To hire a nanny and offer her this set up?

[plplz]

A quick run down, five-month old DD and have had her nursery for a month or so, and she's not been doing as well as we would like, so looking at a nanny.

The dilemma is that it's only a few months before I think she would do a lot better in the nursery, and the costs of a nanny are eye-watering.

We interviewed a great nanny who isn’t working at the moment, and while I would love to have her in I don't want to mess her about.

Would it be unreasonable to ask her to work for us while she finds a suitable gig, and pay her cash (would probably meet her halfway between her gross and net rate as as sweetener).

Any warnings, advice or thoughts?

If she is a professional nanny Or childminder, she will have a professional insurance policy. That Insurance policy is there to protect her rights, your rights and your child’s welfare. Ask to see her insurance.
If you pay her cash in hand with no formal contract in place, the insurance would be totally invalid. So can’t you see the craziness in your own suggestion???? You’d have no recourse in the event of anything going wrong. You’re an idiot to suggest this with your most precious child....shame on you.

HOkieCOkie

Which is all very well, but it doesn’t give much of an opportunity for redress. What if police needed to be involved? It would be a right hornet’s nest.

@Serengetiqueen I’ve been a nanny for over 20 years and sadly people value the people who care for their most precious children very low.

Issue with nursery is that she doesn't feed or sleep well there, which is creating massive headaches at home with her sleep.

She also has a red raw dribble rash which they just aren't managing well.

Sounds like you’re looking for childcare on the cheap. It doesn’t reflect well on you.

@flaviaritt The Police would focus on the nanny and the harm caused not if nannies tax was paid.

Also it’s a nannys responsibility to endure her tax is being paid as much as the parents.

Instead of considering this option which could potentially be detrimental for both her and you, can you look at more legitimate options?

First of all, why is your DD not doing well, what are the nursery doing to help resolve this?

What other nurseries are available in your area?

Do you have any childminders locally? Your DD may settle better in a home environment?

To be fair she did allude to being ok with being paid in cash.....well she’s not that ‘great’ at all then is she!......because the fact is she’s more than happy to operate without any form of professional insurance behind her. These set ups are all fine and dandy until something goes tits up....your baby has a choking fit and fingers are pointed, something valuable vanishes from the house, nanny has a bump in the car etc etc. Anything can and does happen in life and that’s why you need to do proper due diligence up front and have a formalised agreement in place.

HOkieCOkie

If there was an investigation/charges then it would come out that the nanny wasn’t actually formally employed. It’s naive to think otherwise.

Anyway, she shouldn’t do this. No decent nanny would accept, and who would want a crap nanny?

Better to tackle the nursery issues as usually they just take a chat to resolve

No I wouldn’t do what you’re suggesting

If you take on a nanny you are an employer and liable to for tax, NI etc - it is not something to be taken lightly and not something to enter into without a contract

If you want a nanny offer a temp contract and total transparency - any payroll company you use can offer a template contract

Why do you think the issues you have with nursery will go away in a few months? She will still dribble.

Have you left her with anyone at home?

Employ a nanny properly maybe on three month probation or trial see how you get on or look for childminder or raise issues calmly with nursery and work with them

No it's not alright to pay cash (well you can pay cash but you must do ni, pension and paye tax). Offer her x amount on a month to month contract and set up an account with hmrc, it's really easy, or use a nanny tax type firm.

This would be so wrong

You shouldn’t be paying her like that—both for your sake and hers. If we have a second lockdown, people who get cash in hand don’t get help from the government.

If you want someone short term, then you should have a set period, for both of your sakes. Like why are you bothering to hire someone if you’re fine with her leaving after a month, if you need 3 months?

Why do you want to have someone looking after your child who has no protections, who knows every day she could be sent home and not paid? What if she gets Covid and worries she won’t get paid if she doesn’t come in? I think it’s really really bad to consider doing this. This is a nanny fir you, this is her livelihood.

100% agree with @NoSleepInTheHeat

My sister was a child minder and I found it appalling how some clients proposed to do strange payment arrangements/working hours/general treatment of her

This is your CHILD, the most precious thing in the world. If you demand high standards of the carer (of course you do!) then you should treat them as the professional they are. Set high standards for yourself, in all aspects of your dealings with her.

I knew of one wealthy local family who paid a foreign unqualified aupair to look after their children (they probably saved a fortune!) Unfortunately she drove on the wrong side of the road one day, in the little Renault Clio they had provided for her to drive the children in. One child died.

The parents wouldn't have dreamed of driving a little Clio - they had big 4x4's of course.

This is an extreme story, and perhaps going slightly off topic... but I hope it is thought provoking.

@flaviaritt I am a Nanny myself and I don’t agree with the op and think she sounds like a shit employer.

I have walked out of interviews before now when they’ve suggested they’ll pay me cash.. and I refuse to start any job until I’ve seen and signed a contract.

Also why do you think you’re entitled to not contribute to her pension? And to ensuring that if she gets unemployed at some point she can claim?

You’re saying you want her to get paid for each hour she is there, and then otherwise you rinse your hands, If she was self employed (and REAL self employed) then you would be paying extra so she could pay in to her pensions

HOkieCOkie

Sounds very sensible.

Not an expert, but my thoughts are that this sounds both illegal and exploitative. Not really the basis on which I would wish to provide care for a child.

Just look for a new nursery.

My only worry would be it is alot of change for the baby, she's been at home with you, month in nursery, few months with a nanny then nursery again.

Would a longer spell with a childminder be a better option?

@plplz

Issue with nursery is that she doesn't feed or sleep well there, which is creating massive headaches at home with her sleep.

She also has a red raw dribble rash which they just aren't managing well.

Of course she doesn't, she's five months. She's just too young. It's not the best place for her, full stop. She will not do as well as she would at home with one-to-one care. The end.

The rest I can't comment on. None of it sounds good.

What do you mean not doing well? Like not quite mastered certain aspects of the curriculm? That second foreign language can be challengin.

Well, I hope someone will report you for doing this.
Not only you want to commit tax evasion, you trust your baby to someone who will not be working for you officially.

YANBU to take your daughter out of nursery for a few months and have a short term nanny if you feel that would be best for her. YABVU to try and do it cash in hand.