DS working cash in hand:consequences?

[Isabella1066]

DS back at home after uni. Casual, p/t work in a bar, paid cash in hand. Employer paying no NI or Income Tax. As this isn't legal (on either part), my fear is that DS may get rumbled (or bar first) & be liable to pay back NI, at least. I've told him about the legality (indeed morality) of this & whilst he understands seems to have very little interest in pursuing legit opportunities.

Has handed around CVs, has emailed here and there but we live in a fairly large town and there is no way that he could't get something above board, paying regularly (and, incidentally, with the possiblity that we might get a contribution to his living expenses) and looking good on a CV as he tries to get a job suited to his interests and degrees.

The work is so hit and miss, something he finds demoralising but perhaps at the moment my biggest worry is that working this way (been going on for months) could land him (not to say the bar) in lots of unncessary trouble.

Any thoughts? Feel increasingly worried (and of course rather fed up that DS isn't contributing a penny to expenses in the family home).

It would be the employer that got into trouble & had to pay back any contributions not the employee.

How much is he earning? Is it more than £112 per week?

For a one off short term job I wouldn't worry, but as this is continuing, it's potentially a problem in the long term. He needs to be legit as any new employer will surely ask for his P45.....

Very many thanks, both of you. No, he's probably getting under £112 a week - sometimes considerably less as the work is so hit and miss and the hourly rate the bare minimum for his age.

A good point about a P45 - I hadn't thought of it and will discuss with DS. Of course, he should be making far more effort himself to get regular work but I'm doing to redouble my efforts to help/support him get on his feet. Thank, again.

I'd be more worried that if this continues he may be at a stage where he struggles to have however many years of NI contributions for a full pension....35?

If he is earning under £112 per week (which is the NI Lower Earnings Level) & there are no other employees earning more than £112 per week then the employer does not have to run a PAYE scheme so cash in hand is legal.

It's the employer who would get into trouble. He could always register as self employed and pays his NI that way.

I was amazed to learn that the job job I had when I was in sixth form counted towards my 35 years of state pension contributions.

To be honest, I think we should all be shunning these shitty employers in a bid to raise the bar but I know there are loads of people who would put up with it.

Let's hope he doesn't have an accident or get assaulted at work. Poor him. I would encourage him to get it made legal or leave. At least he won't have to give notice as he is not employed!