Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

What do you pay your nanny?

72 replies

mumtotots · 30/05/2005 08:01

Please don't be offended by this direct question, I'm looking for a full time live in nanny in Putney and I'm getting nowhere with the ones I've interviewed. I realise I might not be offering the going rate, But I don't know what it is!

Any straightforward and honest replies would be appreciated, change your name if you want! I don't want to be too personel, but I'm in a fix.

Thanks for all replies!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ssd · 31/05/2005 07:43

NannyL, that's great that you get a fair wage and good conditions.

I've been a nanny in Canada and London and I know the pro's and con's.

How long have you been nannying for? and are you trained or just very experienced?

bigdonna · 31/05/2005 08:11

i think £350 live in sounds right to me,i worked in wimbledon 8 yrs ago as live out nanny on £300 + nett babysitting was extra.i had been a nanny for 16yrs.

Issymum · 31/05/2005 08:40

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request

ggglimpopo · 31/05/2005 08:40

Message withdrawn

Anchovy · 31/05/2005 09:53

I also live in Putney and have a full time nanny, although live out (DCs are 3.5 and 1.5). If you want to CAT me I'll give you the details of her salary, benefits etc. I also know of a great nanny who lives in the area who I think is looking for a job.

Sponge · 31/05/2005 10:02

I pay mine £1600 per month gross and she lives out. She works 8-6.30 and theoretically will babysit two evenings per month but we don't take advantage of this much.
I pay employers NI on top so in total it costs me about £1750 per month.
She isn't qualified but she is experienced.
I will pay for her to attend a first aid course and a certification course this year but TBH that's partly for my benefit so that she becomes eligible for childcare vouchers.
I intially employed her as an after school childminder for dd (5) but safter a couple of months employed her full time to look after my baby ds as well.
I found her through thegumtree.com

sinclair · 31/05/2005 18:05

We pay £9 an hour for live out in west London, plus tax and NI. Our nanny works p/t, 30 hours a week, tho we trade a morning (DS at nursery now) against a weekly babysit. When we were looking - nearly three years ago and in a very different market - we found only a handful we would even consider and they all commanded that sort of rate at that time. I think p/t is different as unless they pick up other days elsewhere that is their total income so we always accepted we might have to pay over the odds. Arranging a babysit as part of the contract from the off is a great tip tho. Good luck with your search.

ellasmum · 31/05/2005 18:12

I am in Fulham and pay my live-out nanny £225 for 3 days a week - works out at about £8 per hour. I pay cash in hand so don't do NI and tax.

ssd · 31/05/2005 18:14

Isn't that illegal Ellismum?

Original poster

mumtotots · 31/05/2005 18:15

Great news!

My present nanny is staying with us, I've offered her more money and I think this has swung it. Can't believe I didn't think of it before!

Thanks a million to all who replied!

OP posts:

ellasmum · 31/05/2005 18:48

ssd - Not sure that it is illegal , but probably not entirely correct. My nanny is happy with the arrangement, but it does mean that it is quite an informal one. Leaves me a bit exposed as she could easily up and leave at any time.

tamula · 31/05/2005 19:15

Ellasmum,

I am a former nanny and it is illegal for you as the employer to not declare your nanny as working for you and to not contribute to her NI and tax. Sadly for you the responsiblity lies entirely with the parents.

I have worked for parents that paid cash in hand, it was in no way shape or form a loophole that meant I could 'jump ship' at my convienience. However I would never take on a job like that again, try getting a loan, mortgage, car on HP or even opening up a new bank account, Its hell without proof of earnings, it can be done by I dont think its fair at all to the nanny, I dont think any of the parents I worked for that didnt pay my NI and tax would ever consider working somewhere or for someone where their NI and tax wasnt paid.

Having said all that, I am glad fro you that it suits your nanny and yourself.

ssd · 31/05/2005 19:28

But ellasmum, are you sure your nanny is happy with the arrangement? She's the one who will miss out if her NI isn't being paid. Maybe she doesn't realise that but I feel as her employer you have a duty to tell her.

NannyL · 31/05/2005 19:49

Also ellas mum if (when) inalnd rev find out they will fine YOU for not declaring it + make you reapy all the tax / NI owed + interest...

and dont forget they CAN look at all you bank details / statmenets etc

ladymuck · 31/05/2005 20:09

Certainly the nanny will have a problem later on with an incomplete NI record (unless she is also illeglally claiming benefits?). But more importantly, once she realises this, the problem will become that of Ellasmum. The nanny will be incentivised to then inform the DSS/HMRC of who her employer was at the time. As NannyL pointed out, the employer is then liable for all the NI and Tax (even though it is the nanny's tax liability), and without a contract has no way of reclaiming anything from the employee. As well as any fines imposed by the courts for tax evasion, the automatic fines for lack of documents (annual P60) are quite hefty - from memory up to £3,000 per document.
You might get away with it if your nanny is from overseas and returns there at the end of the job.

The nanny doesn't get off scotfree either btw - see www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=116361&NewsAreaID=2

ladymuck · 31/05/2005 20:10

Sorry see this

tamula · 31/05/2005 20:17

Sorry LM but how does this article apply to the nanny? Sorry if i'm a bit dim but i dont see the correlation

This woman claimed tax credits to the tune of £6000 pounds and was caught and sentenced to jail, is that the right link?

ellasmum · 31/05/2005 20:18

Gosh, my first post on here for about 2.5 years and beginning to wish I hadn't. Ignorance is definitely bliss!!!

Will chat to my nanny tomorrow re. NI etc.. My problem will then be that I will be paying to go to work (if my calculations are correct).

soapbox · 31/05/2005 20:21

Ellasmum - that may be the case but do try and get this sorted out.

I had a friend who thought she was very clever by not paying NI and PAYE, and laughed at me for being too straight to dodge it!

She was found out and had to pay fines and all the back NI/PAYE to the tune of £16,000 in total!

I did have to work hard at biting my tongue when I found out - it caused them the most serious problems financially.

To add insult to injury the nanny was not aware that they had not been paying the NI and tax and walked out leaving them nannyless too!

So IME it really is not worth it!

uwila · 31/05/2005 20:28

Ellasmum, I suspect that you are from alone in this practice of paying cash in hand. But, I you will find your ways (or willingness to admit them) a minority on mumsnet.

I must agree, however, that you are putting yourself in a very risky position. Does she have a contract? Do you pay her anything on the books? Surely she could establish that she does/did in fact work for you just b y virtue of the people she meets.

I type this messae not to condemn you. I think the tax requirements of employing a nanny are simply outrageous. And, I therfore expect a lot of people do exactly what you are doing. But, it is worth reconsidering the position you are in and what risk you are really prepared to take.

CAT me if you like. Would be glad to chat about this.

ellasmum · 31/05/2005 20:38

I feel as if I need to defend myself here - I am not doing this to 'be clever' or to cheat anyone out of any money - it was genuinely because it was the easiest arrangement at the time.

Perhaps I should not have been so honest in my intial post.

Thanks for all the info.

Windermere · 31/05/2005 20:42

Wow! I think I will retrain!

soapbox · 31/05/2005 20:42

Ellasmum - you didn't come across as doing it to be clever or to dodge paying it! In fact I think you have been very open about things here

I was just using an example of someone I know in RL to make you aware of the risks you are taking by not formalising the arrangement with your nanny.

tamula · 31/05/2005 20:46

Dont feel under attack Ellasmum, you were just being honest and open and typical MN everyones got something to say about everything [grin} Get a bunch of women together and what happens? non-stop advice and stories!!!

Dont feel bad,

Tam n Ava Xx

ladymuck · 31/05/2005 20:46

Tamula - she didn't declare her income as a nanny (which was essentially the reason for the false claim of WFTC - if she had declared the income she wouldn't have got as much credit).

If the a nanny doesn't declare all of their cash in hand income then they will almost certainly get some benefit or other to which they are not entitled.

Flip

1 2 3