Travelling with a Nanny

[NannyClaire]

Hi, I'm a newly employed nanny to three children who are French but live in London.

Basically, we discussed me travelling with them but not the terms, and now things are getting a little strange.

They seem to view me accompanying them as a treat for me, whereas I am happy to travel for work, and over the moon to go to such a lovely place as their holiday home, I think they should recognise that it is work for me and I'm away from my own partner. They do not think it's fair to pay extra for me to travel with them and have offered 50 hours per week when I will be there 24/7.

They also consider it more appropriate for the children to entertain themselves on holiday, and for me to take on more of a cleaning / housekeeping role. I see this as more of an au pair role, and while I'm happy to help out I do think I am being asked to change my role and not get any recognition for it.

I am not a very experienced nanny - I have some experience with children during my life, a Level 2 Certificate and worked in schools during the training year, but this is my first post with a family. However, I feel I'm not being treated as a professional adult here - I'm inexperienced, but still a "grown up". I am very willing to be flexible about cleaning duties, and I don't feel as though we are able to communicate very easily. I have agreed to do the extra laundry duties and so on - but feel as though asking for a day off would be stepping out of line!

Any thoughts?

One other thought. I've met many nannies and they've all had first jobs like this. Live in, full on, loads of housework. Your second, third and so on jobs will be very different.

Originally we'd discussed her registering, but they were so loathe and did so little about it, that I seized the bull by the horns and called the tax office to discuss the options. I then took it upon myself to register as I felt that they were going to dodge the issue unless I did something as they hadn't registered as an employer before and wanted someone they could pay cash in hand.

I save lots of my money to allow for tax bills, etc. I'd like to think I'm finding a way of doing it semi-above board even though it's not what my employers want!

NFK - thanks!
All experience is good experience in the long run, right :D

They're cheapskates. That's my view.

I'm a little surprised that someone like you who is not just a young girl straight from home didn't manage to get a better employer first time round... maybe you should start looking for another job? With an English family.

Absolutely. It'll be good in the telling.

I would sorry more about how they treat you than the tax side - at least you're paying tax. If later they come to your employers and say you're employed not self employed they would probably recover the tax from the employer not you and employers' national insurance from them.

On your summary below it says 5 days a week which is good but then it says starting late on Sundays. Don't you think you need 2 days w week off - not necessarily the weekends but 2 days of some kind.

Well, when I started looking for Nanny Jobs I got a LOT of interviews all at once. One weekend I went to 5, and got offered 4 of them on the spot, the very last one told me they'd call the next day. I also got offered a nursery but decided on nannying as I want to form a closer relationship with the children - be more like a "Big Sister with Balls" than a teacher! heh.

So... I felt a bit overwhelmed. There were two families that really stood out - the French ones, and an English one who I really instantly clicked with, the kids were great with me and the woman even knew some of my old colleagues, was very interested in my "past life" in Soho as it was her area too! They had a nanny tax company handling all the accounts, a cleaning lady and an ironing lady and were very clear about my duties. I had made up my mind to choose the English family, even though I would be pretty strapped for cash as they didn't need me for very many hours.

I was really 50%50 as the French family live within walking distance whereas the Fewer-Hours English family would have required a good hour's commute, and on less money that would've dented my quality of life (I live with my boyfriend, and moving out of our area is not really an option).

When I called the French family, they said they'd pay any extra I asked, as they really felt I was the right person, I should think about it some more.

On reflection, I decided that the travel would benefit my language skills in the future, that more hours and closer to home would allow me to spend more time persuing my interets outside nannying as I wouldn't be spending all my life on the tube. I'm really happy with all the practical elements - I run into friends while we're walking home from work, I'm 10 mins away from my brother-in-law's pub, Shepherd's Bush Empire is just SOOOOO convenient! I think I did make the right choice, because I would be bitching and moaning about being tired and broke had I taken the other one.

Tax, tax, tax.... I'm going to have to do a few Saturday nights babysitting for other people, and declare those as "freelance work" so my main income will be this one family, but I will be earning from other places too. I freelanced as a DVD programmer for a while =shrug= I'm sure I can figure out how to work it ;)

Well, given how successful you were at getting interviews first time around, you could just take your time while working to look for another job and move when you find one you think is really good... and this time you'll be in a much better negotiating position.

A tip: a nanny who is very well informed and clear on her role, responsibilities and the remuneration she expects will come across as more professional and should be able to command far better working conditions. Remember that you are NOT a servant, but a professional.

Top tip N anny Calire, never ever take a job with a family who don't have a cleaner!

You will declare your babysitting - why is that?

So I am deemed to have more than one employer, allowing me to register as "self employed". On the basis of having only one employer, they would be responsible for tax, and legally have to provide things such as sick pay, maternity leave, etc should the occasion arise.

+sigh+ I am really hoping to make the most of this as I do like the family. I like the holiday home! I got on pretty well with the Mum before this came up! I'd like to stay for at least a year.

One thing for sure, I am now a lot clearer on what my expectations are!

I don't think nannies are ever self employed. It's to do with the fact you work in their home, using their stuff.

Don't worry about it.

Technically you can have two part time employers who both have to deduct tax etc from the wages they pay. About 20 companies pay me each month and clearly I'm not employed by anyone (I'm not a nanny) but some people with a few different people paying them are employed by a few or in my ex husband's case he was employed by a school and then his other earnings at weekends etc were self employed on which he paid tax but you've told the tax office what you do, you're declaring your income etc so just continue like that for now.

No need to declare babysitting money!

Start looking for a new position now, I'm being deadly seroius!...I stuck an awful position for 9mths & it did me more harm than good as my Employer didn't give me a reference!

If you're very clear about the duties you're prepared to do you'll come across more of a professional than a general dog's body!

I could say much more but I'm in a hurry, will return!

I have 15yrs experience & 11yrs of those are live-in, ask away!

I am no tax expert, but I have worked as a nanny.
When I was working as a nanny in France I did know of one English nanny who had decided to be self emplyed. I don't know why, but the system is possibly different in France. I think any one in England can declare themself self employed. Childminders declare themselves 'self emplyed'. They are not working for anyone, the families who use their services are clients.
It is general practice in this country for nannies to be quoted a 'net' wage, and for the emplyers to sort out their tax, NI, etc. (I bet monst nannies have no idea who much tax their emplyers are paying for them) I think you need to point out to your employers how things work in this country. Try and find something writren down (printed off the web?) to hand to them.

Sorry to worry everyone but even if you are paying tax as an employee you still have to declare and pay tax on babysitting money.

I thought some level of regularity was required before you became an employer.

Regularity of hours and conditions I mean.

Yes, but she has regular hours as a nanny. However remember all income is taxed in the UK - I can't believe people don't relaise that. You make profits from Ebay - they are taxed; you do weekends at car boot sales- that's taxable. You teach piano in your spare time - that's taxed. There is no special category for casual income - you have to put it with your building society interest on your tax return and then you get your tax assessment for it.

Lots of people in the UK have a job as an employee and are taxed at source and then make other income from self employment which they declare and are taxed on. if they don't ultimately they can be put into prison. It's a crime to evade tax.

Inreality, though, most nannies have regular, taxed emplyment,ithe theirwages paid into a bank account, and then earn a few extra pounds for babysitting for another family, paid in cash and spent before it ever sees a bank account. Hands up anyone who declares every penny made on ebay, etc.

Xenia, are you serious?

I don't know any Nannies who declare babysitting money, how on earth would they be able to prove you were doing it for money???

I'm telling the law. I'm not saying what most people do. Loads of people work for cash from plumbers to builders. You can just never tell if you';ll be picked on. My poor sister who always declared her employed and self employed earnings then got a random tax inspection - all was just about okay but all her NHS colleagues who didn't declare an extra penny weren't investigated. They just jailed a barrister who paid no tax for 7 years and owed over £1m. Plenty of benefit fraudsters end up in court too.

Remember tax inspectors may well be mumsnetters and you can be tracked back via your IP address.

Just as well I don't do babysitting then eh!

How would you go about declaring babysitting money?...Would you have to be self-employed?