zero hours contracts, cash payments, blah blah blah

So we have a new report out today about the Gig? economy.

Now I know there are folks out there much worse of than me but, all this talk about zero hours work and no cash payments leaves me thinking yet again please can you live in the real world where I have to work.

I have around 30 gardens that I regularly work in every month, all of these customers can say I want you to do more work or less or none, according to season and plant growth and what disposable income they have. So is that 30 zero hours contracts then with no holiday or sick pay etc etc and then bear in mind most of my customers are elderly.

Which brings me onto cash payments. Most of my income comes via cash and cheques with the small remainder via BACS. The BACS ones are usually landlords or companies or younger family members or individuals. So the report is saying less cash payments and at the same time banks want to do away with cheques, most of the elderly folk I work for will no way pay by BACS even though it would cost me less in bank charges because they want to know how much money they have and why shouldnt they.

My hourly charge is what I think most of my customers are willing to pay, I know I am not the dearest gardener and I also know I am not the cheapest. Yes I would like to up my prices but I dont think I will keep some of my work if I do. Its work I can do that keeps me sane, pays the bills etc and I am not getting any younger myself. Oh and yea it helps the mainly elderly folk I work for living in there own tidy homes and gardens longer with less fear of a knock on the door from some dodgy gardener working for less or more! and paid straight into there back pocket.

The report goes on about self employed paying less tax surprise surprise, guess what if I included in my hourly charge for all my time spent driving between jobs, usually around 30 miles a day and for at least an hour a day, time spent on record keeping, phoning next days customers, maintaining equipment etc it would go up somewhat.

I am registered self employed I have public liability insurance and a basic police check, I am also registered with Trading Standards as a Buy with Confidence trader, I pay my taxes on my profit and slim they are. Its as much about providng a service for me.

Yes I know there are unscrupulous employers out there, who need cracking down on but please dont tar us all with the same brush.