Au-pair "pocket money"

[dizzydo]

Just wanted to guage how much those of you in London pay your au-pairs? I have paid the same amount for a while now which my agency tells me is a generous amount but I am just interested to see what others do. I pay £70 for 25 hours and during the holidays I pay £5 per hour for every hour over 25 hours. Also pay 2 weeks holiday.
TIA

When I had an aupair that worked 25 hours, I paid her £70/week plus £3/hour. One week of holiday every 6 months.

Thanks for the reply. How long ago was that scienceteacher?

We live in London - pretty central. in 2005 we paid £55 for 25 hours and free bus pass when doing the school run (worth another £15).

We always had loads of responses, but I suspect this was because (at the time) we only had one school-aged child, so they could see it was going to be a pretty easy placement.

We never needed extra hours over the 25 and we rarely asked for babysitting - maybe twice a month - max.

We only paid for a weeks holiday after 6 months stay (not before), but we did pay them when we went on holiday, and often took them with us.

From what friends tell me £60 is about average in London at the moment, but some people are happy to pay well over the odds.

I know one family who pay £120 (for 30 hrs) - but then their au-pairs always stay for 18 months or more. Whereas those families I know that pay the average have great difficulty keeping their au-pairs for longer then 4 - 6 months (including us). The au-pairs soon work out there are richer pickings elsewhere, esp. in London.

Thanks Goldenoldie, that is interesting about your friend and her long staying au-pairs although my au-pairs always stay nine months to a year and I do find that after about six or seven months they are getting less enthusiastic about the whole au-pair idea. Worth considering tho.

Since Nov 05 have been without AP but used to pay £60 a week for 25 hrs and 2 nights sitting. only one child who was in full time nursery so easy job. In london (zone 2)

I last paid this in the summer. It's my standard rate for an au pair, although I have an au pair plus at the moment. Once DD goes to school fulltime, I'll revert to a 25 hour au pair classique.