For a nanny

I work for a HNW family but only for 3-4 hours after school 4 days a week so I do pick up, homework and dinner. I earn £52/ hour gross. I have 22 years experience and have a degree (not in anything childcare related though have done various childcare courses over the years). Yes, I am hugely overpaid but the family like me and it works for us all.

'Have you ever spent time on a nursery? They're run by young women who have done minimal training. There is a reason why families pay premium for a good nanny'

Not 'on' a nursery that would just be weird. However I do work at a nursery. I have a masters in Early Childhood Education. For the record we have 3 apprentices who are working towards their level 3. Every other member of staff is level 3 or above and the average age of the staff team is 42.

Your ignorance and pre-conceived outdated assumptions are actually frightening.

But you're also bashing people in your profession - young women who work in nurseries with minimal training, but not you, you're a highly qualified professional, unlike the minions in a nursery?

I'd not want you caring for my children with the attitude you are coming across as having here.

How rude! You don't know this persons circumstances

And I also have a masters and can prescribe

I'm a band 6 nurse and don't earn that

Let's be honest with each other, you've found two nationwide agencies that advise that £15 an hour is the going rate (for an agency nanny, where parents will also pay agency fees) for nannies across the country. At least one of which clearly states, this isn't the case in London. You've found some stats from Nanny tax which are clearly incorrect (as I said probably because they're including live-in nannies etc. in the stats).

But I agree that the OP should seek advice from agencies/nanny job websites and not from people who don't know what they're talking about.

I have found two agencies and a nanny tax site which both support my personal experiences of the going rate.

You have just made assertions as far as I can tell which I don't find very convincing

My point for the OP to consider is that it's worth looking at reputable websites and agencies to get an idea not random mumsnetters

Well that's kind of the point isn't it?! If £17 gross was genuinely the average wage you wouldn't have to crawl through ads for hours! They'd be easy to find. They're not easy to find because that figure isn't accurate.

The first one you link to says £15 an hour, no indication if this is net or gross. It's also a parent post (possibly a parent who, like you, doesn't know the going rate), not an agency who will have a more full idea.

The second link you post is for an agency called Tinies who are a UK-wide company. It does say £15 on that link, but if you scroll down on that same page it also says "an experienced, talented nanny may demand a wage as high as £25 per hour". It then goes on to list things that might impact salary, the top one being location i.e. a London nanny will cost significantly more than one elsewhere.

Again, if £17 is average it will be easy to find an agency offering jobs at £17 an hour (and also significantly less than that to make the average work).

I think your faith in the nanny tax figures is a tad misguided, as hopefully you can now see from your own research.

I don't really have the enthusiasm to crawl through nanny ads for hours and I don't think it would be more accurate than the masses of data that nanny tax have. But here is one for 15/hr

https://www.nannyjob.co.uk/job/509290/Nanny-Greater_London

Koru kids also suggests a range of 15-18.

Another agency here suggests 15/hr gross to a temporary nanny -https://littleoneslondon.co.uk/nannies/nanny-cost

Or 11-14 net per hour to a daily nanny

Pay tends to be related to what they expect from you as much as you me qualifications. Families that want live in, extensive travel, sole charge overnights for longer periods;because they are away) have multiple homes you are expected to move with them etc will be paying very well because they expect absolute loyalty, complete discretion and you to have no personal life basically. I know a young lady who did it for 4 years before she burned out from stress not to mention issues with the husband (you can guess what), but she earned a 6 figure sum, brand new car in each location and they let her keep the London car when she left (she says basically hush money but it was a £70k car!) Nixe families who understand work life balance won't pay as much!

And of course you raise the issue of what 'average' means. If £17 is average and we can see there are many offering £20-£25 then there must be a significant number offering minimum wage! I'd love to see those ads to...if you can find them.

You haven't quite got it there.

The first one you link to is in Kent, not London, but is indeed £16-17 gross.

The second one is in South Kensington, but is offering £15-16 NET not gross as you've said (£15-16 net will be above £20 gross).

I would encourage you to have another look for nanny jobs in London offering £17 gross an hour. I believe you will struggle to find many (if any!).

I am pretty cynical about Mumsnet on this topic - it always overshoots

I live in a nice area of London (not like Hampstead or Chelsea - but a nice enough area) and every time the topic of nannies, babysitters or cleaners comes up, mumsnet consensus is for about 20-25% above the rates I can see advertised around me and which I/people I know pay.

But in any case, quick scan of nannyjob reveals this ad which offers £15-17 gross

https://www.nannyjob.co.uk/job/511692/Nanny-Greater_London

This one which offers £15-16 gross

https://www.nannyjob.co.uk/job/511666/Nanny-Greater_London

Or course average means some will be above as well so there are also ones offering £20/hr too

The only ones paying significantly above are in places like Chelsea

That figure is way off. If you don't believe me, have a quick Google of the nannyjob website, which collates current jobs from various different agencies (or look at the website of any specific London agency).

As to why their figures are so off, I'm not sure. My guess would be that they're including ALL nannies in the calculation, for example live-in nannies who will earn approx a third less (but have accommodation provided) and junior nannies.

Also, don't be fooled into thinking that people using nanny tax are 'clearly doing their taxes properly'! It's extremely common for nannies to be paid part 'on the books' and part cash in hand so parents can avoid the full tax burden (I doubt this is the case for the HNW families, but very common amongst your more 'normal' families).

I've worked with UHNW people before (and spoken to their EAs arranging the childcare!) and it seems any roles over £70k-ish annually are with people who are actual nightmares to work for. I think that's definitely a trade off lots aren't willing to make so stick to 65-70k.

'Some families want professionals rather than local nurseries or childminders.'

What a ridiculous statement. So childminders and nursery workers aren't professionals?

I'd pay you £30 p/h not to go near my children with your outdated judgemental attitude.

Because it suits my current circumstances.