Au pair Salary?

[blimey]

We live in london suburbs and would like to get an au pair. I thought I had done the research on what au pairs earn (ie mumsnet archives!) and thought it was in £60-£80 per week bracket. we are offering £80 per week for usual tandcs ie 25 hours per week - extra pair of hands, little sole care and 2 evenings babysitting. I keep coming across requests for more money though. One girl I liked told me she had been offered £250 per week - this made me think I was in the wrong job (assuming usual tand cs!) She was a kiwi - I guess they command a premium?
so in short what do people actually pay their au pairs these days and has the going rate really gone up?

Another suggestion for AP 'benefits' - to offer a bonus payable at 12 months.
I set up a bank transfer to a seperate account £5 per week, don't even notice it and then It's a nice amount to offer if you are happy with there performance.
Might help retain someone when Aupairs jump families to get an extra few pounds per week.

Good luck

I had one applicant (interestingly from Gumtree0 who insisted that you could not live in London on less than £150 a week (for 25 hours max) and that she had been offered jobs at this rate, but added that she awaited my next offer! I suggested that she take the other jobs - she couldn't even drive and her experience was a six month au pair job. I don't have £150 per week after paying for food and accom/ bills etc.
We have now found a lovely au pair for a more reasonable amount.