I am losing the will to live trying to registar as an employer...

[girlylala0807]

so that I can employ a nanny 1 day a week. She has another job so I need to do this as she will pay tax on what I give her. I phoned then and they were very very unhelpful. Do I need to become a limited bloody company just to have a nanny 1 day a week...really???

TIA.

No you don't. Have you tried online?

link

Try the online system. Try signing up as an Organisation (because you want access to the PAYE system), Sole Trader, with the company name being your full name.

The online demo system is not working, so I can't see the questions it asks. Has anyone used it recently - how would a nanny employer need to answer the questions?

Ah, sole trader. Right thats one thing I never knew.Will have another go later when I have calmed down a bit. Its just all doing my head in at the moment!

Please note: The online demo does not work, so I can't see what questions it asks you. So I am guessing that it will give you options like: Sole Trader, Partnership, Limited Company. So if it gives those 3, then I think you would be a sole trader... and you would simply use your own name as the company name, like Mrs Girly Lala (that's not your real name, is it?)

You need to register in steps, looking here where it mentions sending you an activation PIN.

It looks like you can still register by Email... see: towards the bottom of this page, Sole Traders. I think that once registered, you would then need to register for Online PAYE... see here - How to enrol for PAYE Online if you're not able to use the online tax registration service.

Maybe one day there will be a simple guide for small employers to registering using the online system, alas I can't find one currently.

Sadly thats not my real name. Maybe I could set up shop as girly lala.com though.

Will have a proper look tomorrow im going out for the evening now. Thank you for your help.

It is of course totally wrong that you should have to sign up as a 'sole trader' because you are not in business, but hey ho, that's the system.

Against "Nature of Business Being Registered" put "Private Household" and you should be OK.

Did you call the New Employer Helpline though, or just a general HMRC enquiry number which is staffed be people who don't appear to know what they are talking about?

Or use a payroll agent and let them do it all - call a couple and see if they will give you a reduced fee for a low wage.

Whoah, do NOT follow any of the later links Nick gave to register a business, you do NOT want to do that. If you don't want to call them you need to use the online email form <a class="break-all" href="https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/EMPREG_Sole?dept-name=EHL&sub-dept-name=Registration&location=1&origin=www.hmrc.gov.uk/employers/what-next.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here.

Why not just get a nannypayroll company to do this for you? You're going to need to calculate tax, possibly SSP and produce payslips. Most of them are about £160-200 for the year and come in varying degrees of efficiency. I wouldn't recommend the one I used but I'm sure others will come forward with theirs.

Honestly, the payment to nannytax of about £120 for the year is worth it - they will sort all of this for you and do payslips etc.

The first link I gave goes to a page where you then find a link to the form which MrAnchovy has posted a direct link to... so I was sort of right
Good to find that's the only problem he found in what I put... he's so much better at this than me. I learn loads from you though MrAnchovy... will have to remember Nature of Business.

the payment to nannytax of about £120 for the year is worth it

I think you will find that particular agency is more expensive than that.

I'd really recommend ringing the new employer helpline - i registered before you d to do it online, but they were still really helpful. Playing dumb usually helps with hmrc!

Oh, I've just had a look, their prices have gone up! Though I still think it's worth it, it just makes life so much easier!

There are options which come to around £120 though. Just not that particular agency (although I'm sure there's a reason that they're a market leader).

Some do pay monthly options which would at least get you started.

Oh, I've just had a look, their prices have gone up!

I think you must have been thinking of a different agent: the archive of their web site shows that their rate was £164.50 in 2002, went up to £250 by 2004 and is now £276.