30 September 2025 · 5 min read · Bruce Thomas
Taking on a first employee is the point at which a self-employed person becomes an employer, with a distinct set of legal and financial obligations that begin before the first payday.
The true cost
As a working rule, budget meaningfully above the gross salary before deciding the business can afford the hire.
- Gross salary
- Employer's National Insurance above the secondary threshold
- Employer pension contributions under auto enrolment
- Employers' liability insurance
- Holiday pay — statutory entitlement is a real cost, not a free day
- Tools, equipment, PPE, phone and vehicle if applicable
- Recruitment, induction and the time you spend supervising
Obligations from day one
- Register as an employer and set up a PAYE scheme
- Check the right to work in the UK
- Issue a written statement of particulars on or before the first day
- Set up a qualifying pension scheme and assess the worker
- Run RTI submissions on or before each payday
- Hold employers' liability insurance
Employee or subcontractor?
Treating someone as self-employed when the working relationship is one of employment creates real exposure — for PAYE, National Insurance, holiday pay and employment rights. The test looks at control, substitution and mutuality, not at what the paperwork says.
Cash flow
Wages are paid monthly or weekly whether or not customers have paid you. Before hiring, forecast the additional payroll, PAYE and pension payments alongside your existing commitments and check the lowest point in the next thirteen weeks.
This article is general guidance for business owners in the UK and does not amount to advice for your particular circumstances. Tax rules change and the right answer depends on your figures — please take specific advice before acting.
