11 PRICES TRACKED

Childminder (per hour)

A registered childminder, priced per hour. Often cheaper than a nursery, especially for younger children.

£5median paid

£7median list

£4lowest

£7highest

1.8×spread

Read the full guide: childminder costs explained →

Every price we track (hover a dot)

List priceActually paid

The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)

List price (advertised)£75 prices

↓£2 less

Actually paid (reported)£54 prices

People reported paying 24% less than the advertised list price for childminder.

List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.

Quoted vs actually paid (real submissions)

The strongest signal there is: what one person was quoted, and what the same job actually cost them.

quoted £4↔paid £40%
Per hour, starting rate quoted by a South East poster. Parent-reported on Mumsnet.
Anon · South East England · 2021
quoted £5↔paid £50%
Per hour, includes meals. Parent-reported on Mumsnet, exact region not stated.
Anon · UK · 2021
quoted £6↔paid £60%
Per hour. Parent-reported on Mumsnet.
Anon · Glasgow · 2021
quoted £6↔paid £60%
Per hour, includes all food and snacks. Parent-reported on Mumsnet.
Anon · London · 2021

Year	Region	Provider	What it was	List	Paid	Src
2021	South East England	Unknown	Childminder rate, South EastPer hour, starting rate quoted by a South East poster. Parent-reported on Mumsnet.	—	£4quoted £4	source
2021	UK	Unknown	Childminder ratePer hour, includes meals. Parent-reported on Mumsnet, exact region not stated.	—	£5quoted £5	source
2025	Hertfordshire (East of England)	Independent	Registered childminder, per hourIndividual registered childminder in Watford; £5.00/hr (min 3 hrs); out-of-hours before 8am/after 6pm £7.50/hr	£5	—	source
2021	Glasgow	Unknown	Childminder rate, GlasgowPer hour. Parent-reported on Mumsnet.	—	£6quoted £6	source
2021	London	Unknown	Childminder rate, LondonPer hour, includes all food and snacks. Parent-reported on Mumsnet.	—	£6quoted £6	source
2026	Cardiff (Wales)	Independent	Registered childminder, per hourChildcare.co.uk area average childminder rate, Cardiff (CF10)	£6	—	source
2026	Greater London (Havering)	Independent	Registered childminder, per hourChildcare.co.uk area average childminder rate, London Borough of Havering (RM3)	£7	—	source
2026	London Borough of Havering	Unknown	Childminder fees, area averagePer hour, area average across local listed childminders.	£7survey avg	—	source
2026	Greater Manchester (M1)	Independent	Registered childminder, per hourChildcare.co.uk area average childminder rate, Manchester city centre (M1)	£7	—	source
2026	Edinburgh (Scotland)	Independent	Registered childminder, per hourChildcare.co.uk area average childminder rate, Edinburgh (EH1)	£7	—	source
2026	London	Unknown	Childminder rate, London averagePer hour, stated London average, with large variation by local area noted.	£7survey avg	—	source

Common questions

How much does childminder cost in the UK?

Across 11 real UK prices, the median is £6, ranging from £4 to £7. These are published prices and bills people actually paid, not estimates.

Why do childminder prices vary so much?

Nursery fees vary with the area, the hours, the child's age, and the setting. London costs far more than most of the country, and the funded hours only cover part of a full-time place.

How can I pay less for childminder?

Compare a few settings, claim every funded hour and tax-free childcare you are entitled to, and ask whether meals and nappies are included or charged on top.

Related free guides

Methodology: prices here are published prices and bills people reported paying. Each row says which it is, with a link to the source where one exists. We never estimate and no sponsor can touch a number. Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix or remove it fast.