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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dd earning £6 an hour cash in hand for a Saturday/holiday job

123 replies

wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:03

in a hairdresser just doing very basic things, making drinks, sweeping up, general cleaning and answering the phone.

obviously it’s less than minimum wage but she is learning the basics of work.

Some of my family are a bit disapproving - but I feel as if it’s still good experience particularly as she wants to carry on.

AIBU to let her continue until she finds something better?

OP posts:
Original poster
wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:03

She’s 16.

OP posts:
SeagullFreeZone · 02/08/2025 00:04

What age is she ?

Original poster
wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:05

She’s entitled to £7.55 I think strictly speaking

OP posts:
TheCurious0range · 02/08/2025 00:05

I didn't think there was a NMW for 16 year olds

ilovesooty · 02/08/2025 00:05

If she's working cash in hand is she insured in the event of injury at work?

SeagullFreeZone · 02/08/2025 00:05

Sorry - see she’s 16.
Why would you have any say ?
Have you a better paid job lined up for her?

Original poster
wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:05

No she’s not insured I’m sure

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 02/08/2025 00:07

wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:05

No she’s not insured I’m sure

In that case I wouldn't be happy about it in your position.

Original poster
wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:07

I think it’s her choice Seagull, I’m just curious about what people here think as some of my family think it’s unfair to her. My view is - she hasn’t got another job yet.

OP posts:
SeagullFreeZone · 02/08/2025 00:07

That changes my opinion
She needs to be insured

Original poster
wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:08

yes I think I need to think about it further. She has no contract either

OP posts:
Brendahollowayreconsider · 02/08/2025 00:14

No employer liability it's really not worth the risk.

Renoonabudget · 02/08/2025 00:39

Less than minimum wage, no insurance, no contract, no rights. They're being cheeky fuckers to not at least give her the minimum wage for her age in lieu of all those protections too!

Having said that my first shop job was £5 a day cash in hand in the mid 90s but I didn't know any better.

horseplay12 · 02/08/2025 01:30

Also, if she were on the payroll properly, it would help towards her NIC even if she doesn’t pay NI.

Isitreallysohard · 02/08/2025 01:32

Is that slave labour and illegal?

Meadowfinch · 02/08/2025 01:41

Isitreallysohard · 02/08/2025 01:32

Is that slave labour and illegal?

No, slave labour involves not having a realistic freedom to leave.

They are underpaying her, but I'd be more concerned about lack of insurance.

Good on your dd though for having the resourcefulness to find herself a job at 16. It isn't easy.

Ginseng1 · 02/08/2025 01:49

It's great experience for her & super she wants to work and earn. I'd say stay at it but look for something else in the meantime & if she's good & got the experience she probably will soon enough. Why even tell relatives it's cash in hand ?! I'd bet most of us on this forum started off with some sort of cash in hand job doesn't mean to say we are lifers on it!

Isitreallysohard · 02/08/2025 02:00

Meadowfinch · 02/08/2025 01:41

No, slave labour involves not having a realistic freedom to leave.

They are underpaying her, but I'd be more concerned about lack of insurance.

Good on your dd though for having the resourcefulness to find herself a job at 16. It isn't easy.

Show quote history

But if it's cash in hand, then surely that's illegal. What's to say this type of person doesn't also exploit immigrants?

incognitomummy · 02/08/2025 02:23

get her out of there asap.
have they taken her on as an apprentice?
In any case……
It’s illegal. They wont be insured if
something goes wrong.

tell them they need to pay her properly, via Payroll or she needs to find a new role.

slave Labour is against the law.

https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates

The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates: age, apprentices, previous years.

https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

incognitomummy · 02/08/2025 02:26

£7.55 per hour is min wage for her age

Noshadelamp · 02/08/2025 02:28

wildfellhall · 02/08/2025 00:07

I think it’s her choice Seagull, I’m just curious about what people here think as some of my family think it’s unfair to her. My view is - she hasn’t got another job yet.

It is unfair to her, that's why they think that.

What do you think would happen if she asked for the legally required minimum rate?

My dd was in a similar situation with a cafe job. The boss tried to pay her less than mw, which she refused and reminded him of the actual rate. Which he proceeded to pay her.

It's possible your dd's boss is trying it on thinking she doesn't know better or isn't going to stand up for herself.

Noshadelamp · 02/08/2025 02:31

Also how is being exploited a great experience for anyone, let a lone your own daughter? Op would you let someone pay you below nmw? Stand up for your DD and don't allow her to be exploited like this.

PinkCampervan · 02/08/2025 02:49

ilovesooty · 02/08/2025 00:05

If she's working cash in hand is she insured in the event of injury at work?

Of course not. She doesn't exist.

OP DD is an adult, let her crack on. She's not actually doing anything wrong, she being exploited is all and that's not a crime (for the victim). It's her decision. So long as she understands what working off the books means.

I knew someone ages ago employed this way and it went sour when she got pregnant and didn't understand why they wouldn't pay maternity pay (at the time that was the employers legal responsibility). SMP was only paid at that time if the employer had a valid reason for not paying basic maternity pay. Last I heard she was trying to get them to fill in some form explaining why they wouldn't pay. I doubt she got very far considering they'd not have wanted to admit she was even working there. She was 19 and had no idea about working off the books versus PAYE.

There's not much in it for DD though, no legal employees rights etc, but also no obligations eg to give notice etc. She isn't likely to be earning enough to pay tax or NI so she's not saving there, she's not doing benefit fraud so wouldn't lose out financially by being PAYE and she's not an immigrant without the relevant visa who can't officially work, so nothing to be gained for her by working cash in hand. Reality is though, that so many of those basic jobs are, that if she insisted on her legal rights they'd just fire her and get someone else who's happy to work off the books. So if she wants the job she's probably best to suck it up. If she's left full time education you should stop claiming child benefit otherwise you're doing benefit fraud (although it's highly unlikely you'd be caught in this instance). Don't think that applies if she's just finished school then going to college or something in September. Pretty sure full time students can work part-time and their parents still get CB until they're 18.

She should bail though the second they start with late payment of wages (if they do), that shit never ends and they'll just keep her more and more behind each month, she'll never get what's owed. So if it happens tell her to just cut her losses and not return, even if it's just a fiver short, unless it's genuinely a mistake and they pay up there and then.