Taking on an employee to run your vending round

[part-time-operator]

Pete it's a legal minefield, you should be fine like that but you've got to be careful. probably safer do it similar to how Dominos etc do their drivers (i know I used to be one of them!). Zero hours/minimum hours, minimum level of employment so no NI but their wages are tax deductible for you.

You get an allowance for employers NI (£2k I believe?) as well so if they're paying their own NI at present you might both be better off paying more than the minimum amount through the books to use up that allowance.

Then you can legally pay cash per site visit which officially is "petrol money" so they don't have to declare and you can also treat that as business expense so tax deductible. This is how Dominos did it with a transient work force and dubious right to stay in the country so pretty sure it's watertight.

[Coin Operated Group]

The 2k NI allowance was a one off payment ,unfortunately!!

[PGBrew]

You can't escape all risks but for this type of small business self employment would be the only cost effective route. Only take on someone that you know and is trustworthy.