Nannies?! Need help, am so overwhelmed.

[Bibbidybobbidyboohoo]

We are struggling to work out how nannying works. We chose to not use childcare for our two children so have never approached the subject in any way. I am now heavily pregnant and unable to walk due to severe SPD, and as much as I was reluctant, I can see my two year old boy NEEDS someone to take him out and get him exploring and seeing the world. I can barely make it around the house never mind out of it.

so we would be looking to find a nanny or a ‘mothers help’ but only for an 8 week period. Can anyone explain to me how the paying process works. If you find someone , do you have to become an employer and be responsible for their nat insurance etc? This seems a little OTT for 8 weeks of help?! The same people are also advertising as available for babysitting one-offs so I can’t quite comprehend how that would work if they aren’t allowed to be self employed (HMRC website suggests that nannies often cannot be approved as self employed).

any help or guidance would be hugely appreciated as I am not coping physically and just want to find a more sustainable situation for our family asap.

No of course you don’t need to employ someone for 8 weeks. You just pay them an hourly rate. HMRC are talking about nannies who nanny for a family
on an permanent basis. Hope your spd is ok and good luck with the search!

Is there anywhere I can find out what the obligations on our part actually are? Because everything online seems to suggest it’s illegal for me to pay a nanny her hourly rate she’s asked for, and leave it at that. I don’t want to break the law but it seems mad to have to do full on employment legalities for a two/three month period. Surely people don’t do this for a one off babysitter either!

There are payroll companies who can help with the admin.

For short term payroll, I would look at Zest who does monthly packages. I would look at NannyPaye who I think will do pay for a year but you can use it up month by month over a period of a few years if needed.

zestpayroll.co.uk
nannypaye.co.uk

Have a chat with both and see who you feel can help you based on what you need now, but also what you might need in future, depending on your longer term childcare plans.

You may find a nanny who does a lot of ad-hoc work who would do it under self employment, on their terms.

So you could do it either way, you as employer via payroll, where you are in control of working hours, days, duties etc.
Or you have a freelancer provide a service to you, under terms that they control. They can mutually agree with you the terms. So like an ad-hoc babysitter, they do a series of bookings.

There are plenty of agencies who advertise temporary Nanny jobs at an hourly or weekly rate.

I have a mother's help from childcare.co.uk and it's under the threshold of £123 or something close that means you have to register as an employer. So if you do the questionnaire aim I an employer and still to low hours per week it'll be similar to me I presume.

Have a look at Sitters T&C. They may be able to help. You could maybe use 2 or 3 people and keep the best as an occasional babysitter for the future.

I’ve seen lots on that childcare website and on sitters etc who advertise an hourly rate. But am now worried it’s actually not that simple and I’d have to register as an employer etc. we are looking for eight weeks but full time so I imagine that will go over the threshold. (Tho the threshold explains babysitting!!! Thank you)

Yes but presumably you have this person on an ongoing basis? That’s very different.

For an 8 week contract - you are massively overthinking this. Check the hourly rate on a net and gross basis (ie if you are paying them min wage then yes it’s likely to be illegal as they will need to pay tax themselves on the wage you pay them).

i have had day and night nannies for 6-8 weeks at a time and have never, ever heard of anyone being employed on a PAYE basis. (And I have a permanent nanny now who i DO employ on a PAYE basis as she is my permanent employee.) Nannies who want to work in this short term way will think you’re bonkers for even suggesting it. just advertise for what you need and be prepared to pay an hourly rate that’s reflective on the fact the nanny is her own employer.

Can you just get a casual babysitter instead? I have lots of nannies advertising casual services on my local neighbour website as well as local Facebook group.

Just use sitters, it’s an agency, they just sort everything out.
There is no obligation to register as an employer for an 8 hour period.