The cost of a nanny

[GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh]

So as nannynick pointed out our old thread on guesstimated nanny costs is about a year old and it might be helpful to compile a new one for April.

Being a geek an organised sort of person I thought we might as well do it properly and collect actual data.

So previously we mentioned:

Salary (gross)
Employers NI
Payroll
Kitty
Mileage
Food, heating and lighting and wear and tear

We didn't have:
Additional cost of employers liability if not included in house insurance
Car insurance estimates or the cost of public transport (probably London only)

Do any nannies or employers fancy submitting data or various educated estimates on mileage, food costs, kitty cost, heating cost or electricity consumption to get a more accurate picture? Or other costs we've forgotten about!

I don't mind using enforced siesta time to look up other things but I can't help on actual data as it would be completely skewed!

Very hard to evaluate how much heating/lighting type costs change. I wonder if we can get a more realistic figure on that kind of cost - anyone ever worked out how many extra KWh are actually used by having someone at home between hours of say 8am and 5pm?

Is there any actual increase in cost at all? As if someone has been on maternity leave and is going back to work, whilst on leave they would have incurred the electric/gas/oil costs whilst they were at home.

Ok, I'll go first.

I work in London, 4 days per week, 3 children (2 at full-time school, 1 at home full time).

We don't have a kitty, I pay all expenses and then am reimbursed at the end of the month.

The average monthly spend last year (Jan-Dec 2010) was £124, though it varied hugely from month to month (the lowest being £17.50 and the highest £284.89). This covers everything; transport, activities, haircuts, food shopping, clothes shopping, school expenses, treats, snacks/meals out etc.

In term-time we spend, on average, £10 per week on transport (buses for the school run) and £12.50 on activities. This is about £90 a month. The remaining £34 per month will cover shopping, haircuts, occasional meal out, an extra trip/activity etc.

In the school holidays spending is more irregular, but probably evens out to be overall the same as term-time.

We don't use the car at all so no costs there. I have no idea what the hike in electric/heating would be.

The only cost I can think that hasn't been mentioned would be Ofsted registration costs, which I would expect the employer to pay. I believe this is £103 a year?

well...we are quite new to this as our Nanny only started yesterday!
But I did just want to point out (as was mentioned) some of the costs on the old thread may not apply eg for us I have been a SAHM for 5 years, so was at home during the day, therefor no additional costs to heating/lighting...
For car insurance, our Nanny is driving our car (for first 6 months) which has led to an increase in our car insurance by £31/month
Luckily (for us!) our Nanny has paid for her own OFSTED registration, but this would need to be agreed with a new Nanny and possible cost taken into account.
Not sure yet what our kitty will work out at...but we have specified a preferance for free/low coast activtities...and there are plenty locally...really the sort of things I used to do when at home with DC...

I think the additional costs of heating/lighting/wear and tear etc. may still be relevant even if you have been a SAHM or on maternity leave, because it is a cost that would be avoided if you were to use a childminder or nursery. So it would be relevant when comparing the cost of a nanny with the cost of other childcare options.