Getting paid to work on your own home

[Adam W.]

I don't think HMRC will go for it.

 

[baldkev]

Can you pay me to do my loft conversion?

The materials ( as said above ) is mostly what the tax man will look out for.... without being offensive, how big is the bathroom and whats left to do?? We cant be talking more than a week or 2 tops.... so your income wont dip that much....

 

[Setch]

Hi all, thanks for all your thoughts. The oft noted detail about ensuring the additional income doesn't incur tax which exceeds the pension benefit is a blindingly obvious one, yet I hadn't actually looked at it properly, so will double check.

I wouldn't normally consider getting paid for DIY, it's was purely the fact that I'm refusing (or at least postponing) work from paying customers that prompted the discussion with my wife. With two kids under 5 nothing really gets done at the weekends or evenings, the traditional DIY time.

All materials have been purchased using funds from the joint a/c rather than the work account, and I'm scrupulous about separating materials brought for work, so that shouldn't be an issue.

I should clarify that this isn't the only bathroom - I redid the family bathroom around the time my first son was born, so we have a working bathroom in good order. That took a long time too, despite being (in theory at least) a "quick refurb" which included cutting a new entrance door, and leveling the appalling old joists which were creating a hump 2 inches high in the middle of the floor.

I'm in the home straight now, having finished the bit which seemed the most daunting - cutting and fitting the falls for the shower tray from a 900mm square tile.

 

[SamG340]

Surely money between husband and wife is nothing to do with the tax man ???

You live together ( I assume ), you share finances, it shouldn't be an issue

 

[morqthana]

MPs are allowed to put family members on the payroll and claim it as office expenses.

Surely the same rules apply to everyone?

 

[Richard_C]

My reason for considering this it is to ensure my earnings don't fall below a certain threshold which entitles me to tax relief on my pension.

Assuming you mean tax relief on your pension contributions, HMRC are interested in total pay and pension contributions in a full tax year. People often earn, and pay in, variable amounts during a year, it's the total that matters.(most providers have a 'floor') . Check out the MPAS (used to be TPAS) which is the official government free service for information.

The Money and Pensions Service | Building financial wellbeing

Introducing the Money and Pensions Service The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is an arm’s-length body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, established at the beginning of 2019, and also engages with HM Treasury on policy matters relating to financial capability and debt advice...

moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk

The specific pension bit is here:

Pensions and retirement | Help with pensions and retirement | MoneyHelper

"MoneyHelper has advice on everything related to pensions and retirement. Explore our guidance on types of pensions, building your pension pot, and more."

www.moneyhelper.org.uk

Or talk to your pension provider.

Taking the year as a whole you might not have a problem. Check it out.

 

[johna.clements]

Assuming you mean tax relief on your pension contributions, HMRC are interested in total pay and pension contributions in a full tax year. People often earn, and pay in, variable amounts during a year, it's the total that matters.(most providers have a 'floor') . Check out the MPAS (used to be TPAS) which is the official government free service for information.

The Money and Pensions Service | Building financial wellbeing

Introducing the Money and Pensions Service The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is an arm’s-length body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, established at the beginning of 2019, and also engages with HM Treasury on policy matters relating to financial capability and debt advice...

moneyandpensionsservice.org.uk

The specific pension bit is here:

Pensions and retirement | Help with pensions and retirement | MoneyHelper

"MoneyHelper has advice on everything related to pensions and retirement. Explore our guidance on types of pensions, building your pension pot, and more."

www.moneyhelper.org.uk

Or talk to your pension provider.

Taking the year as a whole you might not have a problem. Check it out.

It is weekly or monthly not calculated over the year. You need to earn enough for the week or nonth for that period to be counted. If not you have to buy additional weeks to make up the year,