credit report<\/a> only contains information about your borrowing and bill payment history. It doesn’t contain information about your income, regardless of how it is paid to you.<\/p>However, in most cases, lenders will request information about your income when you apply for a loan. This will be through requesting recent bank statements, so it will only consider income that’s been deposited in your account.<\/p>
That\u2019s why it\u2019s a good idea to deposit all cash payments into your bank account if only for a few moments.<\/p>
Will being paid cash-in-hand affect my chances of getting a loan?<\/h3> Lenders check through your income information while assessing your creditworthiness. If the money doesn\u2019t go through the bank at any time, this may put lenders off approving you for a loan, as your evidence of regular income could be perceived as too weak.<\/p>
If you are paid cash-in-hand, it\u2019s a good idea to make regular payments into your bank account, so that lenders can see evidence of regular income. As well as your bank statements, lenders may want to see payslips and tax slips, so keep these handy.<\/p>
Ideally, these cash deposits will be as similar as possible to the cash-in-hand payments both in size and regularity, so avoid heading down to the pub before visiting the bank.<\/p>
Without evidence of regular income entering your bank account, it could prove extremely difficult to be approved for a loan, even though your employment information is included on your credit report.<\/p>
Does paying for everything in cash affect my chances of getting a loan?<\/h3> Your credit score improves when you show evidence of paying bills on time. This includes direct debits paid to companies and paying off your credit card balance. If you miss a payment, this will harm your credit score.<\/p>
If you pay all your bills by cash or cheque, you may feel as if your credit score would be perfect, as there\u2019s no evidence of missed payments.<\/p>
Sadly, it doesn\u2019t work like that.<\/p>
If there\u2019s no evidence of you making payments on time, you have no credit history. Your credit score is essentially 0, and you\u2019ll struggle to be approved for loans or credit.<\/p>
That\u2019s why it\u2019s smart to pay for regular goods or services by direct debit, even if you\u2019re paid cash-in-hand by your employer.<\/p>
It\u2019s also a good idea to take out a credit card, even if you don\u2019t need to borrow money. By making a few small payments and paying your balance in full each month, you can build your credit score and boost your chances of being approved for a big loan when you need it.<\/p>
Do<\/h4>Deposit all cash payments through your bank account.<\/li> Make regular cash deposits, so lenders can see evidence of regular income.<\/li> Keep detailed records of all your cash payments, including payslips and tax slips.<\/li> Pay for regular goods and services by direct debit.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>Don\u2019t<\/h4>Accept cash-in-hand payments from an employer without an accompanying payslip. If your employer tries this, they are breaking the law.<\/li> Spend loads of your cash before running it through your bank account.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n
Example: Jim's loan application and his credit score<\/h4>\n Jim is a self-employed carpenter, who accepts cash-in-hand payments from his customers. He keeps detailed records of all his payments and pays his tax to HMRC in a timely manner.<\/p>
Despite being well paid and never out of work, Jim found it more difficult to be approved for a mortgage due to being self-employed and being paid cash-in-hand.<\/p>
Still, after showing his chosen mortgage lender 6 months' worth of bank statements as well as his annual tax statements, he was able to be approved for a mortgage.<\/p>\n
* This is a fictional, but realistic, example.<\/strong><\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n\n\nBottom line<\/h3> Being paid cash-in-hand isn\u2019t illegal, provided you\u2019re given a payslip and the correct tax is paid. Sadly, some lenders will still treat you as a risky prospect. However, by making the effort to document your regular cash payments via bank deposits, you should be able to overcome this scepticism.<\/p>
Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\n \n
\n \n Can I refuse cash payments from an employer?<\/span>\n \n <\/use>\n <\/use>\n <\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/h4>\n <\/div>\n \n
You have every right to negotiate the terms of your employment contract before you sign it, but your employer cannot be forced to accept your request for payment by bank transfer. Cash payments are completely legal, provided an employer provides you with a payslip and subtracts the correct amount of tax via PAYE. Of course, you can turn down the job if you\u2019re not happy with this. Once an employment contract has been signed, the terms cannot be changed without your agreement. That means an employer can\u2019t change from paying you by bank transfer to paying you in cash without you agreeing to this.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/li>
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\n \n What do I do if my employer refuses to give me a payslip?<\/span>\n \n <\/use>\n <\/use>\n <\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/h4>\n <\/div>\n \n
If your employer doesn\u2019t give you a payslip, it is breaking the law. Report the incident to HMRC.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/li>
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\n \n Can I refuse cash payments if I\u2019m self-employed?<\/span>\n \n <\/use>\n <\/use>\n <\/svg>\n <\/button>\n <\/h4>\n <\/div>\n \n
When self-employed, the roles are reversed. Now, it\u2019s you who draws up the terms of work and your customers who have to agree to them. However, unless there\u2019s written proof that this was specified before the work started, you have no legal right to refuse cash payment for a job.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/li><\/ul>