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Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Nanny - what do I need to know?

19 replies

Penguindreams · 10/03/2011 14:24

I am interviewing a prospective nanny on Sat and have realised I know nothing! I know I need to agree a gross figure (which she's not happy about!) but that's it!

She needs holidays I imagine Grin. Is there a minimum? If she works Tues-Fri do i have to give her time off in lieu of bank holidays, since she won't work on them?

Is there anything we absolutely have to cover or else?!

Is there a payroll company anyone would recommend?

Thanks to anyone who can answer!

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SnapFrakkleAndPop · 10/03/2011 14:37

Do a search in this forum - lots of useful threads I would link to but on phone.

She gets 5.6 weeks holiday pro rata inclusive of bank holidays. Personally I think the norm is for you to block out Bank Hols (assuming you don't need her to work) and then divide up the rest of the holiday so you choose half and she chooses half with adequate notice. Other people on here disagree and the employer reserves the right to dictate holidays.

You need employer's liability insurance (might come as part of your household cover) not to be confused with nanny's public liability insurance. Yours covers you if she trips on a loose bit of carpet and breaks her leg.

You also need to give her a written statement of employment, which is usually a contract. Direct.gov has a useful summary if you google them amd written statement of employment.

She may have her own expectations or a contract she's used before so do ask that!

Original poster
Penguindreams · 10/03/2011 14:52

Thanks. So if she'll never work bank holidays, she has a right to around 5 weeks' holiday (5.6 less however many BH's there are)?

OP posts:
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 10/03/2011 14:53

BTW that's not to say that you should accede to nanny's expectations or use her contract but she may have things she thinks is normal that you/others may disagree with!

SnapFrakkleAndPop · 10/03/2011 14:57

Nope the holiday allowance is worked out as 4 weeks plus 8 bank holidays but because PT workers often get shafted by the number of Monday bank hols it's now a minimum of 5.6 weeks regardless of whether you would normally work them or not. Hence 5.6weeks inclusive - it takes them into account assuming you work FT.

So for your nanny it's 28 days/5 then x 4 which is 22.4. You can't round down so she either gets 22 and a half days holiday or 23 days.

Original poster
Penguindreams · 10/03/2011 15:06

Ah I see. So there's actually no benefit in me working Tues-Fri as opposed to Mon-Thurs, for example? I was thinking I could cut down on paid holiday if she wasn't working for me on Mondays and let her other employer sort that one out !

Her current expectations are for £x net. Her current employer pays her gross for 3 days a week and one day cash in hand, and she wants to move to all cash because she resents paying tax (don't we all?!). But I think she has appreciated that that simply isn't a runner!

OP posts:
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 10/03/2011 15:10

Unfortunately for you the minimum holiday is just pro rata the full time equivalent.

Wouldn't be too impressed by a nanny who stated she wanted CIH. I suspect she would be the first to shop you to HMRC if you did do it and then she got pregnant and wanted SMP. CIH doesn't benefit anyone - does she understand that she doesn't build up her pension and other entitlements if she doesn't pay the NI?!

PhoenixRisingFromTheAshes · 10/03/2011 16:19

There are some standard nanny contracts on the nanny job website - or look around for other examples. Nanny payroll services may give you examples to look at. But you need to go through line by line to check you are happy with it, and then let the nanny check it as well, at least I did this. I only give my nanny 20 days holiday, plus bank and public holidays plus she gets some free days as well when I dint need her. Agree a gross salary, and be careful that if she quotes a net figure to you that you carefully calculate what thus means. You'll probably want to reduce the gross salary per hour if she works allot of hours for you in a week, say full time.

Employer liability insurance is not normally an issue if you have decent home insurance but do check with your broker.

If you get the contract right and set up a nanny pay service then it should all work smoothly.

nannynick · 10/03/2011 17:45

My boss uses www.payefornannies.co.uk and seems happy with them, plus I as the nanny are happy with them as never had any issues getting payslips.

You sound like you are approaching things correctly. Ignore a nannies request for Net pay or CIH. As employer you need to know the Gross salary, so stick with that. www.mranchovy.com/calc will give your nanny a calculation of Gross to Net though she should be aware that it does change from time to time, especially when tax rates change.

OfflineFor30Seconds · 10/03/2011 17:53

I've just done this and things that you might want to think about are:

Has she got her own car? Is it covered for business use?
Does she have car seats?
How are you going to deal with day-to-day expenses?
Is she Ofsted registered?
Does she accept childcare vouchers?
Who will pay Ofsted registration?
Will she do any other tasks around the house?
Can she work overtime if required?

If it goes well, you will need her NI number, d.O.B and P45 to send off to an agency.

Hope that helps!

TheMysticMasseuse · 10/03/2011 20:22

hello Penguin!!! wanna email me/pm me about this? I might be able to help :)

nannynick · 10/03/2011 20:53

TMM - if you can offer advice to a parent, why not just post it on the board?

TheMysticMasseuse · 10/03/2011 20:57

nick, sorry, did that sound horribly quichey? I guess it did. I kind of know Penguin and I also know a great nanny who's looking for work.

That's all!

EldonAve · 10/03/2011 21:02

you also need to see her passport or similar so you can check her right to work in the UK

nannynick · 10/03/2011 21:08

TMM - ah that makes more sense than you just being someone random who only wanted to share info in private.

TheMysticMasseuse · 10/03/2011 21:09

:)

CharlieCoCo · 20/03/2011 22:34

you dont want to pay her CIH, you will get into trouble if you are caught and fined. she also needs evidence of earnings so im surprised she would want this. its good that you are wanting to pay the gross wage, im having the opposite problem atm.

Blondeshavemorefun · 21/03/2011 10:25

why doesnt the nanny in question want a gross wage? Hmm

Original poster
Penguindreams · 23/03/2011 11:53

Oh there's no question but that we would agree a gross wage! I think the problem is that she doesn't really understand the gross/net thing, and just sees tax as 'her' money being taken (which I suppose it is Grin).

OP posts:
SuiGeneris · 23/03/2011 12:36

It might help if you explain to her that:

  1. tax-free threshold is expected to go up to £8000 (check the budget today)
  2. it is expected to go up more in the next few years so if she agrees a gross wage she gets the benefit of this
  3. having regular payslips is useful if she ever wants to rent/get a mortgage
  4. depending on her age, income and hours worked, having payslips may entitle her to claim tax credits which, with a gross wage agreement, may mean she takes more home
  5. tax evasion is a crime. She wants to work in a position of trust- having a criminal record would stop her doing that- and many more things too
  6. if she does not pay NI she will get a smaller pension.

Of course it does not help that there are so many employers happy to pay cash-in-hand

There are plenty of online calculators that convert net to gross and viceversa.

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