Should parents pay nanny's for the nanny to take them out?

[NannyL24]

Can I have some advise please I started working as a registered nanny for a nurse last September due to cold weather and dark nights and alot of evening shifts I haven't needed to take the children out and they haven't wanted to they've been happy enough staying home playing outside with friends and playing games with me and other games they already have. However with it becoming warmer and the holidays I have said from day one of starting I am happy to take the two (6 years old and 8) to museums, bowling, cinema, parks etc. However this was recently brought up and the parent said I could get paid back this via tax which wouldnt be while a year later on a tax return and i doubt daily outings can be given back, I have said no to this due to working for an Income and not funding the children for a year out of my wages. Are parents meant to pay for their own children outings and even my costs as I am working? Just need some advise with me being new to this. Plus the mum already gets 80 percent back for childcare costs so doesn't pay my full wages out of her own wages

Yes they should absolutely not be doing it later on taxes - their problem not yours.

We employed a nanny and asked her if she would like to claim them as expenses or would prefer us to give her money and she gave us back the change. She was happy to put together what we owed her and we transferred the money to her. We also paid her mileage if she took them somewhere in the car.

You are absolutely right. You shouldn’t be funding their children’s entertainment .

We also paid for the kids meals (if they were out for the day and also her meal too as she had no choice but to eat lunch out with them. Plus ice creams etc. We agreed a budget or activities over half term so we had full knowledge of what was being spent.

She was a wonderful nanny. Our kids loved her dearly and still miss her.

They pay all costs including your entrance into any of these things.

They sound awful.

If they can’t afford it then their kids won’t do those things. Just like anyone else. You should never be out of pocket for anything.

my friend had a nanny and gave them a weekly allowance to spend on bowling or a cafe visit or whatever. And paid mileage as the nanny had a car.

No, this is very odd. She can set a budget or ask you to do very cheap things like go to the park. But she can’t require you to pay for expensive trips and not get the expenses from her (paid back promptly or as a kitty). She is BVU.

Yes, parents should pay upfront. However, I think there should be a conversation about how much the nanny is allowed to spend, because we don’t know how tight the parents budget is. Zoos. Theme parks, bowling etc can be expensive.

Hi,
I have suggested park, museums, library, other cheap or free things but some places are further so would need travel expenses but she's said no to that also

Claimed it back from who??

Jesus!

My friend is a nanny. She has a credit card, as a secondary holder. She used this to pay for everything for her and the children when she takes them out, entrance, food, drinks etc, if the parents ask her to buy school shoes or equipment, a bit of pocket money for the children to spend on a day out.

that seems the easiest way to do things.

Life is too short to spend it working for CFs, OP. Start looking for another job and in the meantime take the kids on free trips only.

The woman is deluded if she thinks the government is going to pay for her kids to go bowling. Hypothetically if you were crazy to do what she says. Say a day trip cost £100. If you put that as a business expense. (Which you def should not). Then you would only not pay tax and NI on that £100. So the day would cost you around £75.00 out of your own bloody pocket. OP I don’t think I could work for someone so cheeky. Our childminder would have took the kids somewhere free like the park.

Yes they should be paying all out of pocket expenses and mileage.

Just for clarity you don’t get your expenses back on a tax return. You can deduct from your taxable income but that’s not the same as getting the whole amount back. If you earn £100 and paid 20% tax (just as a crude example) you would pay £20 tax. If you spent £10 on an outing and that was tax deductible you would pay tax on £100-£10 so on £90 which would be £18. So you would get £2 “back” But not the £10 you spent. This idea that tax deductible expenses are free is bollocks. But anyway as a Nanny you aren’t self-employed usually plus I don’t know if these would be tax deductible expenses if you were. In short they are talking bollocks and all the Nannies I know would have full child outing costs plus their own expenses paid by the parents!!

Suggest they get a prepay card they load and too up which you use for outings eg hyperjar
They can track exactly what is being spent so transparent
Or you only go to free places like parks

'Nobody pays for it, it's a write off!'

You cannot claim expenses back in the way suggested. If you had to spend £10 on a legitimate expense for work, say petrol do outings and were not reimbursed by employer you would be entitled to deduct that from your taxable pay. If you paid 20%tax you would not have to pay it on this income. You would pay £2 less tax, the tax people would not give you your £10 back.Certainly CF.

Hmmm - that’s not the same though.

I would be staying local and free then. She should wholeheartedly be supplying you with funds for discretionary expenses when you take the children out- ice cream, transport, snack etc.

She’s taking the piss. At the same time, I would expect you to take the kids out on warmer days to free places like the park or beach if you’re near one since you’re being paid. I would supply money for ice creams etc or make a packed lunch for you all.

Hi,

I have taken them to the local park and have done little picnics since the warmer weather and can take them on walks/local library but I feel this won't occupy them as the older one is already asking to be taken other places which I don't get the money for so I feel the holidays will be harder for me with only having limited places to take them

It was a joke. I thought I was agreeing with you? It's the same bonkers logic that somehow there's a way things are magically free when you define them as tax deductable or a 'write off'. Rather than they just reduce your tax liability.

Let her older kid moan to her that they’re bored and want to go to X place. Hopefully she will get the message from her own child when you’ve been to the same park 50 times recently

Just checking these employers are paying you as an employee and paying employers NI? They haven’t convinced you to go self employed have they?

I understand but you shouldn’t be paying for this out of your own pocket. It will have to be free days out unless she pays for more exciting things which she seems reluctant to do. It’s not easy keeping kids entertained for free but many parents try their best in the holidays! If you could arrange meeting with their friends at the local parks etc that would help.

I'm new to nannying so when I found this family I just thought it had to be self employed so that's what I am a registered self employed nanny which it has come to light I can be a nanny that's employed also

You wouldn't be able to "claim the expenses back" via the tax system. You would be able get income tax relief on expenses, but you would still be covering 80% of the cost yourself. You shouldn't be paying for the children's or your own costs incurred as part of your employment.