Should parents pay nanny's for the nanny to take them out?

When I was a nanny for a year so I could fund going to uni the family gave me a bank card with roughly £500 or so on it. Told me to use it for food, activities, outings, new toy or whatever for the kids and that included for my tickets to get in places with the kids and my food when with the kids. It never ran out the mum would always top it off if it was running low

This with bells on. You are not self employed. They're tax dodgers.

I have always always reimbursed babysitter/ nanny for whatever activity she’s done with my DC- including her entrance fee.
Im not sure why you wouldn’t. Also activity would be agreed beforehand and money given in advance or a kitty for the week.

If shes not paying, it's simple, the kids dont go out if it costs money for travel or entry.

I'd take them to the park and on walks. If you can get to a museum free then you could go there too but their mum sounds like a tight fisted whatnot. Poor kids.

I am happy to take them cheap places but she has said they will have to attend free places if I do not pay

I suppose just take them to free stuff then and take packed snacks with you

Is she a single mother? if so she may not have much money, kids days out can be expensive if they want snacks etc

Often what looks like a cheap day out ends up costing quite a bit

If another nanny was ok with that, that was her business, it doesn’t mean you have to accept it
If she wants you to take the children out, she should pay or pay you back at the end of the week / month
I would ask her to Revolute you at the end of the day for expenses for that day

They’re not allowed to tell you to go self employed. Hence why nannying is nearly always an employed job. They’re breaking the law.
If you’re self employed then you decide the hourly rate, (which needs to be much higher than the normal rate) can bill them for expenses and turn up or not turn up as you like. You provide them with a contract and it’s temporary work and you’re likely to be working for other families too.

You have to be employed by multiple families and be able to pick and choose your shifts to be a self-employed nanny - or work short term contracts. If you work for one family and they choose when you work then you should be employed properly.
https://www.nannytax.co.uk/self-employment

At the moment your employer is evading employers NI and pension contributions that could create problems with HMRC

I think you should start looking for a new job with an attitude like that from then.

No out of pocket for Nannies! Wouldn’t have dreamed of it when we had one. That said, expensive outings were only occasional, it’s good for children to run around a park or read a book and be bored. I loved that our nanny loved doing outings with them but would say no to too many paid entry ones, that spoils kids in my view.

I second this. This is how we handle it with our nanny. I’d never expect her to pay out of pocket and will pay for her food/lunches etc. while she’s out and about with the children. No way you should be paying and claiming back. That’s a nonsense. Is it covered in your contract?

Absolutely outrageous. She pays for all expenses, including your food if you need to buy while out. Either same day or she gives you a debit card to pay with. We give our nanny our card usually. Also pay mileage if nanny is driving own car and if regular for Nannie’s car to get cleaned. Same as I expect my work to pay all expenses when I have to travel. If I need sunscreen because it’s hot, work is buying.

If this is your first time working as a nanny, do you have nanny insurance?

as many others have said, this set up really is not appropriate and I would think very seriously about trying to find another position.

When I was a nanny the parents paid if they suggested something, but sometimes I paid if I wanted to do something with them and hadn't preplanned it (eg spur of the moment things like going on a bouncy castle at a park or ice cream or soft play).
If the parents suggested something like swimming they would pay, but otherwise the things were an extra cost I was deciding to do when we could have gone to the park or library for free so I wouldn't have put it on the parents when they weren't actively asking for it.

We used to give our nanny a set amount per week, I think it was only £10 a day or so but that was with younger children and lots of groups were free or v cheap. She rarely spent it.

For older children I would probably allow £50 a week minimum so you could have at least one activity out plus ice creams or snacks etc.

The family should absolutely be paying for any day trips, for both you and the children, as well as travel and food if necessary. However, I also think it is reasonable for the family to say that they don't have a budget for more expensive day trips like theme parks and that you have to limit any trips to free or cheap options.

You should absolutely be employed by them and get paid holidays, maternity leave, NI etc.

I didn't even know you could be a self employed nanny!

Yes they pay for everything and you keep it simple, take picnics etc as you've said, just like a cost conscious parent would do. You sound like a great nanny. Don't let them take advantage of you, loads of people would be grateful to have you.

Do you choose your own hours? Can you say ‘yes, I’ll look after Peter and Jane on Tuesday first five hours, I’ll be there at 10.30.

Do you work for three or more families?

Are you paid a fixed amount that you have set for the job, no matter how long it takes? ‘Yes, I can do bath and bedtime, that will be £30’

100% any costs of taking the children out should be covered by the parents as they are incurred (or end of week, end of month, whatever you have agreed). Anything else is utterly unreasonable.

Seriously, don't put up with being messed around on this as it sounds like the thin edge of the wedge.

Haha of course the parents should pay you up front. I've had nannies and would never dream of them paying to take my kid anywhere. I always paid for my kid and the nanny if I wanted them to go anywhere that cost money.

What hourly/daily rate do you charge OP? I'm worried they have convinced you what you should work for. Don't undersell yourself.

You can’t be a self employed nanny. It’s not legally allowed.

You need to look for another job babe x

Tell the cf that's OK they can pay and you will claim it back at the end of the year and give it to them.