To not want to pay cleaner in cash?

[brokenteddychair]

We have had a cleaner for about the last six months. She generally does a solid job and is reliable. I like her very much, she works hard and is trustworthy. She is currently the sole earner in her household as her husband doesn’t work (manual job). This is allegedly due to an injury but he is currently in his home country helping a family member with a renovation project so I’m a bit skeptical.

She has asked if we can start paying in cash “because the costs are burdening me and I need to ask clients to start paying in cash.”. This indicates to me that she is planning to under declare her income and therefore either not pay tax, claim benefits she isn’t actually entitled to, or both.

This is really conflicting me. I feel strongly that everyone should be paying their fair share of tax. I also don’t want the inconvenience of having to remember to get cash out every week. I have enough to do, that’s why I need to outsource help!

Would you suck it up or let her go?
YABU = cleaners are worth their weight in gold, just pay tax
YANBU = don’t be complicit in her fraud, find someone who will take bank transfer

• typo -> Just pay HER, not just pay tax 🫣

I would always pay them in cash no questions asked. Why are you concerning yourself with her partner and what he does or where he's from? She's your cleaner and her personal circumstances are not for you to cast judgement upon.

You can tell her no and find a new cleaner I guess. But for what actual reason? You suspect she's a fraudster because her husband is a foreign manual worker? That's just prejudiced speculation really.

To be honest the faff of having to get out cash for her every week would outweigh any thoughts of tax evasion.

Your spirit animal was here two weeks ago, OP.

I'd possibly consider offering to pay her in say tesco vouchers and keep them somewhere safe in the house so they are there for when you need to pay her

It is your responsibility to pay her.
it is her responsibility to pay her tax.

You are not responsible for making sure she pays her tax.

You do not actually know that's why she is wanting the money in cash (paying for things in cash is genuinely recommended as an approach if you are struggling to budget, for example).

if you think this is a good cleaner and want to keep her, then just go with it.

So you trust her but don't actually trust her? Pay her cash or find a new cleaner.

Whether she pays her tax or not has nothing to do with how she's paid.

Her tax affairs are not your business.

It is fine to pay cash and ask for a receipt.

Do you shop with Amazon? - do they pay their fair share of tax? Does your favourite restaurant?

Why? That's harder work than just giving her cash... and doesn't make her pay tax either?

Sorry what? It's the OP's cleaner, not her child.

I wouldn't pay cash, just because its a faff.

I'd tell her that it's not convenient for me to go to the cash point and that I want to continue paying bank transfer.

Its up to her if she stays working for me or I find someone else.

Having a cleaner should make life easier, not harder and remembering to go out of my way to find a cash point would be a hassle each week

If you ever offer to do this for someone I hope they tell you to fuck right off.

Her not paying tax is not your concern.

she does a great job, you like her and want to keep her so I would pay her cash.

i hate messing with cash too so I would draw out a few hundred pound at a time to save regularly going to the cash machine

I'd assume she's in dire straits financially with the situation she's in. The fact you can afford a cleaner means you don't understand what her life is probably like. I'd do it no questions asked.

Of course it is fraud. She is getting the same money so why would cash be better unless it was to under declare income. My moral code says YANBU.

How could you be arsed
She does a good job just pay her🤯

I would just pay her in cash, but give her the caveat that you may forget to withdraw it sometimes as it isn't something you normally do.

If it was me and I forgot one week I would just get the cash out when convenient for me so when I was at a supermarket or whatever, and then message her that you've got it. Tell her it is inconvenient so this is the price she pays for wanting cash.

I wouldn't concern myself with her paying tax or not. That's up to her. But then I don't blame someone who is struggling to want to pay less tax. The taxman gets enough. Huge corporations are tax avoiders, if you feel strongly, do something to expose or stop or raise awareness about those, rather than making things more difficult for a lone woman making a bit of money to keep her and her family afloat.

Tesco vouchers has really made me laugh. What if she shops in Waitrose?

Is her partner a dog walker?

That is one of the most bonkers things I've read in MN for a long while 😮😂

You need to decide if it is convenient to you to a) pay in cash or b) look for another cleaner.

I don't get all the handwringing on here about cleaners avoiding tax and child support. I get it for buildrers, plumbers etc etc, but a cleaner?

Cash is legal tender. There is nothing wrong or immoral about asking to be paid in cash.

You might well be right about the tax situation but it is an assumption not a matter of fact.

Ffs. Tesco vouchers are not legal tender. How would you like to be paid in Tesco vouchers?

Wtf who do you think you are how would you feel if your boss started paying you in tesco vouchers