Employment Status: Why it matters

It’s no secret that many yards rely on grooms working long hours, close-knit teams and people who simply “get stuck in.” But this informality can lead to a long-standing problem: false self-employment.

It’s more common than you might think, and it puts both grooms and employers at risk.

False self-employment occurs when a groom is labelled as “self-employed” despite working in a way that legally counts as employment. This can deny the grooms key rights; and leave businesses exposed to HMRC scrutiny and penalties.

Self-Employed vs. Employed: What’s the Legal Difference?

While every situation must be assessed individually, the law looks at how the work is done, not what the contract or yard owner says. Here are the core distinctions:

You are likely to be employed if:

• You have set working hours.
• You’re required to do the work personally (you can’t send a substitute).
• The yard controls how and when you work.
• You’re paid a regular wage, often weekly or monthly.
• You use the employer’s equipment, tools, and facilities.
• You are integrated into the yard team and operations.

Employees are legally entitled to paid holiday, sick pay (if eligible), rest breaks, a safe working environment, protection from unfair dismissal, and employer pension contributions.

You are genuinely self-employed if:

• You decide your working hours and can accept or reject jobs.
• You can send someone else to do the work (substitution).
• In some cases you provide your own tools and equipment.
• You invoice clients for your services.
• You work for multiple clients, not just one yard.
• You take financial risk, for example, having to fix your own mistakes in your own time.

Self-employed workers do not receive employee benefits and must manage their own tax and insurance.

Why False Self-Employment Is a Problem

For grooms, it often means losing out on statutory employment rights such as holiday pay, pension contributions and sick pay. Falsely self-employed grooms also end up paying taxes that should be handled through PAYE.

For yard owners, it means potential HMRC investigations, back-dated tax bills, penalties and reputational damage.

If Something Doesn’t Feel Right…

Trust that instinct. False self-employment can happen for lots of reasons. Sometimes it’s a genuine misunderstanding of the rules, sometimes it’s down to outdated practices, and sometimes it’s something more serious. Either way, if you’re being treated like an employee but paid as self-employed, it’s something that needs to be looked at and put right.

You’re not alone in this. Many grooms only realise later that they’ve been misclassified — often after comparing notes with others or asking a simple question.

The British Grooms Association is here to help. We can offer confidential guidance, practical resources, and support to help you understand your employment status, your rights, and your options for next steps. No judgement, no pressure — just clear information so you can decide what’s right for you.

JOIN THE BGA TODAY