How to share your referral code honestly and legally in the UK

The best way to share a referral code is to recommend a brand you genuinely use, explain who it suits and make the steps easy. People act on trust, so an honest recommendation converts better than hype. In the UK you also need to be open about the fact that you may be rewarded.

Start with a brand you actually use

A personal, specific recommendation beats a generic message. Say what you use it for, what you like and who it is best suited to. If there are downsides, mention them. Readers trust a recommendation that includes a limitation far more than one that does not.

Explain the offer clearly

State what the new customer receives and what they need to do to get it. Avoid vague claims such as "free money" and be upfront about conditions like a first purchase or minimum spend. A clear message prevents the disappointment that leads to complaints.

Good example:

I use this for booking stays when I work away. If you are new, my link gives you $50 off a first stay. You need to create your account from the link first, and the offer can change, so check the terms.

Where to share

• Messages to friends and family who would genuinely use the product
• Communities and groups where the topic is relevant and links are allowed
• Your own blog, newsletter or social profile
• A directory of referral codes such as Referral CodeFinder
• Your email signature or profile if the brand permits it

Always check the rules of a community before you post, and do not post in places where promotion is banned.

Disclose that you may be rewarded

In the UK, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) treat content as advertising when it contains a link or a discount code that means you are paid for clicks or sales. This applies to affiliate links and can also apply to referral links that earn you a reward.

What the guidance asks for:

• A clear and prominent disclosure upfront, so that people see it before they click
• A label that ordinary readers understand, such as "Ad" or "Advert"
• Avoiding obscure abbreviations such as "aff" or "afflink", which the ASA says are unlikely to be familiar to the average person

The ASA does not require a specific hashtag, but a label at the very end of a long post or buried in a pile of hashtags may not be upfront enough. For anything more than casual sharing with friends, read the ASA's affiliate marketing guidance on its website and, if you earn significant amounts, take advice.

Follow the programme's rules

Every programme has terms. Common breaches include:

• Posting on coupon or voucher sites where it is banned
• Bidding on the brand's name in paid search
• Referring yourself or members of your household
• Using misleading claims about the reward
• Sending unsolicited messages in bulk

Breaking the rules can cancel your rewards and close your account.

Keep your links up to date

Offers change. Update your wording when the reward changes and remove links that have stopped working. If someone signs up expecting an offer that no longer exists, they will blame you.

Track what works

If the brand shows referral statistics, look at which messages and places bring sign ups and repeat them. If it does not, a simple note of where you posted the link is enough.

Do not spam

Repeated unsolicited messages damage your reputation and can get your account closed. A few relevant, honest recommendations earn far more than many ignored ones.

Remember tax

Large or regular referral income may be taxable, depending on your circumstances. Read our guide on referral rewards and tax in the UK for the basics.

Checklist before you post

• You use the product or have good reason to recommend it
• The offer and conditions are described accurately
• The post says upfront that you may be rewarded
• The channel is allowed by the programme's terms
• The link works and the offer is current