Paying self emp cleaner while she's not working

[BessMarvin]

I wonder if anyone can help me with this query?

Our cleaner is self employed. Given the current situation we don't want to be cleaned (except by ourselves!) until it's safe again.

Also she is having to do childcare anyway.

But we want to pay her anyway. But what I'm just wondering is, is that then likely to mean she can't apply for benefits that would be worth more?

Thanks

I’m paying mine, I doubt my payment will stop her benefits.

We've given ours 3 weeks paid leave and will see where we go from there. She has a family and we don't want to put them at unnecessary risk too.

Thanks for the replies. There seems to now be some kind of possibility of self employed people receiving money from the government after all so will see what happens there.

I am paying mine

Not sure of the tax implications, but as you are not contractually obliged to pay, could you gift her the equivalent money?

I’m all for not avoiding tax (we all should pay) but these are not normal times.

Not sure of the tax implications, but as you are not contractually obliged to pay, could you gift her the equivalent money?

A cleaner will be declaring their earnings, this is just paid leave.

We're paying ours and she's not coming to clean, but hopefully will return to work when this is over

Sorry I missed there were more replies.

I paid for the first missed week but she said she didn't feel comfortable being paid while not working. So I'm hoping the new support for the self employed will help.