How to employ a housekeeper: contracts, payroll and pensions

Establish who employs the person

A family hiring household staff directly will usually have employer responsibilities where the worker is not genuinely self-employed or employed through another business. The title used for the person does not settle status. Clarify who pays, instructs and employs them before making an offer.

Do not treat an invoice or a verbal description of self-employment as decisive without checking the actual arrangement. Household employment can involve tax, insurance and employment-rights responsibilities. Obtain professional advice if there is doubt, especially where several households or properties share the person’s work.

Before deciding, translate the guidance into a short list for your particular home. Record the essential responsibilities, a normal weekly timetable and what happens when the family travels or has visitors. Identify the person who gives instructions and any other staff already involved. This prevents a general article from being mistaken for a complete job description or a set of terms that suits every household.

Prepare an achievable role

Write duties, hours, location, salary and reporting lines in plain terms. Specify cooking, childcare, travel, driving or accommodation where applicable. The working week should allow enough time for essential responsibilities without relying on undefined flexibility.

A clear role supports fair interviews and sensible offers. Candidates should understand the work and the family’s routine before deciding whether the appointment suits them. A recruitment agency can help structure the brief, but the employer remains responsible for the final arrangement and any legal obligations.

Use questions to clarify uncertainty rather than making promises that neither party can realistically keep. A candidate should be able to explain relevant experience and ask about the role, while the family should be able to describe the work accurately. Confidentiality matters on both sides: private details about previous or current households should not be shared simply to make an interview or brief more interesting.

Complete prescribed right-to-work checks

Follow the current GOV.UK procedure before employment starts, using the permitted method appropriate to the person. Agency checks do not replace the employer’s own prescribed procedure. Keep the required records and consider repeat checks where permission is time-limited.

Apply the process consistently and avoid discriminatory assumptions. A passport sighting is not automatically sufficient for every circumstance. Current official guidance explains document and online routes; seek qualified advice on immigration questions rather than relying on a general recruitment guide to decide an individual case.

The guidance here is general information, not individual employment, tax or immigration advice. Check current GOV.UK guidance and take appropriate professional advice where necessary. Rates, statutory thresholds and the legal treatment of a working arrangement can change. The agency’s recruitment assessment and introductory process are distinct from the employing household’s own responsibilities before and during employment.

Put employment terms in writing

Written terms should reflect the actual job, including duties, hours, place of work, gross pay, leave, notice and accommodation where offered. The statutory requirements and deadlines should be checked through official guidance or professional advice rather than guessed.

Avoid informal net-pay promises that obscure gross salary and employer costs. Describe arrangements for additional hours, travel and changing schedules. If a combined role changes materially, revisit the terms. A clear document helps both family and employee understand the appointment and resolve practical questions.

Before deciding, translate the guidance into a short list for your particular home. Record the essential responsibilities, a normal weekly timetable and what happens when the family travels or has visitors. Identify the person who gives instructions and any other staff already involved. This prevents a general article from being mistaken for a complete job description or a set of terms that suits every household.

Organise payroll and deductions

Employer registration, tax deductions, National Insurance and payslips may be required. Check the current GOV.UK employer guidance and use appropriate payroll support. A recruitment fee is separate from payroll administration and does not calculate the employer’s liabilities.

Agree how and when wages are paid and how any variable hours are recorded. Maintain accurate records and avoid relying on cash payment as a shortcut around obligations. The exact treatment depends on current law and the arrangement, so confirm it for the household rather than adopting an old online example.

Use questions to clarify uncertainty rather than making promises that neither party can realistically keep. A candidate should be able to explain relevant experience and ask about the role, while the family should be able to describe the work accurately. Confidentiality matters on both sides: private details about previous or current households should not be shared simply to make an interview or brief more interesting.

Plan holiday, pensions and insurance

Employment rights, paid holiday, pension duties and suitable insurance need consideration. Eligibility and requirements vary according to the arrangement and current rules. Obtain advice before assuming that a live-in employee, part-time worker or short appointment is outside these responsibilities.

Think about continuity during leave and how cover will be organised. The employee’s rights and the family’s practical needs should both be planned. Record relevant arrangements clearly and consider whether temporary support is necessary, rather than expecting ordinary duties to be done during agreed time off.

The guidance here is general information, not individual employment, tax or immigration advice. Check current GOV.UK guidance and take appropriate professional advice where necessary. Rates, statutory thresholds and the legal treatment of a working arrangement can change. The agency’s recruitment assessment and introductory process are distinct from the employing household’s own responsibilities before and during employment.

Arrange induction and any practical trial

A useful induction covers the property, access, safe equipment use, emergency contacts and communication. A trial should have a defined purpose, reasonable tasks and agreed duration and payment. Work done as a worker can attract minimum-wage obligations even if it is called a trial.

Provide a named contact for questions and explain priorities rather than asking the employee to guess. Household products, valuable items and unfamiliar equipment need instructions. Give constructive feedback against the agreed brief and avoid using a trial as ordinary unpaid cover or a substitute for specialist training.

Before deciding, translate the guidance into a short list for your particular home. Record the essential responsibilities, a normal weekly timetable and what happens when the family travels or has visitors. Identify the person who gives instructions and any other staff already involved. This prevents a general article from being mistaken for a complete job description or a set of terms that suits every household.

Review the arrangement professionally

Use an early review to confirm that duties, hours and communication are working as agreed. Material changes should be discussed and documented. Professional advice is important if questions arise about employment status, dismissal, accommodation or payroll. This guide cannot determine individual rights or liabilities.

Berkley Clark helps with recruitment and clear introductions, not a substitute for legal or tax advice. Read our fees and vetting pages and register your vacancy for a confidential brief. Official starting point: GOV.UK guidance on employing someone in your home and running payroll.

Use questions to clarify uncertainty rather than making promises that neither party can realistically keep. A candidate should be able to explain relevant experience and ask about the role, while the family should be able to describe the work accurately. Confidentiality matters on both sides: private details about previous or current households should not be shared simply to make an interview or brief more interesting.

A practical checklist before you proceed

Prepare a one-page summary before speaking with an agency or candidate. Include the home’s practical layout, regular occupants, the normal working week and the outcome you want from the appointment. If there are pets, steps, access restrictions or several properties, explain them in useful detail. Separate household preferences from essential duties and make clear which responsibilities already belong to someone else. A concise, accurate summary helps avoid changes later in the process.

Discuss the proposed arrangement with everyone who will give instructions. A candidate should not receive incompatible priorities from different members of the family. Agree a main contact and a way to ask questions when the plan changes. Consider a written weekly routine that can be adjusted sensibly, rather than a list that grows continuously. Review what is achievable during the agreed hours before interpreting a delay as poor performance or a lack of commitment.

When comparing candidates, ask for relevant examples rather than relying on confident language or a familiar job title. Explore the actual responsibilities in previous posts and how the person approached practical issues. References should be taken appropriately and discreetly; confidential identities and personal household information are not interview entertainment. The candidate’s questions also help reveal whether the role is clear, and whether the working arrangement is realistic for both sides.

Before an offer, confirm the important points again: gross pay, duties, hours, location, accommodation if any, leave and notice. Check the appropriate employer responsibilities using official guidance and professional advice. If a trial is used, define its purpose, tasks, duration and payment arrangements. Keep a record of agreed changes and avoid relying on a casual conversation to settle matters that affect the person’s employment or the household’s responsibilities.