Dog walker wants cash in hand

[funtimetoni]

Started using a new dog walker in January, as old one moved away. Today he messaged and asked if I can start paying cash. Ive been paying by bank transfer and always on time. AIBU to think no, you can be paid through the correct channels like everyone else. For the record he charges towards the higher rate for the area, so it's not like I'm getting a bargain.

It isn't comparable to paying cash in a shop. Paying 'cash in hand' for services is often a form of tax evasion.

Is he registered and does he have insurance? Its possible he will say he is walking three dogs when he's really walking four or five and some of the dogs aren't going through the books.

If he really wants cash, I'd ask for his invoice and a receipt showing you have paid in cash.

Lots of people assuming that money paid into a bank account will be declared as earnings ... that's no more guaranteed than that cash won't be declared.

Ah, another person who assumes cash means tax dodging 🙄

Newsflash - you can declare your cash income on your tax returns.

Me too, and my cleaner. I wonder if we'll have neighbouring cells when we're both imprisoned for facilitating tax evasion?

It was the OP who first talked about the "correct channel(s)"

The poster you are quoting was simply putting the OP right.

Bit like you're trying to do, but you're correcting the wrong person...

Easier and quicker than what? How?

If you are running your business as you should be, then any cash coming in for goods or services you provided would need to be banked and accounted for, and a portion of it ring fenced to pay your taxes. Even if you didn't bank all of it you'd still need to bank the tax portion, unless you are stuffing cash in your mattress as a way of saving to pay the taxman.

Then any cash you wanted to spend would need to be drawn out. So how is that quicker and easier than being paid directly by bank transfer and you yourself paying other people by directly by bank transfer or making a card payment?

Not everyone has a few £100 in cash - many older people cannot stagger to cash machines or walk their own dog. So they are not physically able to use cash but like to have a dog.

Do all the posters “not supporting” this presumed tax avoidance from a casual dog walker also veto Amazon ((one of the most significant uk tax avoiders) ? Doubt it 😂

Id pay the guy cash.

So you meant your "preferred channel" rather than the "correct channel"?

Imagine being so uptight to assume a dog walker or other similarly small earning businesses are avoiding tax but accept multi billion companies scamming their way out of tax on the regular.
I pay cash to self employed small businesses as it helps save bank charges , every penny counts now.

All my window cleaner's customers pay him in cash so there may not be enough cells for us all. 😂

So what if he isn’t putting everything through the books?! I don’t blame him if he isn’t. Nobody goes after the tax dodging massive corporations or stops spending money with them cause they pay no tax do they? Why do you even care what happens once you’ve paid?

We are all being shafted left right and centre - the tax bandings haven’t changed for nearly a decade, the price of most things has shot through the roof. What was once a comfortable salary no longer is. If you keep a few cash jobs off the books and save a bit of tax why wouldn’t you? The taxman always wins in the end anyway - so if you can get a little win then go for it.

He’s politely asked for cash as a preferred payment method not demanded it.

Ummm, cash isnt illegal ffs 🙄🙄
Its just their preferred method of payment thats all!
Why does everyone assume that asking for cash is some kind of dirty, underground payment method??
It just means that the person asking to be paid cash gets to keep 100% of what they earn, without having to pay bank charges etc. This is very important to the SE or small businesses. Every transaction costs otherwise.
They still have to pay tax and NI you know.....

Exactly!!! This is the world we live in now - judge the small business owner for keeping a few cash jobs off the books then go Starbucks for a coffee in the morning.

I know who I’d rather get away with dodging tax and it certainly isn’t the companies who already take the piss

Just tell him you find a bank transfer more convenient, see what he says and make your decision about it. I’m not seeing why this warrants a thread.

Do any of the replies seriously think that most tradespeople asking for cash payment will pay the correct tax? In a shop you pay cash and get a till receipt.

Agreed. Same with our window cleaner, who we can pay cash if we wish but we are always left an invoice and are sent a receipt which ever method we use.

Wonder if the people joshing over whether they’ll have adjoining cells will care when their loved one has to wait an extra 6 weeks for a cancer diagnosis, the police have noone available to call when they are burgled, or their child fails to get SEN provision at school…because there is not enough money to fund it all due to everyone evading taxes.

ETA as I said above, it a personal (moral) choice and up to OP whether she pays cash or not, really.

Oh come on - talk about dramatic. People working and not declaring a few cash jobs are NOT the problem. I take it you don’t spend your money at any of the big corporations that avoid tax either then? Cause they’re the bigger problem!

Dog walker, window cleaner, these types of jobs are typically cash in hand are they not?
It's fine to not want to pay in cash, it's also fine for him to stop walking your doggy.

I actually prefer using cash, and worry that if too many people stop then it will cease to exist as an option. When electrical systems go down, it’s important to have a backup of cash!

Exactly this!

I am a tutor and this is the reason I ask for cash. I get it on the day. Not later/ never.

I pay all my taxes on income earned.

I did reply earlier but just to add
did you ask why the change is needed now ?

It would not bother me