Don’t Forget the People Helping You
It’s not unusual for self-builders and renovators to have a few extra pairs of hands on site – friends mixing mortar, family painting walls, or neighbours helping move materials. These helpers can save you time and money, but they also introduce additional risks.
If someone helping you gets injured, or causes damage to property, you could be legally responsible – even if they’re unpaid.
Your Legal Responsibilities
The law treats anyone you bring onto site to do work for you as an employee for insurance purposes, whether or not they are paid. That means you have the same duty of care as a business would to its staff.
In the UK, if you employ anyone – even unpaid helpers – you are legally required to have Employers’ Liability (EL) Insurance. This applies to:
- Friends or family
- Volunteers from a local community group
- Labour-only subcontractors (workers under your direction using your tools and materials)
Why EL Cover Matters
Employers’ liability insurance protects you if someone helping on your site:
- Is injured during the course of their activities
- Falls ill because of the work environment
- Claims against you for negligence because of the work they have done
Without it, you could be personally liable for medical costs, loss of earnings, and legal expenses – which could run into tens of thousands of pounds or more.
Public Liability – Covering the Damage They Cause
Even if your helpers don’t get hurt, they might accidentally damage someone else’s property. Public liability insurance covers these situations.
Example:
A friend helping you install a fence accidentally breaks into a water main, flooding a neighbouring property. Without public liability cover in place for their activities, you’d have to pay for repairs to the pipe and the property damage.
Checking Your Existing Cover
Some building project insurance policies include employers’ and public liability cover for volunteers and labour-only workers – but most do not. Always check:
- If helpers are insured
- What types of work are included
- Any conditions (e.g., supervision, protective equipment)
If they’re not covered, speak to your insurance advisor about adding this to your policy.
Health & Safety Still Applies
Even with insurance in place, you must take reasonable steps to keep helpers safe:
- Provide suitable protective equipment (gloves, goggles, hard hats, hi-vis)
- Make sure that any tools or equipment you supply is suitable and safe for the job
- Give clear instructions and supervise as necessary
- Keep the site tidy and free from unnecessary hazards
- Make sure that everyone knows the site rules and abides by them
Remember – if your friend is injured when larking about, you may still be liable to pay compensation and damages for the pain and suffering they experience.
Real-World Example
A property owner’s brother came to help with roof repairs on a renovation project. While carrying tiles up a ladder supplied by the property owner which had a defective rung, he fell and suffered a serious back injury, leaving him unable to work. Because the owner didn’t have employers’ liability cover, he was personally liable for his brother’s medical costs and loss of income. The claim exceeded £1,000,000.
Key Takeaways
- Anyone helping on your site counts as an employee in the eyes of the law.
- You may need employers’ liability insurance even for unpaid helpers.
- Public liability cover protects you if they damage someone else’s property.
- Always check your building project policy covers volunteers and labour-only workers if you plan on using them.
Need help making sure your helpers are properly insured?
Call 01825 745 410 – every call is answered by a qualified advisor.
Email enquiries@jctinsurance.com for a fast, personal response.
Next article in the series: The Danger of Switching Back Too Early