Guides / Hiring and growth
Hiring your first cleaner: the legal checklist
Before your first employee starts: check employment status, do a right-to-work check, get employers' liability insurance, register as an employer, set up payroll and a workplace pension, and give written terms.
- Check employment status (employee or subcontractor?)
- Right-to-work check before they start; keep evidence
- Employers' liability insurance, at least £5 million
- Register as an employer with HMRC (up to 4 weeks before first payday)
- Payroll through PAYE
- Workplace pension: auto-enrol eligible staff
- Written statement of terms on or before day one
- COSHH and safety training
Pay at least the minimum wage, counting all working time.
The full detail, worked examples and templates are in The Clean Start. Or work out your rate with the free price calculator.
Sources: GOV.UK: Employers' liability insurance · The Pensions Regulator: new employers. Checked October 2026.
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