[Prestige1]

Do you think there has been a big increase in cleaners who are cleaning houses on the side whilst claiming other benefits? And not declaring this extra income?

I have found lately in my area that the customers with loads of cash want someone like a company who can offer quality with insurance etc I am still attracting this type of clientele. But those who are stretched to pay for my services are finding local girls who will clean for a tenner per hour and are happy taking the risks.

Is there anything we can do collectively to stop this?

my thoughts are simple, we should make it law that anyone who carries out any work in the home should have a license similar to a CIS card, any home owner contracting out work cleaning, plumbing etc to a unregistered person will be fined £200 or similar amount. Then all registered staff will be subjected to possible benefit fraud if found claiming and holding a card.

It is so easy for some one to clean 3 or 4 houses a week and claim benefit to earn in excess of £500 per week when both are combined.

Is this happening to you? And what do you think we should do about it?
Kind regards Phil

[preston powerblast]

Its happening all over the country, up here its companies hiring foriegn nationals who will work all day for 25 quid.
 We cant compete so we leave a lot of house cleaning well alone.

[dustdees]

YEAH NO PROBLEM

HUBBY WORKS FOR DSS!!

HIS MATE WORK IN FRAUD!!!

[windolene]

Hi,

I HAVE ONLY SEEN ONE ENGLISH DOMESTIC CLEANER IN THE LAST TWO YEARS ON MY WINDOW CLEANING TRAVELS DOWN HERE IN SURREY. THE MARKET IS SATUARATED WITH ARE FELLOW EU COLLEAGES WHO COME HEAR TO WORK AS THERE IS NONE IN THERE HOME COUNTRIES. I SPEAK TO SOME OF THEM & ALL SEEMS TO BE ABOVE BOARD. LETS NOT FORGET MOST ENGLISH ARE DOING OTHER WORK.

I BELIEVE THE ENGLISH BRICKLAYERS WENT OVER TO GERMANY DURING THE LAST RESSION AS THERE WAS NO WORK HERE.  ITS GONE FULL CIRCLE.

KEVIN windolene.

[Jan K]

Prestige, I think that is a very good idea.......if a potential Client ever queries my prices are too high I always explain that I wouldn't expect anything less than them shopping around to find someone who can do a first rate job and have all the correct insurances etc in place and do the job all legally and above board. I generally get the job! Most of the time I get jobs because my girls and I are honest and forthright as well as good at our jobs!

Jan

[exoclean]

To stop the hiring of benefit cheats just as much punishment has to be handed out to businesses and indviduals who flout the laws and use companies that employ them just to get a few quid off their costs.

You could never eliminate it but a threat to punish all concerned would hopefully reduce the law-breakers.

Paul

[Ian Gourlay]

Write to the revenue and say Mrs X has taken on an employee, they may not be paying NI

[DP]

I actually thought that if you contrive or assist someone to commit benefit fraud (by employing them) you were breaking the law anyway, and if caught subject to penalties.

The problem is that the people committing these offences simply don’t care and as a bargain hungry nation, there will always be those who are ready to employ cheap labour whatever the law.

Unless you can actually do something, the best way is to completely ignore it and focus on getting the work that you can (a bit like competition really)