housekeeper/cleaner/school run

[newjobnewlife]

This is a hypothetical question at the moment, as I don't want to suggest changes until I know the implications.

I currently have a cleaner twice a week for a couple of hours. She has also babysat for us a few times. We get on very well, and I am considering asking her whether she would collect my children from school after she cleans, bring them home and supervise their tea (I'm happy to cook it, she'd just have to heat and serve).

She cleans for me on a self employed basis, which I think is ok because she has some control over what/when she works and she also cleans for other people. Would this change if she were to do regular school collections?

according to HMRC there will be no issue, because she will be offering other service to same client. not a big deal.
i suppose she will keep some of her cleaning clients too, so she would be working for more than 1 client which is fine.

As long as she retains control over when she works it should not be a big issue. As I see it, the employment status would change if you insisted that she worked particular days, rather than her telling you when she can help you. If she is not obligated to do it but is offering her service to you on an as and when needed plus as and when she so desires to work, then it should be fine. She must continue to have other clients and she must not be under an obligation to work - if say you want every Wednesday and she says she can't do Wednesdays, or can only do some of them, then you need to accept that... you can't force her to work.

Thank you for answering, it's really helpful as I try to plan what I can do.

What I'd like to suggest to her is that she does the school pick up on X and y days after she cleans. Tbh the days she cleans sometimes change according to what suits her or me, so the days she collected would probably vary too. I would need to plan in advance, so we'd need to agree the days say a month in advance, but yes, she'd be free to say which days she could/couldn't do and so take or leave the work.

Lots to think about, but thank you for answering :)