Working as a nanny in London has always been a popular choice for expats moving to the city.
The UK has an interesting nanny culture – it’s completely normal to hire help to look after and bring up the kids which is quite a strange concept for me coming from Australia. Whilst these days hired help tends to be reserved for the wealthiest British families, there are still scores of jobs going every day for nannies, or au pairs as they’re also commonly referred to, and often these jobs can include free accommodation, food and family holidays. Sounds pretty good, right?
So what’s it like being a nanny and how do you go about finding a job in this field?
Job Description
Working as a nanny most often means looking after babies and young kids, from newborns to older children, or a total mix of ages. Typically you’ll be expected to do all the basics – feed, bath, dress and clean after the children, play with them and teach them new things, do the school runs and take them to appointments and clean up rooms after the kids. So being a nanny is not a job for the feint hearted, but if you love kids then you may have just found your calling.
Finding a Job
The best way to find a Nanny or Au Pair job is through using a London nanny agency. Vacancies are advertised through agencies as well as in the national and local press, and on general job search websites – refer to my job hunting page for more info.
You may be able to start work as a nanny without any qualifications, though you’ll find it easier to get work if you have studied childcare and/or have first aid certification.
Income & Requirements
Salaries can vary depending on a lot of different factors – whether you’re a live-in or a live-out nanny, house location, your qualifications, working hours, flexibility, working for one family or ‘nanny-share’, etc.
Full-time live-in nannies can earn anywhere between £13,000 and £20,000 a year. Full-time live-out nannies can earn between £26,000 and £29,000, although London nannies can also earn considerably more. It’s normal to expect around £10 per hour net (after tax) for the average live-out nanny salary in London.
You may be able to start work as a nanny without any qualifications but many employers and employment agencies do prefer you to have some sort of prior training. You may also need to get Disclosure and Barring Service clearance, depending on what agency you use.
More Info
- Beauchamp Partners – Nanny Agency
- National Careers Services
- Nannytax
- Childcare.co.uk
- Children & Young People Now
Have you ever or would you ever consider working as a nanny in London? What has been your experience?
Kamila x
LNG