These requirements apply to all business activities in this division.
reporting
Uk
Ongoing
Operate PAYE (RTI) as a household employer
Enforced by:
HMRC
Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003
A household employing domestic staff must register as an employer with HMRC and operate PAYE in real time (RTI) where any worker earns at or above the Lower Earnings Limit, or already has another job, or receives a pension. This covers deducting income tax and National Insurance and reporting each payday. Below the threshold with no other complication, PAYE need not be operated but records should still be kept.
compliance
Uk
Ongoing
National Minimum / Living Wage for domestic workers
Enforced by:
HMRC
National Minimum Wage Act 1998; National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015
Domestic workers (cleaners, nannies, carers, gardeners) are entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage; HMRC enforces on behalf of workers and can recover arrears plus penalties. Note the narrow 'family worker' exemption (NMW Regulations 2015 reg 57): a worker who genuinely lives in the employer's family home as a member of the family, sharing tasks and leisure and not charged for accommodation — covering many au pair arrangements — is exempt. The exemption was removed for live-in domestic workers who are not part of the family following the 2021 Puthenveettil ruling, so most live-in carers and housekeepers DO qualify for the NMW.
compliance
Great_Britain
Ongoing
Core employment-law duties (contract, holiday, dismissal)
Enforced by:
EMPLOYMENT_TRIBUNAL
Employment Rights Act 1996
Domestic staff are employees/workers with the usual statutory rights: a written statement of employment particulars, paid annual leave, itemised payslips, statutory notice and — after qualifying service — protection from unfair dismissal and statutory redundancy pay. Disputes are heard at the Employment Tribunal; there is no licensing regulator. Northern Ireland has parallel provisions under the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996.
compliance
Great_Britain
Ongoing
Equality Act 2010 — non-discrimination in employment
Enforced by:
EHRC
Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act applies to domestic employment: a household employer must not discriminate against, harass or victimise a domestic worker because of a protected characteristic in recruitment, terms or dismissal. Northern Ireland has separate equality law enforced by the Equality Commission for NI.