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Original poster

Non essential work - self employed

22 replies

BBCONEANDTWO · 26/04/2020 16:31

I have a query - things seem to be very very contradictory and I'm not sure what to do.

My DP is self-employed joiner, but has been asked to work in a house doing what would be termed non-essential work e.g. building some built in wardrobes.

He hasn't worked since the lockdown due to shortage of supplies and the initial information seemed to say you couldn't go to other people's houses so he has been very strict during the lockdown.

I'm starting to think that he perhaps could do some jobs? Anybody got any advice please?

OP posts:
SpringBlossomIsBeautiful · 26/04/2020 16:54

If you can’t work from home you can work - obviously observing the 2m rule
That’s it

Classiccar · 26/04/2020 16:55

He’s allowed to as long as social distancing is practiced.

mynameiscalypso · 26/04/2020 16:56

It's fine. There's no such concept as 'essential work' really; if he can't work from home, he scan keep working.

Original poster
BBCONEANDTWO · 26/04/2020 17:05

Thanks. BUT I have to say at the start of the lockdown it was all over here that it was only ESSENTIAL workers that could go to work - according to a lot of posters so I really want to make sure.

OP posts:
ilovedjerrymore · 26/04/2020 17:16

He can go to work as long as distancing is kept to.
The guidelines state that if you can’t work from home then you can work outside the home.
I work in construction myself he is definitely allowed to work.

ChinnyReckon123 · 26/04/2020 17:17

Well it wasn't ever true that only essential workers were permitted to work outside the home.

MNetters made a lot of stuff up.

PineappleDanish · 26/04/2020 17:18

According to a lot of posters here we should all be locked up and not leaving the house ever. They have a very strange interpretation of the "rules".

As long as your DH can keep his distance from the homeowners (should be fairly easy if he;s working in a bedroom) then of course he can go to work.

mynameiscalypso · 26/04/2020 17:19

Are you in England? If so, people were talking shit. It's never been true that you can only go to work if you're doing essential work. Just if you can't work from home.

ChinnyReckon123 · 26/04/2020 17:19

Like the ones who said you could only shop for essential foods. That the only exercise outside permitted was walking, running or cycling. The ones that are still saying you can only exercise for an hour.

Don't take your information from MN!

KnobwithaK · 26/04/2020 17:22

As pp said - don't take your information from MN! (Although of course that's what you'd be doing if you believed us 😂).

He can still work, it's not "against the rules" whether he chooses to or anyone chooses to employ him is another matter.

Google it and look on the official government website if you want to be sure.

P1nkHeartLovesCake · 26/04/2020 17:23

If you can’t work from home you can work.

It has NEVER been a rule that only key workers (I.e paramedics etc) can work

Just look on the .gov webpage and it will confirm this

I’m assuming your in England? I only ask as if your in Scotland the rules may differ I’m not sure

mamanyoga · 26/04/2020 17:26

I thought non essential also meant something else. I was sled employed as a cleaner and have stopped all work. Claiming benefits now. Ffs

Hannah021 · 26/04/2020 17:27

He clearly can't work from home, and there are online stores selling clothes that are still running with workers working in warehouses, and these wouldn't be classified as essential! But they still need to keep running.

I think it's up to him if he feels safe to do so, and is able to turn the job down.
Because he's self-employed he might find it difficult to return to work if he keeps turning jobs down from whoever is allocating these jobs to him.

Original poster
BBCONEANDTWO · 26/04/2020 17:46

Thanks for the link - but this bit kinda of contradicts - for tradespeople working in homes it says 'essential maintenance work'. Building a cupboard wouldn't be classed as essential - this is the problem with the guidelines they are very ambiguous.

www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-in-the-workplace-during-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance#tradespeople-and-working-in-peoples-homes

Tradespeople and working in people’s homes
You are a tradesperson carrying out essential repairs and maintenance in people’s homes. You can continue work, providing that you are well and have no symptoms. You should notify all clients in advance of your arrival.

On entry to the home you should wash your hands using soap and water for 20 seconds. You should wash your hands regularly, particularly after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing, and when leaving the property. Where facilities to wash hands are not available, hand sanitiser should be used, and you should carry this with you at all times.

You should maintain a safe distance (at least 2 metres) from any household occupants at all times, and ensure good ventilation in the area where you are working, including opening the window.

No work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless your work is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household, such as emergency plumbing or repair.

No work should be carried out by a tradesperson who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild.

OP posts:
EloiseTheFirst · 26/04/2020 17:53

It's fine. This is from the Gov website.

Non essential work - self employed
MotherofDogs3 · 26/04/2020 19:39

My partners a builder/plasterer, does every thing, etc lol and hes not stopped working. He did have to cancel jobs he had booked in that was doing jobs inside peoples homes at the beginging of lock down. Hes now only doing work inside homes if no one lives there right now. Luckily hes still really busy for work majority is outside work. Aslong as the social distancing is applied theres no problem apparently. Boris even said it himself a few weeks back.

ChinnyReckon123 · 26/04/2020 20:28

OP just stop stressing.

You are permitted to work outside the home if you cannot work from home.

No restrictions unless you're a business which has been shut down completely like hair salons etc.

It's not 'essential' that a coffee shop is open for a takeaway coffee or a chip shop or Amazon delivering books or whatever.

It's still permitted. We NEED people to keep working.

coconuttelegraph · 26/04/2020 20:32

It may have changed but OP is right that although it was never said that jobs had to be essential it was said that you shouldn't do home improvements in houses with occupants. Emergency repairs = OK, improvements = don't do it.

Pipandmum · 26/04/2020 20:34

However, it has been made clear that it is maintenance and repairs, not building wardrobes. So if you're a plumber and someone's boiler has broken, you can go fix it. If they want a new bathroom installed, no.
My cleaner can't work from home. But she is certainly not working in anyone else's either.
I imagine in your husband's case, if a window is broken and needs a joiner to fix it - ok. If they want wardrobes, no. It's not maintenance or repair.

thetoddleratemyhomework · 27/04/2020 07:27

He can go to work in the house provided that no one is vulnerable or shielded and he is not ill himself.

Honestly, people on here (and the BBC) caused a lot of stress about essential work - the reality is that you can go to work if you can't work from home.

Original poster
BBCONEANDTWO · 27/04/2020 22:15

@Pipandmum - that's the impression I am under that it is ESSENTIAL work only - which is why so man y people are losing money at the moment.

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