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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cleaner who works 6 hours per week preferring cash in hand weekly - holiday pay? Is this a thing?

135 replies

Catwhispereroo · 26/06/2025 18:14

Hi, we have a cleaning lady who is generally lovely. She comes for 6 hours per week, £20 per hour, so £120 per week. She always prefers cash in hand weekly.

Today she asked if we will pay her 4 weeks holiday pay as, according to her, 'everyone else does.'

I had a think about it, but have had to tell her this is not possible. I feel bad though. AIBU?

My reasoning is -

  1. A cleaner is already quite a luxury, as I'm no longer working.

  2. We have had lots of cleaners over the years and all preferred cash and none ever asked for holiday pay for cash in hand work.

  3. I don't want the hassle of a contract setting out holiday pay or sickness pay (will that be next)? We are a just a private household, not a company.

  4. I will give her a few weeks pay as a Xmas bonus anyway.

  5. She seems to go abroad for a month each year. If we gave her 4 weeks pay, that would be almost £500. Then, if I got a replacement cleaner in for those weeks, that would be another £500!

  6. When we go away I'm happy for her to come as usual (even though we don't really need this) so that she doesn't lose out financially. But I can't pay 4 weeks holiday as week.

Again, AIBU? Thanks!

OP posts:
LadyAsnowt · 26/06/2025 19:00

GrimDamnFanjo · 26/06/2025 18:27

Cash in hand? I’d suggest if she wishes holiday pay then she should run her business legally.

It's perfectly legal to pay someone in cash.

tammienorrie · 26/06/2025 18:59

she is self employed. I am self employed too and that means you don’t get holiday pay. She is a cheeky fucker.

Midnightlove · 26/06/2025 18:59

GrimDamnFanjo · 26/06/2025 18:27

Cash in hand? I’d suggest if she wishes holiday pay then she should run her business legally.

This!

Not a chance 😂

minnienono · 26/06/2025 18:59

No she’s self employed so no holiday pay, the £20 covers everything. I insisted on invoices, did immigration checks etc too when I had a cleaner

SunDash · 26/06/2025 18:58

If you don't have an employment contract with her why would you pay her holiday pay...sorry, she's just trying it on 😫

Miyagi99 · 26/06/2025 18:57

GrimDamnFanjo · 26/06/2025 18:27

Cash in hand? I’d suggest if she wishes holiday pay then she should run her business legally.

Cash in hand isn’t illegal.

ConfusedSloth · 26/06/2025 18:57

Absolutely not.

Paying her holiday pay is one of the indicators that she is your employee rather than a self-employed person you have contracted. Not only does this cost you money, it means that you could be committing several criminal offences and civil wrongs.

If she's an employee, she's entitled to maternity leave/pay, holiday, sick leave, pension contributions, for you to be paying NI and you're responsible for ensuring she pays tax, a fair dismissal process... You need to make exceptionally clear she is not an employee - she is self-employed and only paid for the hour she works on your home. She is responsible for her own tax obligations, and the Christmas "bonus" is a gift that she is not entitled to and is entirely at your discretion and is not related to performance.

Retrouvailles · 26/06/2025 18:56

It's lovely that you give a Xmas bonus, we do the same 🙂.

Holiday pay? Bloody cheeky of her to ask, I'd politely decline but also wouldn't be surprised if she moved on/or standards dropped so I'd be looking for another cleaner to replace.

bugalugs45 · 26/06/2025 18:56

I don’t pay my cleaner holiday and never have done ! Cheeky of her to ask , considering she’s probably not declaring it either

Holdonforsummer · 26/06/2025 18:54

Agreed, cleaners don’t get holiday pay. If my cleaner’s day falls on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, I’ll pay that. And I pay when I go away as that isn’t the cleaner’s fault. But no way to her holiday pay. Sorry.

Dinosaurshoebox · 26/06/2025 18:53

AgnesX · 26/06/2025 18:41

Are you in London or the south east?

Maybe I should consider myself fortunate (I'm not convinced she declares it and don't want to push it)

Show quote history

I'm in South Wales. Not a posh place at all. And looked for a cleaner out of desperation and all the quotes came back at £20ish and that wasn't even a deep clean. Some were higher again.
It's gone a bit crazy now.

akkakk · 26/06/2025 18:52

Agree with others that if she is self employed, she can’t expect you to pay her when she is not there…

having said that, it is exactly what we do for our cleaner and gardener - they are paid top market rate and we pay them 4 weeks each holiday pay / pay them sickness pay - it is how I look after staff who themselves look after us

HoskinsChoice · 26/06/2025 18:52

Why are you paying her cash? You are potentially facilitating fraud and screwing over public services and people who rely on benefits to survive. Make sure every penny goes through her bank account by paying her electronically so that you can absolve yourself of any responsibility.

Original poster
Catwhispereroo · 26/06/2025 18:42

This is London, yes.

OP posts:
AgnesX · 26/06/2025 18:41

antsyaardvark · 26/06/2025 18:39

£20/hr is a pretty standard rate where I am

Show quote history

Are you in London or the south east?

Maybe I should consider myself fortunate (I'm not convinced she declares it and don't want to push it)

Original poster
Catwhispereroo · 26/06/2025 18:41

Yes I supply all materials.

OP posts:
Original poster
Catwhispereroo · 26/06/2025 18:40

I mean, she's definitely reliable in that she always comes on time and doesn't leave early (unlike some I've known in the past). Cleaning is ok. I always tidy up for her! She is very pleasant, but I think this request is odd. I don't mind paying her a bit over the going rate as I don't want miserable people in the house feeling hard done by. But now she'll probably be miserable anyway!

OP posts:
Caroparo52 · 26/06/2025 18:39

No you are not obliged to pay holiday pay. No sick pay . I would't pay her whilst you are away either. A nice bonus £100 at christmas is lovely idea. She is supposed to declare her income as self employed...but we all know that is happening. £20 pwr hour is top rate. Do you supply all the cleaning naterials too?

antsyaardvark · 26/06/2025 18:39

AgnesX · 26/06/2025 18:34

Is she a brilliant cleaner? For £20 per hour I'd expect perfection.

I give mine Christmas money to cover Christmas week and a money present. I'll pay her if I cancel at short notice but given that she takes a month to visit her family in Europe during the summer she doesn't get paid for that.

£20/hr is a pretty standard rate where I am

ShanghaiDiva · 26/06/2025 18:37

She’s self employed, so that’s a no.

AgnesX · 26/06/2025 18:34

Is she a brilliant cleaner? For £20 per hour I'd expect perfection.

I give mine Christmas money to cover Christmas week and a money present. I'll pay her if I cancel at short notice but given that she takes a month to visit her family in Europe during the summer she doesn't get paid for that.

itsgettingweird · 26/06/2025 18:31

I’d tell her you are more than happy to draw up a contract etc and she can accrue AL.

Then mention that means her tax and NI will come off her earnings and her AL will need to be applied for and as with all business it will be approved if it works for you and actually her having her AL whilst you’re away would be excellent for you!

Once she sees she can’t have her cake and eat it she will likely return to the status quo!

Viviennemary · 26/06/2025 18:28

No cleaners do not usually get holiday pay. Unless working for an agency and the agency pay.

GrimDamnFanjo · 26/06/2025 18:27

Cash in hand? I’d suggest if she wishes holiday pay then she should run her business legally.

GhostOrchid · 26/06/2025 18:27

Our cleaner prefers cash in hand (even though bank transfer would be much easier for us) and we don’t pay her holiday pay and she’s never asked. She does come when we’re away even though we don’t really need her to. I give her double money at Christmas and a gift.