AIBU to be so sick of tradespeople/ cleaners asking for cash in hand?

90% of the time it is a tax dodge. Small businesses are 62% of the tax evasion in the UK. It’s utterly vast.

My friends DH is a plumber and they are so cash rich. I do feel envy at times but it seems to be the norm, we recently paid a painter 6,000 in cash for doing our house.

How simple do you think that would be to do? If it’s easy, why haven’t previous PMs already done it? It’s impossible for a country to act alone and get anywhere on this. The OECD is moving forward with global reform here but there is absolutely nothing the UK government can do that it isn’t already.

Yet again, just assuming that asking for cash is for a tax dodge. If you’d reviewed the thread you’d have seen lots of legitimate reasons why people do this.

I work in a supermarket and have no problem with the cleaner being paid in cash. I don’t understand why everyone is saying to report them when so many huge corporations and famous people are blatantly dodging tax and not even hiding it but people still use these companies knowing exactly what they are doing.

Seriously? 🤐

Reading comprehension is clearly not your strong suit. Are you the cleaner in the OP?

Do supermarket workers or bin collectors lead a glamorous lifestyle? What about nurses and care workers? Why should their tax subsidise those self employed who think that paying tax is not for them?

Tax avoidance is completely legal.
Tax evasion isn't.

Large businesses use legal loopholes such as headquarters in low tax countries to avoid paying their share.

Small businesses and individuals cannot do that.

I know where my sympathies lie and it isn't with Amazon or their ilk. Closing the loopholes they use would do far more for tax revenue than hammering cleaners for doing cash in hand work.

I think it’s clear you have no idea what you’re talking about given you’re suggesting cleaners make over £40k a year. It’s embarrassing.

I pay cash alot but its when i get a discount from paying in cash

I do understand it but didn’t want to do a detailed breakdown of her business accounts in a mumsnet post. Even taking all of that into account, she’ll be above minimum wage, which is £24,800 per year. And those people still pay tax, so why shouldn’t the cleaner?

Small businesses account for most tax avoidance. Why should paye people subsidize them

£21 per hour is about £40k per year. Even considering travel time and expenses, she’ll be way above £22k on full time hours.

How many hours a day do you think the average domestic cleaner works? In reality many will be well below the basic rate tax threshold anyway. Those who prefer cash are typically requesting it for entirely legitimate reasons. Anyone here who thinks house cleaners are living some glamorous tax free lifestyle are deluded. Have a word with yourselves.

Of course! Why should they not pay tax? The government has said anyone earning over the personal allowance pays tax. I can’t see why she should be exempt? Can you?

You don't understand the differences between being employed and self employed, i.e. no paid holidays, no paid sick leave, no pay for admin time, paying for own transport/materials/equipment etc. You can't compare an employee rate with a self employed rate.

Everyone should report them to hmrc.

I’d be generally interested to know what planning authority is taking bribes and whether have you reported them or their officers?

There is sometimes a bit of confusion about S102s where a developer agrees to provide funding for example, a school or an asset for the community in exchange for allowing building. That’s not bribery, that’s ensuring that there is a net gain for the public to offset any potential loss of existing assets.

So tradesmen and cleaners can avoid tax but what about the poor sods who are low paid but are on paye, i.e. supermarket workers, waiters, health care assistants etc? Why should they pay tax when tradesmen and cleaners don't (and probably illegally claim benefits too!).

The cleaner in the OP charges £21 per hour. That’s the equivalent of about £40k per year. Not minimum wage, is it?

I think you were right to use the word “could”, rather than “would”. In reality the money would just be pissed away into the ether.

Agree.

Increased tax revenue could fund universal subsidies for high-cost necessities—such as public transport, childcare, or social housing— thereby reducing the overall income a worker needs to maintain an acceptable standard of living.

All paid for through council tax.

People keep saying about asking for cash simply to avoid bank charges - this is nonsense. I'm self-employed and bank transfers cost nothing, but I am charged a percentage to pay cash into my business account. It's not much and I don't mind, but I do mind when clients insist on paying me cash, in a nudge nudge, wink wink sort of way. It's all declared, thanks.

Edited for typo