Queries regarding hiring an at home nanny for my newborn

[Shrupz]

Hi guys,
I currently have a 3 month old and I am about to start a new job and am therefore looking for a nanny who can come take care of my baby at our home.
I'm just not sure what the process is in terms of hiring? I've found a few on the childcare app but wondered if it's acceptable to ask them to do a trial day so I can see how they work. If I do this, would I need to pay them for this day?
Secondly, I'm trying to calculate their hourly rate and I'm assuming they should get an hours lunch break, do I need to pay them for their lunch hour or is this unpaid?
Finally, if anyone has any nannies in the Caterham, Redhill, Godstone area that they would strongly recommend, please do send me their details.
Thanks :)

Yes, you would pay for a trial day.

nannies don’t usually get a lunch break as they’re on duty looking after your LO. So, yes, you pay them for the full day. You’re also their employer, so you’re responsible for paying their tax and NI payments (plus employer’s NI)

https://www.nannytax.co.uk/nanny-salary-index

A nanny will cost £15 an hour upwards. You also need to think, tax, NI, pension, holidays and sick pay

You pay for a trial, otherwise it would be a great scam for free child care.

How would an unpaid lunch break work? Who would look after the baby while nanny left the house?

Are you working from home? How would the Nanny have a proper lunch break in order for you to be able to not pay for it?

Don't forget you also need to pay their NI Contributions etc.

I should have mentioned that my new job is working from home, I just can't be there to do everything for baby whilst working. So during lunch I can take care of the baby.
Thanks for sending me that link. I'll check it out :)

I'm a nanny and I've never known anyone to expect a nanny to take an unpaid lunch break. This would put me off taking a job.
https://www.nannypaye.co.uk/nanny-payroll

Nannies have to eat lunch too. Also 30 mins lunch is standard in childcare/education but some places do the full hour. I'd expect at least 30 mins paid break for a nanny. It's illegal to expect them to have no paid break in a shift of over 6 hours. You also need to register with HMRC as an employer to do PAYE tax/NI for them.

Thanks! Yes I did think a lunch break was required by law.
I guess I just need to meet with a few nannies and if I choose one, I can always speak to their references to see how they worked with them.
Thanks for the advise guys :)

By the way it’s usual that you provide the lunch too!

I don’t know how you are supposed to have a break when caring for children. Most of the time a nanny is in sole charge so how do they have a 20/30 min break?

I’m not in the UK but I’ve always been paid for the whole day. It’s very hit or miss if you can get a break when caring for an infant. Just like parents, lunch is sometimes one handed while holding a baby!

Also yes to whoever mentioned providing lunch. Over here I would be given free rein over the fridge and pantry! Most employers have asked me what things I like so they could stock up for me, but I’ve usually brought my own as I’m always trying to lose weight 😩

I was a nanny for over 20yrs and never had a paid lunch break as such

But I got paid for all Hours so 8/6 etx and would eat lunch with child /then sit on sofa while they napped

That was my break time

Or would have a cuppa and sit while kids playing /watching tv

When I had mb's on ml I still did the same and they were most insistent that I had me fine

Yes have to pay for a trial

Rate depends on area age experience so 12/13(new qualified) to £15/16 g for experienced

There are agencies - and childcare co uk and nannyjob to find a nanny

newborn babies do an awful lot of sleeping...

If you need the Nanny to be in the house, and ready to attend to the baby whenever it wakes, then you cannot just say its an "unpaid break".

Sure they may get a chance to have a cuppa and 10mins read the news but it's not a Break.

I'm not saying unpaid - but to imply they never have any downtime just isn't true.

Most people have a break of some sort with their baby's during nap times.

They do, but sometimes they physically can't.
If the parents are out of the house all day and the child no longer naps, or there's more than one child, what do you expect happens? They can't just ignore their needs for 30 minutes!

In a different childcare setting where there's cover obviously it's different.

Of course you need to pay for a trial day! Do you work for free? If you didn't what would be there to stop you from just doing 5 different trial days every week with a new nanny and having unlimited free child care? You want someone who is looking after your newborn baby to work for free?

I don't think there's a single person out there who would leave their newborn with a completely new and different nanny each day of the week.
Especially without vetting the nanny and seeing how they work.
I had started my thread by saying I'm completely new to this and hence why I'm asking all these questions, there's no need to be so rude.
I thought Mumsnet was a supportive platform where mums could share advise in a kind manner.

They do yes but they won’t always do that. I was talking not just about newborns but children who no longer nap in the day and families with more than one child.

You'd be surprised - I do a lot of ad hoc work through Bubble and some families book different sitters 2-3 times a week every week instead of hiring a regular nanny.

Same as @SuperDuperJezebel

I'm a maternity nurse and often do emergency night bookings

Yes I'm from an agency that the parents have contacted but equally many are messaging me via my profile on internet sites and I start the same night

So times they've had someone mon , me Tuesday and another wed etx

So yes parents do leave new horns with strangers

Most nannies are sole charge so do not have a proper break .....most nurseries also work through eating having lunch with the children they can't be off as they have to stay in ratio