty-free licence (terms page not read) | Partial |
| Getty Images (video) | Stock footage | UNVERIFIED - page blocked (bot challenge) | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | Unverified |
| Shutterstock (video) | Stock footage | UNVERIFIED - pricing and search pages returned empty/403 to all fetch methods | UNVERIFIED | UNVERIFIED | Unverified |
| Pexels | Stock footage | Free | £0 | Free incl. commercial/ads; attribution optional; 'Identifiable people may not appear in a bad light or in a way that is offensive'; don't imply… | |
| Pixabay | Stock footage | Free | £0 | Free, no attribution; prohibited: 'immoral or illegal' use 'especially Content which features recognisable people', 'misleading or deceptive' use,… | |
| Google Veo 3.1 Lite (Gemini API) | AI footage | $0.05/s 720p, $0.08/s 1080p (video with audio; no 4K) | £0.0374/s 720p; £0.0599/s 1080p | Paid tier: 'Used to improve our products: No'; charged only on successful generation | |
| Google Veo 3.1 Fast (Gemini API) | AI footage | $0.10/s 720p, $0.12/s 1080p, $0.30/s 4K (with audio) | £0.0748/s 720p; £0.0898/s 1080p | As above | |
| Google Veo 3.1 Standard | AI footage | $0.40/s 720p/1080p with audio; Vertex video-only $0.20/s | £0.2993/s (audio); £0.1497/s (video-only, Vertex) | As above | |
| OpenAI Sora 2 (API) | AI footage | sora-2 720p $0.10/s; sora-2-pro 720p $0.30/s, 1024p $0.50/s, 1080p $0.70/s | £0.0748/s; pro 1080p £0.5238/s | Sora launch policy: 'all outputs carry a visible watermark' and 'embed C2PA metadata' (stated for Sora app at launch; whether API output carries the… | Partial |
| Kling 3.0 (official API) | AI footage | Prepaid packs from $700 (5,000 units, 180-day expiry); 3.0 no audio 720p $0.084/s, 1080p… | £0.0629/s 720p; £523.82 minimum pack | Consumer user policy bars using the Services 'without our written consent, for any ... commercial ... purpose, including ... commercial… | Partial |
| Runway API (credits) | AI footage | $0.01/credit: gen4_turbo 5 cr/s ($0.05/s); gen4.5 12 cr/s ($0.12/s); veo3.1_fast no audio… | gen4_turbo £0.0374/s; gen4.5 £0.0898/s; seedance2 £0.2694/s | Runway plans advertise 'No watermarks' on paid tiers; API output terms not read | |
| MiniMax Hailuo H3 (direct API) | AI footage | H3 768P $0.08/s, 2K $0.13/s; H3-Max 480P $0.05/s, 768P $0.08/s | £0.0599/s 768P | Commercial terms not read | Partial |
| ByteDance Seedance 2 (via Runway API) | AI footage | seedance2 480p/720p 36 cr/s = $0.36/s; 1080p $0.40/s; seedance2_mini $0.16/s | £0.2694/s | Via Runway terms | Partial |
| Wan 2.2 A14B (open weights, via fal.ai) | AI footage | $0.08/s 720p, $0.06/s 580p, $0.04/s 480p (16fps basis) | £0.0599/s 720p | Weights Apache-2.0; 'We claim no rights over your generated contents'; fal page lists Commercial use | |
| ElevenLabs Creator | Voice | $22/mo ($11 first month); 121k credits/mo; commercial licence from Starter | £16.46/mo | Starter+ includes 'Commercial License'; Instant voice cloning (Starter), Professional voice cloning (Creator) | |
| ElevenLabs API (pay per char) | Voice | v3 / v2 Multilingual $0.10 per 1K chars; Flash/Turbo $0.05 per 1K | £0.0748/1K chars = ~£0.034 per 30s script | Commercial on paid | |
| Google Cloud TTS Chirp 3 HD | Voice | US$30 per 1M chars (first 1M chars/mo free) | £22.45/1M chars = ~£0.01 per script | Google Cloud terms (not read) | |
| OpenAI TTS (gpt-4o-mini-tts) | Voice | UNVERIFIED - TTS rows not present in rendered pricing page | UNVERIFIED | OpenAI requires disclosure that voice is AI-generated (policy, not re-read) | Unverified |
| Cartesia Sonic | Voice | Pro $5/mo (100K credits ~133 min TTS, commercial licence); Startup $49/mo (1.25M credits) | £3.74/mo Pro | 'Commercial use license' from Pro | |
| MiniMax Audio subscription | Voice | Starter $5/mo (100k points); Standard $30/mo (300k) | £3.74-£22.45/mo | Not read | Partial |
| Human British VO via Fiverr | Voice | Search 'british voice over': 1,200+ results, gigs 'From $9' to 'From $146';… | £6.73-£109.25 per script | Commercial/ad usage rights usually an add-on package on Fiverr - NOT verified per gig | Partial |
| Human VO via Voices.com | Voice | Talent sets fee + 4-6% processing fee; rate tables not rendered | UNVERIFIED | Usage priced by broadcast vs non-broadcast | Unverified |
| Founder records own VO | Voice | £0 cash; ~5-10 min per script incl. retakes (estimate) | £0 + founder time | Own rights | Unverified |
| Remotion (self-host render) | Assembly | Free for individuals/companies up to 3 people; Company: Creators $25/mo per seat, or… | £0 or £18.71/seat/mo or £74.83/mo min | 'Commercial use allowed' on both Free and Company licences | |
| Creatomate | Assembly | Essential $45/mo annual (2,000 credits ~200+ videos); Growth $109/mo | £33.67/mo | SaaS; your output | |
| Shotstack | Assembly | Subscription $0.20/min, from $39/mo (200 credits); PAYG $0.30/min | £29.18/mo; £0.1497/rendered min | SaaS | |
| JSON2Video | Assembly | Hobby $16.95/mo (annual, 50 min); Professional $49.95/mo (200 min) | £12.68/mo | SaaS | |
| CapCut (app/desktop/web) | Assembly | Price not captured | UNVERIFIED | Materials Licence: templates/music/stickers are 'Non-commercial Use Materials' unless marked 'commercial use' (Dual Use = only 'limited commercial… | Partial |
| Remotion captions + Whisper (in brain) | Captions | Free (local whisper.cpp / @remotion captions) | £0 | Own output | |
| Submagic | Captions | Starter $12/member/mo annual; Pro $23; Business $41 (API 100 min/mo); API packs 500 min… | £8.98-£30.68/mo | SaaS | |
| Captions.ai | Captions | Max $24.99/mo; Frontier $69.99/mo (iOS prices) | £18.70/mo | SaaS | |
| TikTok Commercial Music Library | Music | Free | £0 | 'pre-cleared global music library of 1 million songs'; businesses must use CML for organic and ads on TikTok (general library not allowed) | |
| YouTube Audio Library | Music | Free | £0 | Royalty-free; Creative Commons tracks require attribution in description | Partial |
| Epidemic Sound Pro | Music | US$16.99/mo billed $203.88/yr; Creator $9.99/mo | £12.71/mo | Pro adds 'Licensing for digital ads', client work, 3 channels per platform; Creator = 1 channel/platform, no ads | Partial |
| ElevenLabs Music / Lyria | Music | ElevenLabs $0.15/min (commercial on Starter+); Google Lyria 3 Clip $0.04 per 30s | £0.1122/min; £0.0299/clip | Generated, commercial per vendor | |
| Postiz | Publishing | Standard $29/mo (5 ch); Team $39 (10 ch); Pro $49 (30 ch); Ultimate $99 (100 ch) | £36.67/mo for 30 channels | SaaS; API + webhooks all tiers | |
| Metricool | Publishing | Starter up to 5 brands $20/mo, up to 10 brands $36/mo (annual; $25/$45 monthly); Advanced… | £26.94/mo (10 brands) | SaaS | |
| Buffer | Publishing | Essentials $5/channel/mo annual; Team $10/channel/mo | £89.80/mo for 24 channels | SaaS | |
| TikTok Content Posting API (native) | Publishing | Free | £0 | 'All content posted by unaudited clients will be restricted to private viewing mode' until app passes audit | |
| YouTube Data API (native) | Publishing | Free | £0 | Default quota: '100 videos.insert calls, and 10,000 units per day' | |
| UK videographer day (real jobs, phone/gimbal) | Real footage | UNVERIFIED - Upwork/Bark/Fiverr rate pages blocked or 404 | UNVERIFIED | Commission as work-for-hire with full buyout + signed releases from any tradie on camera | Unverified |
| Pay tradies for own phone clips | Real footage | UNVERIFIED - no published rate | UNVERIFIED | Needs simple licence/assignment + release per clip | Unverified |
| Pond5 per-clip purchase (benchmark) | Real footage | Video from $39/clip | £29.18/clip | Per-asset | Partial |
| video-production skill (Remotion shell + fal.ai) | Already built | Recorded per-render cost: VO ~$0.05, music ~$0.05-0.20, b-roll (FLUX still -> Kling i2v)… | ~£0.30-0.41 per render (skill's figures, not re-verified) | Music model commercial terms flagged unconfirmed in skill | |
| remotion skill | Already built | Free | £0 | n/a | |
| Snappy-scenes rule | Already built | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| meta-creative-engine video_916.py | Already built | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| Postiz CLI | Already built | Existing Postiz cloud subscription (tier not recorded) | see publishing row | n/a | |
| tiktok-ads skill | Already built | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| video-topics + sellable-video-storyboard | Already built | n/a | n/a | n/a | |
| HeyGen-is-not-UGC / product-in-hand lesson | Already built | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Research carried out 23 September 2026 from the platforms', regulators' and vendors' own pages. "Partial" means the page only loaded through an extraction tool or a search snippet; "Unverified" means it didn't load and the row needs re-checking before we rely on it.
Give it the tick and we'll build the templates and book the first shoot day. Want changes first? Note them below, along with answers to section 13.
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