au pair package

[Nessienow]

hi everyone - we're speaking to a potential au pair for September and wondering what a reasonable package for them is? we've offered ?90/ week plus mobile but they're asking for ?100 which seems quite a lot so wondering what others are already paying?

thanks!

V

[jollymummy]

Hi V,

We have had two au pairs/Mother's helps over the last three years. ?100 sounds fair as you have to consider they are living in a very expensive city.

We paid significantly more but our Mother's Help worked up to 35 hours a week.

[LouieM]

Hello, we pay ?110 a week. We love our au pair and she was offered two different jobs so we offered a bit more money to snag her. I think it depends on what they'll be doing but personally I'd rather she's happy with plenty of spending money - our au pair even manages to save a bit. It also depends on how long you need/want them to stay. Our au pair has been with us for a year now and is planning to stay another year while friends who have paid less have lost au pairs very quickly. Hope this helps!

[Mellors]

?100 - ?120 depending on experience/hours required plus private use of car/gym membership. They've always had their own mobiles with Giff Gaff and topped up themselves.

Current au pair is going into her third year with us.

[scarla]

These figures give a very elevated view of typical au pair pay! Why does the biggest au pair website quote a much lower number? They quote home office advice of ?70 to 85. Even the London premium doesn't explain the discrepancy.

[Mellors]

I don't know why Au Pair World etc say ?70 - ?85. I've never known a London au pair to get less than ?100 a week, and believe me all the au pairs chat to each other about it (and I am nosy and ask!).

I think the lower end must be based on inexperienced girls doing a max of 20 - 25 hours a week. In London a lot of parents need longer cover due to commuting/longer days, so the hours are more like 30 - 35, and tend to choose more experienced people for that reason hence the uplift.

Of course anyone is free to pay an au pair what they like, there is no minimum wage as such, but if you want them to be happy and stay then you obviously need to consider how attractive the package is.

[scarla]

Maybe your au pair has a vested interest to say that she isn't overpaid? I agree that ?70 to 85 is too low for around here but the home office and aupairworld must be the best sources for guidance.

I don't know a family (and that's talking to the parents including those that go through agencies) that pays any more than ?100.

[SimoneA]

I think it definitely depends on what the au pair is doing and their experience. We have a lovely 18 year girl starting in September with no experience. She'll be with us for 6-8 months. Her main tasks will be getting our 2 year old son ready in the morning and dropping him off at the childminder (9am) and then picking him up at 5.30pm until we get home at 7ish. She's practically free all day to explore the city, take on part-time work if she likes (prioritising us of course) and do a language course etc. As such we are paying her at the lower end (?75) and she's happy about that. Not to mention everything is naturally covered by us from food, toiletries, travel, flights home including Christmas, phone etc. She's only doing the drop off and pick up and her hours are likely to be max 15 hrs a week. Anything more seems unreasonable in our situation. If she was looking after our son most of the time and/or doing after school care etc we would certainly pay more and I think ?100-120 sounds very fair for the added work, particularly if looking after two or more children as well as no other child care costs involved.

[LouieM]

We pay ?110 a week. Our au pair is on duty 8-9am if we need her then picks up our 6 and 8 year olds up at 3.30 and looks after them until about 6.30-7pm most nights. Some days it's longer, other weeks I'm home by 5pm every night, she just has to be flexible. She doesn't get a car or any other perks but she does get 7 weeks a year paid holiday (same as I get at the moment).

I saw the websites advising ?80 but seems a bit low in London and I think you get a better calibre of au pair depending on what you pay. Ours speaks brilliant English, is 22 and is planning to stay a second year with us. Friends have had 19 year olds with basic English who have left after 3 months. So I think you get what you pay for!

[tinyidentity]

Would you mind sharing where you found your au pairs? I am looking to find someone to start in September.

Thanks in advance!

[Loigal]

I pay ?100 per week. She does about 4 hours 4 days a week before and after permanent childcare and babysits 1/2 nights a week. 4 weeks paid holiday a year. One child only. No extras like travel card as she doesn't need that for her duties. I'd pay for language classes but she doesn't need / want them. That amount seemed fair from the research I did, if you pay ?80 I think it is only fair to add on extras like travel / phone. Out of interest do most people pay for their flights to and from the UK? I wasn't asked and didn't contemplate it but I see SimoneA did and wondered if ive been lucky / tight! Thanks

[fergju]

I pay 120 plus we bought her a phone which she tops up, 4 weeks paid holidays, use of the car during the day and evenings / weekends if we don't need it. She provides a weekly shopping list of food and toiletries she needs which I pay for. We also allow her to have friends and family stay from abroad on an adhoc basis or if we are away on holiday. She is a really lovely girl and is staying for a further year. I paid for her initial flight here. I also paid for her travel when she came on holiday with us for the weekend.

[Convex]

Hi, just reviving this thread as i have similar questions.

those who pay ?100-120 per week, what sort of hours do they do? i estimate i would need around 25 hours per week which would be taking over from me in the morning and getting the kids to nursery and school, then picking up the eldest from school and looking after, and picking up the youngest from nursery and looking after both for about an hour until i get home.

i would also be grateful for any recommendations of sites you went through.

thanks

[katgod]

Mine does

3 x 15 minutes in the morning - I am there to assist with breakfast and dressing she literally has to walk to school and wait til the class goes in, plus

3x 3.5 hours after school, til I get in.

Plus ad hoc babysitting.

?100 per week plus gym membership.

Have use au pair world but prefer the outgoing one to recommends someone.

Hope that helps.

[Convex]

it does, thank you very much - i think for our first one we will use an agency just because its so new. (unless anyone can recommend someone.... etc....)