What to pay a day nanny vs nursery fees

[Bradsmum]

I would appreciate some advice here - I'm starting a new full-time job in a few weeks time and am trying to think of the best plan for my ds who is 21 mths. He goes to nursery at the moment 2 days a week but I am not that happy with certain elements of the nursery. There is another one which will cost £1000 per month full-time (which is average here in Surrey). Would it be better to have a nanny who comes to the house on a daily basis? If so, what do they get paid generally. Has anyone else had this dilemma re choosing either form of childcare? Is nursery better as they mix with other children (but experience staff turnover, etc). Any views would be really welcome.

bump - sorry but would appreciate any views

Bradsmum: I think you will find that an experienced nanny is looking for £60-70 per day net (i.e you are responsible for tax on top!). That's London prices, anyway. You could advertise in SimplyChildcare, if they cover your area, for a nanny returning to work with her own baby, and pay her less as she is doing he own childcare, IYSWIM, or even team up with another family: some wish to keep their nanny even though a child has started pre-school or something, but want her to look after another child to share the cost.
Nannies also incur extra expense in a kitty for outings, petrol etc, food for her and child, having the heating on all day at home in winter, and you have to consider what to do if she is off sick.

However, I find it less traumatic getting out of the house without having to have everything 'nursery-ready', and like the closer relationship. We have a nanny who has her own child the same age, so is cheaper- but DS will be going to nursery in January (aged 3.5).

Thanks Blu - useful info and food for thought.

Hi Bradsmum, I am in SW London where the nursery fees are similar to your area, so I assume the nanny costs are too. My nanny lives out and we pay her £325 per week + we have to pay all her tax etc which all adds up to about £480 per week.

We give her a car for her full time use (ie she keeps it eves and weekends), we pay the tax on the car and the insurance and servicing costs. She pays her own petrol as she only lives around the corner.

We give her 20 days a year paid holiday (2 weeks of which she takes at the same time as us) and up to 10 days a year paid sick leave.

There is also the cost of the pay company - they do your payslips/tax stuff for you for about £140 per year. It really is worth it. We use www.nannypaye.co.uk.

www.nannytax.co.uk has good advice/calculators of how much it will all cost etc.

We chose a nanny because I wasn't happy at the thought of putting a little baby in a nursery. Dd will be going to nursery when she is 2.5 yrs.

Hi Bradsmum,

the others have given you good advice re costs etc. Just some general thoughts - I really agree re the getting out of the house in the morning - it's a whole load less hassle just having to get yourself ready. For me - if you can afford a nanny I think it's a good way to go as the child gets to go out and about to playgroup, library, singing, playground etc, - which means interaction with other kids, but has nice quiet 1-on-1 time at home as well. For me the idea of nursery never really appealed (DD1 went to childminder, got a nanny after DD2) largely cos I didn't really fancy them being in the same surroundings all day long (and most working days, plus commutes are a long day)and mising out on normal everyday things like going to the shops, which I just think are a really important part of learning about the world. I would certainly not go for full-time nursery, but that's just my own preference and I know it works for some people. I think that nanny or childminder can be higher risk - you're investing a lot in one individual - but for me the benefits of getting the right person make it worth it.

Blu - can I ask how much you pay your nanny? Ours has her own little girl and I wonder if what we pay is in keeping. She's mid-20s, (but very mature) qualified, with 8-odd years experience. Gets £195 net a week for 3 days in Sw london. What do you think?

Hatter: our nanny, roughly same age/qualifications etc as yours, gets £180 net a week for 3 days - but in nannying terms she works a relatively short day (9.30-5.30) as SP and I stagger our working hours. She uses her own car, we pay petrol for outings etc.

Our nanny is paid £222 for a 3 day week net, but has a 10.75 hour day. My main reasons for preferring the nanny route (and we've been doing it for seven years) are involvement of playgroups etc, as mentioned, when your child is ill they can stay at home in bed or veg in front of the telly, not having to put them in a car at 6.30 at night on a freezing February evening, when they should be wrapped up in jim jams and drinking milk, having the house warm and occupied during the day, managing more closely what they eat, nursery duties (which for most nannies will be doing the childs laundry, changing their sheets, tidying their room etc), sewing on nametapes, being in when something is being delivered, picking up extra pints of milk..... Basically, I love the fact that their routine is not determined by my routine so in school holidays, if they and the nanny are happy with pjamas until 11am, they can!!!! Don't just compare costs, nannies can do quite a lot of jobs that take you additional time at the end of a working day. You just have to get on with them and manage them, like you would an employee at work (took me about three years to get this down to a pat!!!!)