What to pay a self employed assistant gardener?

[Paul 31]

Hi all
I'm a self employed gardener working in the Hertfordshire area. I set up my own thing two years ago but have previous experience working for other firms before that.
I began to get very busy last year and couldn't handle the work load so I ended up getting help from various different people when it was required, sometimes 3/4 days a week. I'm now looking in to getting somebody on board on a self employed basis. Hopefully I can find somebody young and enthusiastic, who has an interest in the industry and wants a career. My question is how much should I be looking to pay? Does anyone have any experience with this? I don't want to pay crap money but also want to make sure it's worthwhile for me. From experience I know that with someone helping me that we can earn between £250-£300 a day.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Paul

 

[Scalloway]

You have to watch if you take someone on as self employed that HMRC don't decide they are in fact an employee and you should be paying them through PAYE.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax

 

[AllUpHere]

Why do you want them to be self employed? Seems like a strange thing to do.

 

[Toby Willows]

Employ someone or just don’t take on more work than you can handle. Personally I’d go for the latter these days.

 

[Paul 31]

I've been advised by many that the self employed route is the way to go, but am open to other options. Would the fact that work will become quieter in the winter months be a problem if I were to employ someone? I may have to drop the number of days I can offer etc.

 

[Mr D]

Subcontract to a self employed person? Could be done.
Or you could employ them, may be cheaper.

You do not get to decide they are self employed, they do.
So you pay them say £200 for a job to be done and they decide when it should be done. Perhaps even sending a replacement person if they are busy. Then yes they are probably self employed.

These days there is more media attention on workers and self employed - and the workers are questioning the status they have been allocated.
And in a few cases getting back pay.

 

[Newchodge]

If they are really self employed they will tell you their rate for whatever job you want doing. You choose how much to pay employees.

 

[Alan]

getting somebody on board on a self employed basis.

As other mentioned, this sentence does not make sense, if they are 'onboard'i.e. you expect then to work when you tell them for the customers you tell them to, with your tools, they are an employee ( even if casual ) and you are best to put them through PAYE.
If however they are genuinely self employed, they decide on what jobs they take on, how the jobs are done and the provide the tools for the job.

In terms of rates, it does depend on area i.e central London is more expensive than Cornwall etc.

Around here ( North Surrey ) pure unskilled labour ( sweeping etc ) is around £10/hour and self employed gardeners are around £20 per hour.

 

[Paul 31]

Thanks Alan. That is useful information