Dog walker wants cash in hand

Nothing wrong with paying in cash in terms of legalities - it’s also the recipients responsibility to pay their taxes etc not yours to make sure they do.

The only thing I don’t like about paying in cash for regular jobs like this - eg my cleaner likes cash - is that it’s a pain to go and get it out. But I do it as that’s how she has decided to run her business and she’s a good cleaner.

You can say no to him but he might decide he doesn’t want to dog walk for you any more.

I’d refer you to the post above explaining that it is not companies using legal means to reduce their tax bills that are the issue - it is small businesses fiddling the system that deprives the government of £billions in funds.

But if it is petty to feel aggrieved that the majority of us pay our legally obligated taxes when others don’t, then yes I am petty. I am probably petty in that I also feel that the few people who shoplift should be also arrested/prosecuted because the rest of us pay for our goods at the check out (and underwrite the losses brought about by those thefts by inflated prices). I am probably petty in wishing people would properly dispose of their personal/business waste by queuing at the local municipal tip rather than fly tipping, especially as I pay for the clean up in my ever increasing council tax bills.

For most of us, it is seen as being honest, following the law, and meeting our civic duty in paying our dues so that the society we live in is fair and can support those less financially privileged than we are.

But that’s just me. Petty.

People are going to stick their head in the sand over that one. They can't cope with a narrative where the big guy isn't the bad guy. They'd rather bite the hand that feeds them. Meanwhile, millions of small business owners who are honest are experiencing existential crisis, struggling to keep afloat with a government that wants to squeeze them dry from every angle.

But then you still don’t have the money, have to take action to chase, and don’t know if/when the payment will be made so can’t plan your next week’s work or rely on next week’s income either. All a lot of extra hassle because people can’t pay on time.
All avoided if paid in cash immediately.

@CautiousLurker2
My town has 16,000 population and we have 6 cash machines, I just can’t abide ppl moaning at a wee one person business asking for cash but justify tax avoidance by huge companies.
So petty.

Like many others on this thread, she may live in a town with no banks. I live in one. There are just two ATMs in my town centre outside supermarkets (population is 50,000). No banks and a post office in TJ jones where you can queue for 20 mins to pay in cash. I NEVER have any cash in my wallet/purse unless some has been sent by the PiLs to the kids and the kids have then rolled their eyes and asked me to take it and transfer the money to their accounts. Other than Camden Market on a recent day out I’ve not ‘needed’ cash since before covid.

I strongly believe people should be able to use cash, but cash payments should be trackable/evidenced by receipts and businesses need to understand that many of us really do not have easy access to cash anymore.

We have people who pull out wads of cash to pay for transactions that might be £200 or £300 quid sometimes. It amazes me! I do occasionally suspect that some of our cash paying customers are either obtaining that cash via something dodgy or that they are being paid cash in hand to either avoid paying tax, or continue claiming benefits. But I can't police all my customers. It's not my job to give them the Spanish Inquisition and I am not going to do HMRC's or the DWP's job for them by turning down legal tender that people want to spend with me. I'm only responsible for how I account for that cash once it's mine.

I do think there should be a law that lets small businesses and freelancers double their invoice if it is paid late.

@hamalamsaid that Amazon don’t evade tax, which you’ve just shown.

I’d bet that Amazon pay millions to make sure their operations are tax compliant and that they pay all taxes due.

Why is cash not a “correct channel”? However, I agree, she’s probably tax dodging and if it concerns you, just say no.

This. In spades! It isn’t Amazon that’s your enemy, it’s the builders paid in cash, the takeaways paid in cash, the barber paid in cash.

Only the big ones. The metros near my home and my work don't offer cashback

That’s avoidance not evasion. It’s totally legal. I suggest you look at slight more reputable sources than tax justice uk!

It absolutely is not. 60% of the total tax gap is small business, 12% is large business. That’s £28bn from small business alone and a further £2bn from individuals who don’t meet the “wealthy” threshold. Another £4bn if we include mid size businesses.

Only £5bn of the tax gap is from large business, and another £2bn from wealthy individuals. Those are not the people avoiding tax to the great detriment of the economy - it’s small cash in hand businesses by quite some margin.

You are very naive. As a freelancer I can tell you that people will regularly pay their invoices late or try to not pay them at all...

@Hamalam cash points in every supermarket and petrol station, hardly a faff, you just can’t be bothered.

@Hamalam
Key points regarding Amazon's tax practices:

• Tax Avoidance Criticism: Ethical Consumer reports that Amazon's tax avoidance in the UK could have cost over £575 million in lost taxes in 2024

https://taxjustice.uk/blog/a-third-of-global-tax-dodging-is-enabled-by-the-uk-and-british-overseas-territories/

Loyd of people are. I drop my child off, I go to work, I pick my child up on the way home. It’s a faff to find an ATM. I’m not going out info my way to facilitate my dog walkers tax evasion.

Shops don't insist that you pay cash though.

Having to pay for something like this in cash would be massively inconvenient for me as I rarely carry much cash around with me.

As stated in opening post I always pay on time. Paying by cash would be inconvenient and I'd be much more likely to be a late payer.
why would you be a late payer? are you incapable of withdrawing cash?

With businesses that provide weekly services requiring immediate payment you you simply text after 48 hours reminding them of your terms of business and explain that the next scheduled violin lesson/dog walk/house clean is on hold until the account is paid up in full. It can't be that hard.

@HeadDeskHeadDesk

Well said. I dont think paying in cash is "normal" at all, purely for reasons of convenience. In our high street, we used to have three different banks. They have now all gone, they went a few years ago.

We have a few ATMs but two of them are always out of order and the third one charges a fee for people to withdraw cash. So, not only have you got the inconvenience of driving around searching for a working ATM, you are then charged for the privilege of drawing out your own money! I am not paying extra just to pay a business in cash.

I dont know anyone who carries around fistfuls of cash because of security risks. Most people use their phones to make payments now. Cash is rare.

I repeat my point. For music teachers etc there is a big problem of parents forgetting to pay by transfer.

Our driving tutor does take payment by bank transfer but it has to be sent 24 hours before the session and if it isn’t he doesn’t turn up. Perhaps other tutors who are less in demand don’t feel they can demand that.

Well it’s up to you. He’s providing a service and asking to pay in a certain way. If you don’t want to, then don’t use his services. Simple really.

Receiving cash does not mean that the money is not declared in a tax return.

If this is a regular small amount it is not an unreasonable ask.

I am a freelancer and dealing with people who delay paying their invoices, or try to avoid payment, is a nightmare. This is getting more of an issue with the cost of living crisis.

I would not blame a dog walker who might have had issues with some clients being slow in paying after the service has been delivered deciding to ask all their clients to pay in cash up front at the end of the walk.

I would not pay cash for larger amounts/tradespeople for example but would be happy to pay a cleaner, gardener, cat sitter or dog walker in cash.