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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About pregnant cleaner

38 replies

tholeon · 09/03/2012 20:00

ok so have not decided what to do yet so it is not really a fair question, but.. We have a cleaner, four hours a week, cash in hand. She is quite good and has been with us for a few months. She has just told me she is pregnant. Also that her boyfriend is a bit useless and she doesn't have much family support. Am a bit worried how she will cope, also I guess middle class guilt as I got her to help me as have toddler and baby but here I am with nice dh to support us in comfortable lifestyle etc.. Any views on what might be fair in terms of maternity pay etc?? Do actually want someone to clean so would have to pay them as well.. Want to be kind but not stupid!

OP posts:
HalfPastWine · 09/03/2012 20:03

Do you have to pay her maternity pay? As you're paying her cash in hand is she 'legally' working for you?

FlossieTeacakeShouldFakeIt · 09/03/2012 20:03

Give her a present when the baby is born, but I wouldn't give her maternity pay. If you pay cash in hand, do you know if she is tax registered?

YellowDinosaur · 09/03/2012 20:04

This might make me a bitch but it wouldn't cross my mind to pay her maternity leave. I'd give her a bit extra when she stopped or a present for the baby or both but proper maternity pay? Nope.

Doing a job for cash in hand you don't get these sorts of benefits but then you canhave the flexibility to work when you want, stop without notice and not pay tax

Sonriente · 09/03/2012 20:04

Surely cleaners are self-employed and not employees.

whattodoo · 09/03/2012 20:05

It would never occur to me to pay mat pay.
I nice gift, yes. And prob remember the child at Christmas and birthday. But that would be my limit.
You're obviously a more generous person than
me.

SparkyMcSparrow · 09/03/2012 20:05

I shouldn't think you would have to pay her anything if its cash in hand.
She has only been with you a few months so if she was working in a shop etc. she wouldn't be entitled to anything anyway.

Sorry if I sound harsh but you can't prop everyone up. What happens if your new cleaner gets pregnant too.

SparkyMcSparrow · 09/03/2012 20:06

At least I'm not the only one thinking it.

catgirl1976 · 09/03/2012 20:06

Gah - technically you don't have to do anything but I would feel like you so totally understand. Anything you do though is going to be through kindness not obligation and there is the risk she might see it as "charity"

Maybe buy her a good present for the baby like a Moses basket and give her a months pay? I think that is where I would be. Plus maybe give her some support once the baby is here by checking she ok, meeting her for a coffee or a walk with the babies?

ThreeForTea · 09/03/2012 20:07

Why isn't she declaring her income? She should get maternity allowance if she isn't earning enough, but think that even if she only has a little regular work, if she is registered as a small business she should be entitled to claim some smp. I think the best thing you coyld do to help her woyld be to help her fins out the facts about her entitlement. I def wouldn't encourage a dependancy upon you, monetary or emotional.

amistillsexy · 09/03/2012 20:08

Does she pay Tax and NI? If so, she should be able to claim maternity benefit from the State. If not, well...Hmm

I'm assuming you are thinking of paying maternity pay because you feel you should, rather than because you must? You do know that unless this is all above board (ie, contracts signed, payslips written out monthly, Tax and NI paid, tax returns done, etc etc), she has no rights to MP?

If you know all the above and you still want to give her something to help out, then maybe an hour's pay a week? (that''s still a quarter of her salary, so not bad!), but how long would you want to pay it for? And what would you do if she didn't want to come back and clean for you once her 'maternity leave' was over?

Deflatedballoonbelly · 09/03/2012 20:09

I was cleaning till I was 7 months. My clients all bought me little gifts and cards etc. I was very grateful for them. I wouldn't even have ever even thought about maternity pay! Bless you! Get her a nice little gift/card but thats it.

HalfPastWine · 09/03/2012 20:10

Also, if she's earning cash in hand and also claiming benefits, if she gets caught out it could come back to bite you on the bum.

takingiteasy · 09/03/2012 20:10

If she wasn't working cash in hand and declaring her income she's get SMP. If she's cash in hand and not declaring (how many people is she cleaning for?) then she'll be getting other benifits.

YANBU for being toughtful but YABU for enabling this situation by paying someone cash in hand.

HedgewartHogwartHOGGLE · 09/03/2012 20:12

You're lovely for thinking of it, but tbh I wouldn't give her mat pay either. A really nice gift (or even cash) when baby is born, but that's about it.

kaluki · 09/03/2012 20:17

Why do you all assume that a cleaner getting paid cash in hand must be a benefit cheat or a tax evader?

She probably lives in a council house, smokes 40 fags a day and has a huge plasma telly too Hmm

takingiteasy · 09/03/2012 20:20

Well when the OP states she's paying her cash in hand it suggests she isn't declaring the income. My comment about benifits is in regard to other benifits the cleaner would be entitled too when baby comes along. That wasn't clear in my post.

HalfPastWine · 09/03/2012 20:22

Why do you all assume that a cleaner getting paid cash in hand must be a benefit cheat or a tax evader?

Who's assuming that! I'm merely stating that could be a scenario. It is heard of you know, sometimes.

On high horse ...much Hmm

catgirl1976 · 09/03/2012 20:23

It doesn't suggest it really. I pay my cleaner cash in hand but she comes through an agency to whom I also pay a fee for each hour she works, so there is no chance she is not declaring her income despite being paid cash in hand.

My DH is a self employed grpahic designer. He is sometimes paid cash in hand. It doesn't mean he doesn't declare it.

marriedinwhite · 09/03/2012 20:28

Providing she's declaring her earnings she will be entitled to statutory maternity allowance. You are not paying her enough to be obliged to pay her maternity pay (not on £10 an hour type basis). I can't remember the weekly minimum earnings off the top of my head (have a feeling it might be about £102 ish - will look it up later). I think you need not to get too personally involved in her circumstances.

takingiteasy · 09/03/2012 20:40

There's a difference between the physical act of handing over cash and employing someone 'cash in hand' the phrase in itself indicates it's a given that it's undeclared income.

kaluki · 09/03/2012 20:48

I've never heard of that takingiteasy!
I always thought that cash in hand just meant that you got paid cash for doing a job.
I think it is very kind of the OP to care so much about her cleaner but maternity pay isn't really necessary. Just a little bonus or pressie for the baby will do and maybe let her have her job back after the baby is born if she wants it.

takingiteasy · 09/03/2012 20:55

Really? Why do you think a price 'for cash' is always less? It basically means you don't want a receipt so whoever is doing the job for you is free not to declare it!

ladyfirenze · 09/03/2012 20:59

Sorry but i'm a dog walker and I get cash from a lot of my clients. I declare my earnings. Don't assume she's not paying her taxes!

AThingInYourLife · 09/03/2012 21:00

Certainly I've always understood "cash in hand" the way taking does.

AThingInYourLife · 09/03/2012 21:01

I used to pay DD's old childminder in cash, but I would never have described her as working for "cash in hand".

She was a registered CM, she just accepted cash as a method of payment.