DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
How much does a nanny cost per week in the UK?
A nanny works in your own home and looks after your children only, which makes it the most personal kind of childcare. It is usually priced per week, and the headline figure is only part of the story, because employing a nanny means you also handle tax, National Insurance and a pension. For two or more children, though, a nanny can work out better value than separate nursery places.
The quick version
- Nannies are priced per week and give one-to-one care in your own home.
- The wage is often quoted as net or gross, and the difference matters once tax and National Insurance are added.
- As the employer you are responsible for PAYE, National Insurance and a workplace pension.
- The cost is per family, not per child, so it can beat two nursery places for siblings.
- Funded hours are harder to use with a nanny, since not all are registered to offer them.
What people actually paid
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 9% less than the advertised list price for nanny.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases and from a small sample so far. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Real prices, in people's own words
- £675“9am-6pm, five days a week would be £675 a week”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
Nanny pay depends on hours, experience, duties and location, and London sits far above the rest of the country. A live-in nanny is often quoted lower than a live-out one because accommodation forms part of the package. On top of the wage, the employer costs of tax, National Insurance and a pension add a real amount that a nursery or childminder handles for you. Whether the wage is quoted net or gross changes the true figure a lot, so families comparing quotes need to check they are looking at the same basis.
How to pay less
- Agree the wage in gross terms so there are no surprises when tax and National Insurance are added.
- Share a nanny with another family, which splits the weekly cost while keeping home-based care.
- Use a Tax-Free Childcare account if your nanny is registered with Ofsted, which lets the payments qualify.
- Check whether the Universal Credit childcare element can apply, as it may with a registered nanny.
- Weigh a nanny against a childminder or nursery for one child, since a nanny usually only wins on cost with two or more.
Common questions
Is a nanny more expensive than nursery?
For one child, usually yes, because you pay for one-to-one care plus the employer costs. For two or more children the maths shifts, since a nanny charges per family rather than per child, so two siblings with a nanny can cost less than two nursery places.
What is the difference between a net and gross wage?
A gross wage is the full amount before tax and National Insurance, while a net wage is what the nanny takes home. Agreeing gross protects you, because with a net deal any change in tax or the nanny's own tax code lands on you as the employer.
Do I have to run payroll for a nanny?
Yes. A nanny is your employee, so you are responsible for PAYE, National Insurance and a workplace pension. Many families use a nanny payroll service to handle this, and the fee for that is worth adding to your budget.
Can I use funded hours or Tax-Free Childcare with a nanny?
Only if the nanny is registered with Ofsted. A registered nanny can let you use Tax-Free Childcare and, in some cases, funded hours or the Universal Credit childcare element. An unregistered nanny rules those schemes out, so check registration early.