Should I have paid my cleaner when she was unwell?

[JMSA]

I have a cleaner who comes to my flat for 3 hours every fortnight. She's great and I value her. Always pay on time, always have the place tidy for her (as to leave it messy would be disrespectful), always give her a lovely Christmas present, am flexible with her, always realistic in my expectations, etc.
She let me know on the day of the clean that she wouldn't be able to come this week. She wasn't feeling well. Obviously I told her not to worry, to rest up and get well soon. I also messaged her the following day, to check on her (not with a view to the cleaning, purely out of concern!). She didn't reply. I didn't pay her for the missed clean and I'm wondering if she's annoyed at this.
It goes without saying that I would have her over another time, at her convenience and whenever she feels better. But I have to wait until my usual slot a fortnight later, as she doesn't do this. Naturally I have to clean the place myself in that case, as it can't wait another two weeks.
Should I have paid her, or is it part and parcel of being self-employed?

I don’t pay if she’s unwell; she’s self employed and I don’t pay for anything else if the service isn’t provided

If it's not in a contract to pay her then you do not need to pay her.

I don't pay my cleaner when she cancels. I would pay her if I cancelled with less than 24hrs notice.

Maybe she's still unwell. Maybe she doesn't want to discuss her health with you. Maybe she's busy.

I doubt she expected to be paid and us now annoyed with you. I'm self employed and I don't expected to be paid if I cancel.

If she wanted paying she would offer another time. She is self employed and that is one of the risks.

Ok, thank you all.

I wouldn't unless you have a contract stating this. If she is unwell and cancels she should offer an alternative time if she wants payment for that week. If it was you who was unwell and cancelled then I would pay.

No, you don’t pay her.

However, if you were unwell and cancelled on her I think paying her would be fair.

Do you get paid when you're ill? I do.

No contract and I don't think I've ever cancelled on her. If I did, I would pay.

No you don’t normally pay when cleaners can’t attend due to illness. Same with my dog walker, if she is sick I don’t pay. Pretty standard so I wouldn’t feel bad

Please don't worry and don't overthink it. So many reasons for someone not replying to a text. And no, part of the deal of being self employed is that you price your work to allow for holidays and sick days.

No, I don't play my cleaner if she's unwell or can't come for any other reason.

I don't pay when my cleaner cancels, we pay if we cancel under 1 week notice. She is self-employed so it's her responsibility to manage sickness period.

I do find it a bid odd to message her for a non-work related reason, not sure I would respond if my manager was messaging me to enquire about my health on my non-working day...
Depending on the boss, I would either think it's well-intended but weird, or that he's checking on me maybe thinking I was lying?...

I don’t.

And I wouldn’t expect to.

No because I’m self employed
presumably just as the cleaner is

My cleaner has only cancelled once in over 10 years
I paid her for that session and for all our holidays

I know what you mean but we're friendly with each other when she's here, if that makes sense. And I know that she lives alone, so I'd appreciate someone checking in with me. Maybe I got that wrong though.

Well that rather depends on your company's sickness policy. But self employed people don't get paid for taking time off sick, no.

I would not pay a cleaner who was off sick, at least not normally; there could be exceptions.

I'm self employed and wouldn't expect to get paid if I'm ill. In terms of her arranging another time, its not always possible. I work on a fortnightly rota so I simply don't have another free slot to make up for any time off sick. The customer typically has to wait until their next fortnightly slot.

I think it depends on the message im self employed and if im ill and have to cancel I dont expect paying and clients being kind is lovely but its easy for a message to feel like a pressure and not kindness but questioning when you will be back.

She’s se. She won’t expect to be paid if she cancels / I’ll

Self employed not entitled to sick pay.

If i cancel i pay. If she cancels she gets nothing

You don’t pay self employed people when unwell. You wouldn’t pay the window cleaner or a plumber who cancelled. It gets messy as a cleaner works inside your home and you are sociable with each other. I would say, having been a cleaner you want to set your rates to include enough to pay yourself holiday pay and sick pay. So I’d be more inclined to offer her extra hours to make up for missed time if your paying a low rate say £12 but not so much if earning £18