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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think nannies are overpaid?

358 replies

Fr0thandBubble · 29/07/2020 19:59

Inspired by another thread about how much people earn. Plenty of nannies earning £50-£60k per year apparently and one on £120k!

Our nanny has just left us (youngest about to start reception, thank goodness) and we were paying her nearly £50k for 8:30am-6:30pm Mon-Fri. She would also pick up quite a bit of extra money babysitting evenings and weekends L. She didn’t even have to do anything from 9-12 each morning while my youngest was at nursery - and then only had my youngest to look after until school pick-up time when she had my eldest too. And nannies these days are very reluctant to help out with any cleaning or ironing so she really was doing nothing much at all in those hours.

She was lovely but has no qualifications and is in her early thirties.

It seems wrong to me that nannies are getting paid more than most teachers when they don’t need any qualifications. What do you think?!

OP posts:
WisestIsShe · 29/07/2020 20:05

I think you are entrusting this person with the welfare, love and shaping of your infant child. Could any price be too much?

FudgeBrownie2019 · 29/07/2020 20:06

I voted YABU because if she genuinely had zero qualifications and didn't do anything around the house, why on earth did you pay her £50k?

There are alternatives that are cheaper - childminders and nurseries pay less. Nannying is known to be relatively well-paid compared to other childcare jobs, and you made the conscious choice to employ one.

Curiosity101 · 29/07/2020 20:07

It does seem like quite a lot to pay based on what you've described in your case. But I'd imagine everyone's situation differs.

Its still going to be subject to supply and demand so obviously whilever people pay it then that's what the price will be.

We don't have a nanny but we considered all options for childcare and so looked into quite a few. They earn £12-15ph in our area, so based on your situation we'd be paying £31,200-39,000pa

Original poster
Fr0thandBubble · 29/07/2020 20:09

@FudgeBrownie2019 That’s what nannies (even with no qualifications) get in London - I wasn’t paying over the odds!

OP posts:
CanaryFish · 29/07/2020 20:10

Did she take care of the kids if they were off sick from school or During school holidays ?

FudgeBrownie2019 · 29/07/2020 20:10

[quote Fr0thandBubble]@FudgeBrownie2019 That’s what nannies (even with no qualifications) get in London - I wasn’t paying over the odds![/quote]
But still you made a choice. And I do not believe for one second that nannies in London earn that without a single qualification. Not one second.

LittleBearPad · 29/07/2020 20:10

Does the £50k include the employers NI you were paying or not?

If so then that’s not what you were paying her - it was the cost of employing her.

If not then you were overpaying

Elieza · 29/07/2020 20:11

Think I need to retrain as a nanny as I earn under half what your nanny earns!

jay55 · 29/07/2020 20:11

Were you paying 50k, or was it costing you 50k once employers NI, pension contribution etc was factored in?

Original poster
Fr0thandBubble · 29/07/2020 20:11

@Curiosity101 Yes I guess it does just come down to supply and demand. Now that Brexit is happening, I can see supply being even lower so I imagine prices will go even higher. I’m very glad our days of having a full-time nanny are now over!

OP posts:
Thehop · 29/07/2020 20:12

Blimey. I’m 40, with 20 years experience in early years (childminding and private nurseries) and an early childhood studies degree. I have paediatric first aid, food hygeine and am up to speed in Montessori, loose parts, cloth nappies and specialist baby training. Ask well as being a mother of 4. I charge £10 per hour for babysitting and always clean up and do a basket of ironing/laundry one children are in bed!!!! I also am happy to arrive early and do children’s dinner whilst parents get ready.

Maybe I’m in the wrong job!!!

VanillaSpiceCandle · 29/07/2020 20:13

I disagree with the disparity between nannies and childcare workers (nurseries and to a lesser degree, childminders). However it’s more that these people are paid far too low a wage. Minimum wage for most nursery workers doing a very similar role to a nanny.

However I do think £50k for someone with no qualifications and who wasn’t willing to take on extra duties is ridiculously overpaid.

LittleBearPad · 29/07/2020 20:13

@Thehop

Blimey. I’m 40, with 20 years experience in early years (childminding and private nurseries) and an early childhood studies degree. I have paediatric first aid, food hygeine and am up to speed in Montessori, loose parts, cloth nappies and specialist baby training. Ask well as being a mother of 4. I charge £10 per hour for babysitting and always clean up and do a basket of ironing/laundry one children are in bed!!!! I also am happy to arrive early and do children’s dinner whilst parents get ready.

Maybe I’m in the wrong job!!!

Where do you live? Sounds wonderful!
upsidedownwavylegs · 29/07/2020 20:14

[quote Fr0thandBubble]@FudgeBrownie2019 That’s what nannies (even with no qualifications) get in London - I wasn’t paying over the odds![/quote]
Surely you’ve answered your own question. That’s the going market rate, because people are willing to pay it (regardless of if they moan about it on the Internet afterwards). So no, not overpaid.

Original poster
Fr0thandBubble · 29/07/2020 20:14

Actually, yes, that is everything I was paying, so includes pension contributions and employer NICs. But still!

OP posts:
VanillaSpiceCandle · 29/07/2020 20:15

@Thehop you are seriously undercharging for your work!

CanaryFish · 29/07/2020 20:15

Did she bring the kids to school and collect the youngest from nursery ? Is the nursery far away (need a car ? Was that paid for ?) or was it just a 5 minute walk
I’m not nit picking I’m just trying to mentally fill in from 8:30 to 12:00
I was a SAHM and I remember how quickly the nursery hours went by when while getting Seemingly very little done

RandomMess · 29/07/2020 20:15

So you weren't paying her £50k she was costing you £50k...

upsidedownwavylegs · 29/07/2020 20:17

@Fr0thandBubble

Actually, yes, that is everything I was paying, so includes pension contributions and employer NICs. But still!
It’s starting to sound like you might be overpaid.
Chicchicchicchiclana · 29/07/2020 20:18

8.30 to 6.30 is a longer than average working day and some nannies do longer.

If it was that good a job people would be falling over themselves to do it and the market would be flooded. Is that the case?

Original poster
Fr0thandBubble · 29/07/2020 20:19

@CanaryFish Nursery and school 5-10 mins walk. And she lived nearby so walked to walk every day. And free lunch here too.

OP posts:
Evilwasps · 29/07/2020 20:19

Thehop you don't happen to live in Scotland do you? You sound like an amazing babysitter!

Chicchicchicchiclana · 29/07/2020 20:20

What does your Nanny take home per month, op? What is in her pay packet? That might make it easier for people to understand your argument.

pigcon1 · 29/07/2020 20:21

Thehop you sound like a dream

LittleBearPad · 29/07/2020 20:21

So really you were paying her about £40k or so, pre-tax.

Your youngest may have been in nursery during term time but presumably both children were home during the holidays to be looked after.

Did she do their meals, wash their clothes etc?

I had a nanny until the children were both in school - I barely had to think about their clothes or working day meals, I could almost forget it was half term whereas many other working mothers at school had spreadsheets to sort childcare. Yes it was expensive but it made my life a lot simpler and was worth it.