Working in family shop

Joshuab176

Im 22, unemployed and still living with my mum (single parent, self employed) who owns and runs a small sweet shop. Me and here are the only ones who work there. The shop currently doesnt make enought for wages ( opened 3 months ago and still kitting it out) and i suspect putting me down as an employee would destroy the business as she cant pay me minimum wage. What can i do for money other than completely screwing up her business and leaving her to run it solo?

I also have 2 younger brothers and a sister at home. We work mon-sat 9 - 5:30.

Thank you in advanced for any replies

IAmWales

Does a small shop need two full time staff?

You should seek employment elsewhere and help mum at busier times. Are your siblings old enough to help out also?

Joshuab176

Aswell as running the shop ahe also does deliveries throughout the day. I forgot to mention that in the post

Joshuab176

Its mainly me in the shop alone whilst shes out delivering

Mojisola

Didn't she do a business plan before starting the business?

That would have shown that it isn't viable.

Joshuab176

She started the business last year just online but she felt that a shop was the next step. I disagreed but she did it anyway and im just trying to help any way i can.

IAmWales

Joshuab176 wrote: »

She started the business last year just online but she felt that a shop was the next step. I disagreed but she did it anyway and im just trying to help any way i can.

It's not your problem. Your problem is finding an income.

Who is she delivering to, can they be done in the evenings or by opening the shop an hour later?

Senseicads

I understand, you want to help your mum, you want to be paid it's a tough situation. I don't know enough about it, but is there no way that you could be like a 1% share holder in the shop and be paid a dividend or something? you'd probably still fall below the tax threshold but I doubt your mum would have to pay you minimum wages. I don't know much about how it works though, so someone else might have to chip in.

Pennywise

If the shop isn't making enough money to pay you a wage, then it isn't. I don't really know what you're asking here to be honest. Do you think someone else should pay your wages, taxpayer maybe, or a charity??

If you want something out of it, then you need to make it profitable so it has the money to pay you. Is that what you're asking, i.e. ideas to improve it's profits?

Pennywise

Senseicads wrote: »

I understand, you want to help your mum, you want to be paid it's a tough situation. I don't know enough about it, but is there no way that you could be like a 1% share holder in the shop and be paid a dividend or something? you'd probably still fall below the tax threshold but I doubt your mum would have to pay you minimum wages. I don't know much about how it works though, so someone else might have to chip in.

Can't pay dividends unless it's making profits, and we don't even know if it's a limited company anyway.

Minimum wage doesn't apply to household/family members.

Joshuab176

Its not that i want money for the sake of it. I want to be able to contribute to the household bills ect. I looked into working tax but i need to be over 25 for that