What is the Cost of a Nanny Per Day?

Hiring a nanny is often the best option for parents with varied childcare needs. There are many different types of nannies and this means that parents can usually find the right professional to meet their requirements - whether that means occasional babysitting, childminding or full-time care. It can also be much more cost effective than sending them to a nursery.

If your needs are flexible, you may not want to hire a full-time nanny and instead engage their services on a part-time basis. Unlike full-time nannies, who will sometimes work for a salary, a part-time nanny will usually charge an hourly rate. The hours they work will depend on the family for which they provide childcare and the services they render, although there are limits to how much work they can do per day and per week.

The cost for a nanny will vary depending on these factors and others, including where in the UK you live, whether you are hiring a live-in nanny or a live-out nanny, and whether you expect them to work full-time hours. For these reasons, it is difficult to provide an estimate of how much a nanny costs.

Here, the childcare experts at Nannies Matter will explain some of the considerations that will determine how much a nanny costs, and offer advice on how to find the right nanny to meet your family's needs without breaking the bank.

What affects the cost of a nanny?

It is hard to definitively answer the question: "How much does a nanny cost?" You can speak to a local nanny agency about your specific needs from a childcare professional in order to get an idea of the price because there are many factors that can affect the total cost.

A nanny's hours and duties will both affect how much they charge for their services. As with most professions, there are limits on how many hours a nanny can work. In most cases, a nanny can work for up to ten hours per day, although how much work your nanny does will naturally depend on your specific requirements. Part-time nannies will usually be paid an hourly rate rather than a salary and so the hours you need them to work will often determine how much it costs to employ a nanny per day or per week.

Hiring a nanny through a nanny agency may cost more initially but can have many associated benefits. For example, nannies registered with agencies will be more likely to have undergone enhanced DBS checks, which indicate that they are not banned from working with children and are an important qualification for anyone who wants to work with children. It will also be more likely that they are registered with Ofsted, which can offer additional benefits.

What are the best ways to save on childcare costs?

There are a number of ways to reduce childcare costs when hiring a nanny. If your nanny is registered with Ofsted as a childminder, you may qualify for a government childcare subsidy. This can help to offset costs and is one reason why it is often better to hire a nanny through an agency.

If your household has varied needs, you may consider hiring a nanny housekeeper, who will be able to fulfil a wider variety of household responsibilities. For example, if you need a childcare professional who can get your children ready in the morning, prepare breakfast and take them to school, and then collect them in the evening, they will have several hours during which they can take care of other tasks. These might include light housekeeping, tidying, laundry or other tasks, and it can often be significantly more cost-effective to hire a single person to carry out these roles.

Other nannies will have other skills they may be able to apply - nanny grooms, for example, who can take care of horses - and you should speak to an experienced nanny agency about your needs, as they will often be able to match you with the right person to exceed your expectations.

If you need to hire a nanny or other household professional, contact the team at Nannies Matter today. Our expertise means we can quickly match you with suitable candidates and find the right nanny to meet your family’s needs. Call us on 0800 121 4881 or fill out our online contact form to arrange a call back.