Sitters.co.uk how much would you expect to earn babysitting?

[PayingGuests]

I need abit of extra cash. I could do bank on my ward and get £230 a shift but I’ve been ill and haven’t got the energy, I’m very qualified in paeds. Ive joined sitters has anyone ever worked for them? They keep sending me jobs, babysit for three children over three hours for £23 including giving them their tea and getting them ready for bed! It’s not much is it? Most of their jobs are 45 mins away and if I’m baby sitting till 1am I’d want more than £30. I know money is tight and I’m broke but I was expecting an average sitter in London would be paid £10 an hour. I used to get £8 an hour as a teenager in the 80’s!!

Depends on the area. Sutton Surrey, it's about £8 an hour with Sitters

You need to get known locally as a babysitter and then you don't need to go through an agency that will take half the fee.

We normally pay £6 an hour for babysitters, but we are use teenagers who live around the corner. I would expect people who wanted to use an adult to accept that they would need to pay more.

You're getting less through Sitters because they are essentially taking a cut for arranging everything - the parents have already paid fees to the agency so they pay the actual sitter minimum wage.

You would probably be paid more if you worked independently but you would have to find your own work.

Yes you are right. Its exhausting just reading some of the jobs 10 month old twins and a 3 and 5 year old all for £27!

We use sitters - we always go out for at least 4-5 hours, kids are always ready for bed and either in bed, or just about to go up (they take themselves) and we never seem to pay less than £35 - £40 (always round up!). I guess that’s why our preferred sitters always take the jobs with us!

I think once you find some families you like it can be a nice little earner. You’re perhaps being offered the not so good jobs until you build up a reputation and can pick & choose a bit more!

I’m really nervous about accepting what do you think I will need to do from 1530 - 1900 today? When they are teenagers. Will I have to cook from scratch do you think?

I've used sitters.co.uk before. The deal was we pay a monthly/quarterly fee to the site kind of like a membership. Then we pay the actual sitter cash on the night. The site suggests a minimum of whatever minimum wage is per hour. I've always paid £10/hr and rounded up to the next hour (London). As for food, I've always prepped that in advance to make it easier for the sitter and to ensure the kids had something familiar to eat. My DCs are little though so maybe a booking for teenagers would be different

I've used sitters.co.uk on occasion (inside M25 but not really London) and paid about £8/hr (rounded up to the nearest hour). We pay the sitter directly in cash and pay the website a standing fee to be a member. I think that's the norm for that website.

I would not expect a sitter to cook; I've always cooked in advance or left the kids with stuff in the fridge for making sandwiches (kids are 13 and 10 and can make their own sandwiches and put themselves to bed. I just want an adult on the premises "in case".)

But I don't know whether or not that's standard. I would discuss it with the parents in advance, if possible, to be clear on what's expected.