DJing, getting paid, the dole, and keeping it legit.

Bootsy.

I'm wondering about getting paid for gigs while on the dole.

Just say, hypothetically speaking, that a DJ is otherwise unemployed and seeking work, but sometimes gets paid for gigs. I'm not talking mainstream/wedding DJs getting proper & regular money but just say for example, maybe 100 quid here and there.

How would one keep things above board to avoid hassle with DSP inspectors?
I mean, I'm talking cash in hand gigs here. I know the person could just say nothing, but if the DJ's name was appearing on posters around town, and facebook etc, it might be better to declare it. But how much hassle is it? Knowing typical bureaucracy, it's probably a lot of flippin' hassle!

Has anybody here got any experience with this kind of thing?

Do any of you or your 'friends' get paid for gigs but are otherwise unemployed, and how do you deal with it?

francois

Djing tends to be a cash business. You can always register yourself for tax, or register a company (easy to do, especially of you are the sole trader, it costs €20 and yu can do over the web). If it is the odd gig here and there I'd be surprised if Revenue would take an interest.

DJpaudie

My experience from it (registered myself the start of this year) is that the Revenue are starting to look a lot more into Facebook, Adverts and donedeal etc. They are really clamping down on cash business'. I can't comment on the whole dole situation but I think it would affect it some way.... To keep it legit he/she would have to register as a sole trader. They wouldn't owe for VAT or anything like that but would owe for contributions i.e health levy and all that. If they did register they would be best off to talk to an accountant and do nothing until they do. I am sure seeing as how they are on the dole they are entitled to some sort of free financial advise.

The long and the short is unless they plan on getting into it in a big way then there is no point registering. Also tell them as much cash as possible and stick to parties, in pubs fine but try and get the bday boy/girl pay for it. That way there is no real paper trail as it won't be going through accounts.

Not sure if that is what you were looking for?

frankspencer

Best way is to use a different name of the poster eg. if your name was joe bloggs use DJ joe oe DJ Blogs. only real way to be caught is if revenue look through the accounts of the venue you play in. For the mobile scene that is not a real concern as it a person who is booking you not the business.

The_Honeybadger

Revenue are apparently cracking down big time on cash businesses like doctors, dentists, mechanics etc., who would have scope to evade serious amounts of tax through under-declaring their income. A part time or hobby DJ isn't even in the same sport, let alone league. Not worth their while chasing you unless you are reported or they stumble upon you through the accounts of the bar you play at like frankspencer has said. The amount of tax you'd owe on a few gigs with such a low income would be minuscule in any case. If revenue wanted to catch dJ's and musicians working the black market they could easily do so by spot checking bars and clubs at weekends, I haven't heard of anything like this happening but that is not to say it won't in future. In your situation OP, doing the odd gig here and there I don't see much point in registering unless you start getting more regular work. Even then the amount of tax you'll owe will be very small after your expenses like gear, music and petrol etc are taken into account.