Payments

[London Best]

2 hours ago, B725 said:

Clearly you don't  understand the definition of work regardless of any payment or not, you state that those who go for money or try to get shooting are not welcome nor wanted then claim you earnt £2100 in one season ! Make your mind up.

 

Don’t want to get into an argument over this, but are you sure you read my last sentence? I would have done it for nothing just to be there. It’s not my fault I was paid for it. 
The point is, overall it works out at just a very few pounds per day, despite the seemingly high figure.

Edited October 1, 2023 by London Best

[Kalahari]

I often think that one of the best payments for beaters and pickers up would be the shoot paying for an insurance policy for dogs injured on the shoot!

 

David.

[B725]

LB I did read all of your statement is was same as last year when you posted the same. I have been beating for a lord who insisted that all the gun's thanked the beaters regardless of status that included Prince Charles manners cost nothing. 

One of the best team of gun's I've been beating for was all military people who insisted that we share their food and drink. 

And as an example my latest dog cost £1000 as a pup god only knows how many hour's training it to a very good standard I have to cover any vet's bills myself ( I saw one bitch who had a 12 cut across her stomach from hidden barbed wire rushed to emergency vet the owner had a huge bill to pay ) waiting in the cold and wet as gun's decided to have another break but we were miles away from any shelter, fuel to pay etc but you begrudge giving the beaters anything at all as its not work but fun ( again check the definition of work ) all for less than you pay for one bird.

The bottom line is without any beaters there would not be any bird's to shoot. Any keeper worth his salt ensure that in one form or another the beaters get something back for their hard work and loyalty. 

If you felt so strongly about beaters getting nothing you could have refused the money you was paid. 

 

[Fargo]

26 days here

3 of them are beaters days and big ish days

Paid into your bank account @ £44 take home for the day 

As many drinks as you want - beer , coke, etc

Cooked lunch like game pasties or venison stew with mashed spuds with chocolate or cake etc after

BBQ and drinks in July 

Hard going though as steep banks and lot cover but it’s 90% over 60’s

[B725]

Clearly the shoot / shoots you beat on value the beaters shame other's don't. 

[Scully]

Interesting remarks and observations. As I said in my initial post, none of us do it for the money; my question was how do shoots, especially but not exclusively, commercial ones  ‘get away’ with paying less than minimum wage? 
I’ve searched high and low for old payslips to see if it stated an hourly rate, but I’m pretty sure it didn’t, which could possibly be the answer.
We no longer receive payslips, but instead an end of year P60, which is submitted to my accountant. 
I’m assuming if an hourly rate was stated anywhere, then we would have to be paid minimum wage. 

Again, just to clarify;  I would do this for nothing as we get a beaters day at seasons end which is second to none, so it’s not a grumble about money but rather a query, given that nowadays all payment has to be through a bank account rather than cash. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Scully

[B725]

https://www.struttandparker.com/knowledge-and-research/shoot-beaters-and-pickers-up-right-to-work-minimum-wages-and-real-time-information

This is a little old but only reference I can find that may be relivent, sorry if the post derailed a bit.

[Scully]

20 minutes ago, B725 said:

https://www.struttandparker.com/knowledge-and-research/shoot-beaters-and-pickers-up-right-to-work-minimum-wages-and-real-time-information

This is a little old but only reference I can find that may be relivent, sorry if the post derailed a bit.

Very interesting and informative. Much appreciated. 👍

Don't worry about derailing; it happens eventually and I’m as guilty as the next. 🙂

[Sweet11-87]

ive always seen it as a free service followed by a gift of a small token sum of cash. soon as you demand minimum wage then its offically a job and you will be taxed and like any employment  it falls under the rules for health and safety etc and the shoot becomes a workplace with liabilities.

the amount of red tape surrounding a shoot would be unreal. i cant think of any part of the days ive been on that wouldnt have been an audits wet dream.

[jall25]

I think many shoots pay "expenses" - rather than wages 

[marsh man]

All our payment come from the estate office who have our name and address , when we receive our payment we have to sign for it , so what happen if this other payment went against your tax allowance , when I got my tax code way back in March time it was slightly below my state pension and my private pension I get off the estate take it just over the top , so I got a pleasant surprise from Scottich Widows to say that just over 50% is now paid as income tax , it was under £50 to begin with and I now receive 20 odd quid a month after tax , I did mention this in a thread around the time and a member did say that they cannot touch the state pension so they take it off your private pension , so if that is the case if the beaters / picker uppers pay was included on my allowance then I might have to pay tax on that , alright you might be able to get an accountant to sort it out but the cost would be higher than the money you were paying tax if you can see what I mean , so this subject is brought up more or less every year and we are no nearer a solution than ever , is it because the shoots dont want a solution found ?   MM