Cleaner who works 6 hours per week preferring cash in hand weekly - holiday pay? Is this a thing?

[Catwhispereroo]

Hi, we have a cleaning lady who is generally lovely. She comes for 6 hours per week, £20 per hour, so £120 per week. She always prefers cash in hand weekly.

Today she asked if we will pay her 4 weeks holiday pay as, according to her, 'everyone else does.'

I had a think about it, but have had to tell her this is not possible. I feel bad though. AIBU?

My reasoning is -

1. A cleaner is already quite a luxury, as I'm no longer working.

2. We have had lots of cleaners over the years and all preferred cash and none ever asked for holiday pay for cash in hand work.

3. I don't want the hassle of a contract setting out holiday pay or sickness pay (will that be next)? We are a just a private household, not a company.

4. I will give her a few weeks pay as a Xmas bonus anyway.

5. She seems to go abroad for a month each year. If we gave her 4 weeks pay, that would be almost £500. Then, if I got a replacement cleaner in for those weeks, that would be another £500!

6. When we go away I'm happy for her to come as usual (even though we don't really need this) so that she doesn't lose out financially. But I can't pay 4 weeks holiday as week.

Again, AIBU? Thanks!

No you don’t pay holiday pay, £20 an hour for a cleaner is excellent, school cleaners etc earn £12 ish an hour. Her price includes her tax , ni, holiday , pension etc this is not a you problem.
Also why are you paying several weeks money for Xmas she’s your cleaning help not family, maybe a £20 in a card but that’s it, she sees a you as an easy touch sorry

She is self employed. But if she was an employee she would accrue AL, so legally she would get 0.6 hours of holiday pay for every week she works. As 2025/26 tax year is only 12 weeks in she has only accrued 7.2 hours / £144 to date. It’s not usual to pay full AL allowance anyway in June as if she resigns she would be due you AL pay back. Her AL pay comes from her hourly rate which should account for her AL

She's clearly biting the hand that feeds her.

You are already extremely generous to her and now she's used to it has decided she'd like to get a bit greedy

I’d say she’s self employed so holiday should be included in her rates.

She is either self employed in which case she isn't entitled to holiday pay or you are her employer and pay her tax, NI contributions employer and employee and she is entitled to paid leave.

She hasn't got a leg to stand on as the cash you pay her almost certainly won't be getting declared anywhere! You forfeit protections and statutory entitlements when you're not declaring it.

No. You don't pay someone self employed holiday pay as their pay reflects it. Tbh I'd let her go as she sounds untrustworthy

Self employed people don’t get holiday pay.

Cheeky. Let her go and find someone else.

Thanks, yes this is what I thought.

Occasionally in the past, I've used cleaners from an agency, as a one off or something like that. I explained to her that they will be getting holiday pay, but they will be on contracts!

Our cleaner prefers cash in hand (even though bank transfer would be much easier for us) and we don’t pay her holiday pay and she’s never asked. She does come when we’re away even though we don’t really need her to. I give her double money at Christmas and a gift.

Cash in hand? I’d suggest if she wishes holiday pay then she should run her business legally.

No cleaners do not usually get holiday pay. Unless working for an agency and the agency pay.

I’d tell her you are more than happy to draw up a contract etc and she can accrue AL.

Then mention that means her tax and NI will come off her earnings and her AL will need to be applied for and as with all business it will be approved if it works for you and actually her having her AL whilst you’re away would be excellent for you!

Once she sees she can’t have her cake and eat it she will likely return to the status quo!

Is she a brilliant cleaner? For £20 per hour I'd expect perfection.

I give mine Christmas money to cover Christmas week and a money present. I'll pay her if I cancel at short notice but given that she takes a month to visit her family in Europe during the summer she doesn't get paid for that.

She’s self employed, so that’s a no.

£20/hr is a pretty standard rate where I am

No you are not obliged to pay holiday pay. No sick pay . I would't pay her whilst you are away either. A nice bonus £100 at christmas is lovely idea. She is supposed to declare her income as self employed...but we all know that is happening. £20 pwr hour is top rate. Do you supply all the cleaning naterials too?

I mean, she's definitely reliable in that she always comes on time and doesn't leave early (unlike some I've known in the past). Cleaning is ok. I always tidy up for her! She is very pleasant, but I think this request is odd. I don't mind paying her a bit over the going rate as I don't want miserable people in the house feeling hard done by. But now she'll probably be miserable anyway!

Yes I supply all materials.

Are you in London or the south east?

Maybe I should consider myself fortunate (I'm not convinced she declares it and don't want to push it)

This is London, yes.

Why are you paying her cash? You are potentially facilitating fraud and screwing over public services and people who rely on benefits to survive. Make sure every penny goes through her bank account by paying her electronically so that you can absolve yourself of any responsibility.

Agree with others that if she is self employed, she can’t expect you to pay her when she is not there…

having said that, it is exactly what we do for our cleaner and gardener - they are paid top market rate and we pay them 4 weeks each holiday pay / pay them sickness pay - it is how I look after staff who themselves look after us

I'm in South Wales. Not a posh place at all. And looked for a cleaner out of desperation and all the quotes came back at £20ish and that wasn't even a deep clean. Some were higher again.
It's gone a bit crazy now.