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

Is she wanting cash so she can under declare tax or so that her absent H can't take it from the account? I'd pay cash if she's good and you trust her.

It always tickles me that tax ‘planning’ by the wealthy (who pleads pay a huge whack of tax) is frowned upon, yet cleaners are encouraged.

I've paid many workmen in cash what they do with that is none of my business

I am pro cash too and will forever pay cash and use cash

we need to resist!!!

I’m against a cashless society! Uk is soon to be one. It’s what they want

we need to fight this

Your "moral code" is just bollocks.

Lots of people get paid in cash and declare every penny. All my cash (several hundred pounds a week) goes into my business account each Friday. No fraud here, thank you.

Was going to say exactly that - you judge from an affluent and stable position - maybe her husband accesses the account and leaves her with nothing. Mind your own damn business and pay her or find a new cleaner!

What?

I'm sure they'd be really useful to pay her electricity bill!
Absolutely ridiculous suggestion. Would you like your work to pay you in shopping vouchers?

I know, and that's saying something! 😂

Out of interest, how would one declare tax on Tesco vouchers? Would Revenue accept a buy one get one free offer as payment?

It might be because she has debt problems and wants to have cash available due to being unable to use her debit card.

It might be because she is building up an escape fund.

It might be to hide the income from someone abusive.

It might be because it is easier to budget with cash.

Don't judge everyone by your own standards!

Exactly.
Why are people judging this woman? Is it because she's working class? From overseas?
The immediate assumption of fraud!

You wouldn’t though, would you? Because that would be absolutely mental!

Exactly this.

Indeed. It's tax evasion whoever is doing it. If she'd just said cash works better for her that's one thing, but she's essentially told OP she is going to end up with more money if she gets paid in cash - i.e. she's not going to declare it. I wouldn't be comfortable being part of that either and it would piss me off every Jan and July when I pay my own massive tax bill 😂

I have no issue at all paying cash if requested, especially my mechanic 😬

I only do bank transfers. Cash is inconvenient and it shouldn’t make any difference to her how she gets paid unless she’s planning something criminal

Ridiculous

I mean you could volunteer to pay her more per hour to help with her overheads… I suspect you won’t.

Lol, you want benefit claiments paid in vouchers as well,.don't you?

Please don't pay your cleaner in Tesco vouchers. It's weird.

That's not true in the slightest, though - it's just something you've made up

Maybe her DH is abusive and controls the money.
Maybe she owes someone and doesn't want her DH knowing.
Maybe she can save money by not using a business account.
Maybe she just prefers to budget that way.

Either way, it's nobody else's business.

Near me, there is a small, independent, family run restaurant. They have a notice asking for customers to pay in cash, if convenient, because it cuts costs for them.
I'm pretty sure they're not tax evaders.

I agree that all your hypotheticals could be reasons to get paid in cash. However she gave a reason which is only consistent with cash = increases the profit. So how do you square that?

"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.”."

Except the wording of the cleaner's request make it veey likely that she is planning not to declare her income.

"It is your responsibility to pay her.
it is her responsibility to pay her tax." is true but OP is under no obligation to enable the arrangement.

Yeah and it certainly doesn't help when you're trying to pay Eon or shopping in Primark.