General
working on the lump
What does working on the lump mean?
British building-trade phrase for being paid a lump sum in cash, self-employed in name only, with no PAYE, no National Insurance, and no holiday pay. It was rife in the 60s and 70s and is what HMRC's CIS scheme was eventually invented to clamp down on. Still surfaces today on dodgier sites.
"Half the lads on that job were working on the lump."
Origin
British construction slang from the post-war era; 'the lump' as a system was big enough in the 1970s to spark major union disputes.
Frequently asked questions
What does working on the lump mean?
It means getting paid gross cash with no tax, no National Insurance, and no employment rights.
How do you use working on the lump in a sentence?
"He's been working on the lump for that builder — cash in hand, no questions asked."
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