Paying babysitter the right amount??

[Adviceplease2314]

I have a friend of the family with an 18 yr old doing A levels who babysits very occasionally. I pay her £7 an hour. She lives a short walk away and mum or dad just walk over to walk her back home afterwards. Hours are about 6.30 - 10.30. I give her £35, is this okay? Does it sound too little?? I’ve just got paranoid that it isn’t enough, I know that if I used a babysitting service I’d be paying about £12 an hour. Just want to make sure I’m not taking the mick.

The minimum wage for 18 year olds appears to be £7.49 so I think it's fine.

4 hours would be £28 so you are paying her extra

I usually give her £30 or sometimes £35 if I happen to have a fiver in my purse as well. As long as it doesn’t sound too little then I’ll stick with that. She hasn’t said anything but I was worried she might be too embarrassed to. I used to get £2 an hour in the 90s so feel like I’ve got no clue as to what is reasonable!

What is the legal minimum wage? If I give her £35 it’s £8.75 an hour, is this not enough?

I think it's fine.

I think I’ve confused things by saying I give her £7 an hour, it’s usually £35 for the 4 hours which is £8.75 an hour. Minimum wage seems to be £7.50 an hour.

That's absolutely fine.

Just stick to £35 that is fine.

Not the point of the thread, but why does an 18 year old need walked home?

I personally think there should be a small premium for working late, and/or working after a certain time. Additionally, she might be 18 but she's actually a grown woman and can earn that hourly rate during normal part time working hours.

a) It's hardly late
b) most babysitting is hardly hard work.
c) she has no travel time, nor expenses

Once the dc is in bed, she can sit and study, or watch TV or scroll through her social media or whatever she wants.

My dc, in 6th form found babysitting a doddle compared with other jobs which actually involved them working. (As did I when I used to do it).

Wow, £13 an hour? I have almost 20 years experience and don't get that. Can I sit for you @AnotherTeaPlease ?!
I would stick with minimum wage as a guide OP so sounds fine to me x

You're paying her more than minimum wage, and I'm pretty certain she's not paying tax, NI etc from that. Unless you have very difficult children I imagine she spends the evening doing at sheet pleases. It's hardly working the post pub shift in McDonald's.
It's fine

It's absolutely fine. Not sure why an 18 year old needs to be walked home at 10:30 by their Mum or Dad though

We live in a very quiet superb, poor street lighting and her house is up a very long driveway surrounded by trees. It’s not an unsafe place but I think we all feel better that her mum or dad pop round to walk her back.