Paying people cash in hand

[stretchmarkqueenie]

I've been told by the lady I use to do my ironing that she would now like cash payment rather than the usual bank transfer. It's making me feel uneasy, and personal preference I know, I don't like carrying cash on me. Just wondered others views on paying people cash in hand?

glint part of my job's code of conduct.

I would find this inconvenient as well, I would possibly look for a different ironing lady if she won’t budge on it. It’s not like she will be the only person offering this service!

I hope that the people so dead against someone living virtually on the breadline avoiding a small amount of tax, never shop at Amazon or Starbucks. And that you judge the many rich people who avoid tax.

Negotiate cash not tax.

I hope that the people so dead against someone living virtually on the breadline avoiding a small amount of tax

Yup. There is always someone who wants to stick it to the little people.

Your life must be hard work redsummershoes - in any give week I pay in cash for sporting subs for my DC for 4 different activities, the occasional school lunch, fruit and veg in my local market and coffee while watching the sporting activities none of which give receipts

Don't you do anything like that?

You said there's not a cashpoint near you op? Maybe that's why she wants cash. Save her going out of her way.

“There is always someone who wants to stick it to the little people.”

The OP wants her cleaner to continue to accept online payments. She isn’t trying to start a class war.

That’s odd redsumnershoes I’m an auditor and have never come accross that

Mind you I’ve also never come across a code of conduct which compels accountants to report potential tax evasion in their personal life so I guess that must be a different professional body 🤷🏼‍♀️

The OP wants her cleaner to continue to accept online payments

Because she says she feel uncomfortable about why she might be asking for cash- ie that she might be avoiding tax. There are so many corporations who are avoiding tax every single day and costing billions. Someone doing the shit-work for you wanting to keep hold of a little more of her meagre earnings is really the least of your problems if you are worried about this like of stuff.

It doesn’t sound like a big deal to me. It’s a small sum not thousands of pounds. You know roughly when and how much so it seems quite straightforward to plan ahead a bit and make sure you have cash available. I know my cleaner will need a similar sum every fortnight so I take it out when I’m shopping so it’s ready for her next time it’s due. I also have a small float for the window cleaner and the guy that cuts the grass both of whom turn up on a schedule known only to themselves. I could transfer the money to all of them but it’s so much quicker to just give them cash.

OTH you are the employer and if you prefer to carry on with a bank transfer just say so and carry on as you are.

That’s just Whataboutery, Peakpants.

You don’t know anything about the OP other than what she’s put in her posts. For all you know, she could be principled in not using any business, big or small, which avoids paying tax.

The tax thing wouldn’t be the kicker for me, more the inconvenience, but to say she should be fine with it because the cleaner is obviously earning buttons is patronising towards the business owner as well.

On payday take out enough cash to pay her for the month, so if it's a tenner a week take out £40/50 put it in to separate envelopes ready to pay each week?

I pay the window cleaner and gardener cash in hand.

What’s the problem ?

All my employees, either in my business, cleaner, gardener and window cleaner get paid by bank transfer. I don’t carry cash so if they refuse to be paid by BT they can go elsewhere.

I don’t really understand why you would have a problem paying cash? I get a some of the work I do paid in cash not because I want to evade any tax (my accountant sorts all that out), but simply because it’s more convenient for me plus I wouldn’t be comfortable with bank transfer. I do find it really strange people who never seem to have any actual money on them - like the people who a cup of coffee or a sandwich with their card! Odd lol

I hope that the people so dead against someone living virtually on the breadline avoiding a small amount of tax, never shop at Amazon or Starbucks
Tax evasion which you're suggesting someone on the breadline do is illegal. It runs the risk of fines and prison. Tax avoidance, which Amazon & co, and any decent business (it's called tax planning), do is perfectly legal. Amazon pays the tax that it's legally-obliged to do. Yes it takes advantage of any loopholes possible, but it's all legal. If the tax system closes the loopholes then it can't use them. Don't complain when someone legally minimises their tax bill - you'd do the same.

And I wouldn't want to be paying cash regularly because I'd have to make a special journey to the cashpoint.

Some women doing these small bits of jobs like cash because it stops their partners trying to control their finances.

If you don’t want to pay cash then get a new ironing lady.
If you like and want the existing ironing lady then pay her the way she wants to be paid and chill.

Does anybody know actually if there is risk of me being approached by HMRC if they suspect tax evasion, as a customer?

FFS. Get off your high horse. There are many (legitimate) reasons she could want cash. If you don't like it, cease using her services and god forbid do your own ironing.

She’s earning £10 or less per hour to do your grunt work and you want to bust her chops and ensure taxes being paid on her meagre earnings which you don’t even know she isn’t doing.

If she is doing a good job why would you make her life that much harder and be so petty?

I say as someone who happily pays their own cleaner £20 ph cash in hand

Cash is king. I for for food every week in cash. If no cash ive no money for food. Budgetting!

I declare everything. But have asked for cash in the past as it takes extra time to track and check bank transfers. Cash is just much easier for me. And NOTHING to do with avoiding paying tax.

If you don't want to pay cash, don't.

If she doesn't like it, you can always take your business elsewhere.

I suspect she's trying to avoid tax. You don't have to facilitate that if you don't want to.