Nanny christmas bonus

[Letsgetouttahere2023]

I love my nanny and want to show her that this Christmas. Been googling Christmas bonus for nannies and a lot of people say they give 1 week net salary as bonus, which for us would be £500. I just can't afford this!!! Nannies is this what you expect? For context I don't get a Christmas bonus in my job, hence not sure.

I think we used to give about £250 cash when we had a 40-hours-a-week shared nanny, plus a small tangible gift and card.

We now have a PT after-school nanny and will probably give more than 1 week's salary, but that's because even at a higher hourly her weekly is a lot less than a FT nanny.

Always gave our Nanny at least one week’s wages and our cleaner two weeks (she only did a few hours). I think this is pretty standard.

Nanny salary, tax, ni and pension takes up over 90% of my net income.

We felt it was worth it so that I can keep my job ticking along as its hard to get back into if take extended time out.

But this idea that after living costs, commuting etc I have hundreds knocking around is insane!!!

This comes up often

I always was given a cash bonus of a weeks wages and was a nanny for 20yrs so worked for maybe 5 long term famillies

I appreciate I was lucky and my families always said thank you

Obv if you can't afford it don't

But do make sure you say thanks.

Give her /him a card and ideally a small pressie as she/he will spend money getting your kids something

Holiday is nice.

I always had time off from 22/23 to past new year

I never worked Xmas eve and as a mummy now I don't understand those families who make their nannies work on that special day for kids
And their Excitement of fc coming - if they aren't at work

Different if you have to work Xmas Eve yourself so naming does

Same for inbetween Xmas and ny

If you don't have to work give the time off to your nanny

Spend the time with your kids and their new toys

Again different if you have to go back to office on 27 dec

I think also that back in the times pre 2017, when families didn't have to pay a pension, sick pay, national insurance etc for nannies it was easier to be able to afford to give a weeks bonus. These days we have to pay so much more on top of their wages it's harder for the non super rich to find any extra

If i got a bonus myself obviously that would make it easier but I don't

Wondering why they need a bonus at all if they are being paid well to do their job!

Before 2017 you still had to pay ni and sick pay if in contract ?

Obv pension is a new thing

500 is 10 a week. If you can manage to save that /put it away for a year then yes a 500 bonus is lovely

@NuffSaidSam very skillfully done, I bet the families you work with love working with you. Professional, kind and diplomatic.
@penjil if you’re depending on a bonus as part of your pay you might want to consider negotiating a higher salary from the outset. A bonus is just that, a bonus.

Also, a card isn’t usually just “a signed piece of paper”, odd way of framing it.

When I was a nanny, I valued Christmas presents that the children helped choose, boss being home on time or before she said she would be when I needed to be somewhere. I also loved that they were interested in what I did with their children and loved meeting the other nannies/mums. I used to do a Christmas party on the last day. The other nannies would get their charges picked up from the house.

Paid day off plus a spa day?

What about a week in the Caribbean all exclusive?

Just give a small gift if you can’t afford a bonus, it’s fine. She’ll know you aren’t rolling in cash. If she wanted to work for a well off family with high demands and big bonuses then she could leave and do that instead.

Why does it make no sense? Not everyone who has a nanny is super rich, for some they just have jobs like shift work or whatever so require the flexibility of the nanny but have to prioritise one in their finances.

I think in some peoples minds the word "Nanny" conjures up images of rich familes employing a Norland, wereas "childminder" doesn't?

Before 2017 you still had to pay sick pay and tax, pension is the only new thing. And you are an employer so of course you have to pay these things.

I work in a nanny agency.
It’s far more common that families don’t pay a Christmas bonus than do. It’s an old tradition and definitely more of a career nanny thing for high wealth index families.

However if they do pay one, it tends to be a weeks pay or an additional weeks holiday paid between Christmas and New Year so the nanny doesn’t use their holiday allowance when you are generally off with the kids yourself.

Nannies are incredibly valuable but depending on how many hours they do could be taking home around £1500/1600 if the £2k includes your employer contributions before their own deductions. £2k employer cost for full time is not a lot. Even when it really is. (Appreciate that they may work part time in which case this wouldn’t stand)

What I would say is how valuable are they to you? Our most long standing arrangements are those that do receive a bonus. The fact is as childcare is generally underpaid nannies do try and move on to bump up their pay. How much would it cost to find and recruit a new nanny? How much inconvenience would it be to take time off work to look after them if your nanny left?

You may not be able to afford £500 which is very fair and you shouldn’t pay more than you can afford. A gesture though I’m sure would be appreciated.

But I would consider a pay review in April or saving for next year bonus. It’s the surprise and delight moments that keep nannies in their role not necessarily the big amounts.

Whatever you do make sure it's sustainable... You'll set the expectation and the precedence if you give an extra week's pay. I think an extra £100 and a card is enough. I give our cleaners chocs and a £20 gift card

I’m in the UK . Had Nanny‘s for 5 years. We had a Christmas celebration with them. One came with husband for Christmas day. We had Christmas Eve supper with the other at her house ( brought prosecco and food) . We did a voucher for £50 , small personal gift and gift for their child.

Would it though? If a boss gave their employee the choice of a £500 bonus or a card would people really choose the card because it would be ‘worth more’. I can’t imagine any situation I’d rather be given a card over cash.

If they live a fair bit away, that could well be over the £500 that the OP can't afford!

That would cost £500 at my local spa. I’d prefer the cash!

Don't be ridiculous.

@HerkyBaby

nah the nanny is doing a paid job, they get a salary no need to give massive Christmas bonus

this really only works on family/close friends surely- a nanny isnt going to really appreciate/keep something like this over cash or a proper adult gift ????

I really don’t understand these “she will appreciate a hand drawn card from the children and a letter of thanks far more than an envelope stuffed with £500 in cash.” comments.

Really? Given the choice would the hand drawn card people be just as grateful if their own employers gave them a generic company Christmas card in lieu of a bonus, or a John Lewis voucher, or a hamper, or even a couple of bottles of decent wine and a paid Christmas meal for their team.

When I was a nanny, I went Christmas shopping with the baby and his Mum (my boss). She said have a look to see what you want.. it was so awkward and embarrassing. I chose a £15 Teddy bear!