Are You Paying the Going Rate for Babysitters?

Getting the very best in babysitting care for your children shouldn’t cost you the earth. Babysitting rates for excellent, reliable, and professional babysitters should be fair, and within the going rates for babysitters in your area. You do not have to sacrifice suitability for affordability.

Unfortunately, it is often the fear of expensive babysitting rates which pushes parents to opt for less reliable babysitters, settling for the most basic of what they feel they can afford. On the other hand, the fear of excessive babysitting rates for experienced babysitters can put parents off using babysitters altogether, which causes sacrifices to relationships, friendships, and career progression. The good news is that the going rate for babysitters is fair, affordable, and definable.

To give some indication, you should expect to pay in the region of £11.50 per hour, depending on some different factors. This is very close to the National Minimum Wage for over 25’s, which is currently £11.44 per hour.

Where Do You Live?

One of the primary determiners of babysitting rates is where you live. Some areas of the country are going to be slightly more expensive than others. This isn’t always where you think it will be. London, for example, doesn’t come with universal premium rates, only in certain pockets of the city. This is because the going rate for babysitters is determined by supply and demand just like any other job. If there are more babysitters available, and less demand, then the rate will be slightly lower.

To gain insight in to the going rate for babysitters in your particular area, enter your postcode here. This needn’t only be your permanent home, but also a hotel, or holiday cottage.

When Do You Need a Babysitter?

In most instances, the basic going rate will apply to your babysitting booking. However, certain times and dates incur a premium charge, again due to supply and demand. The two most notable of these are New Year’s Eve, and babysitting bookings after midnight. You may also find that if you choose to use a babysitter during the day, rather than in the evening when your child will mostly be sleeping, this may also incur a higher fee.

How Do You Know You Are Paying Your Babysitter The Right Amount?

All of these different factors can leave you a little confused about what is really a fair rate in your particular circumstances. We understand this, and understand that you need to be clear of babysitting rates before you even say ‘yes’ to that much anticipated invitation. Therefore, we recommend you use either our nifty postcode-based tool for babysitting rates in your area, or alternatively, sign-up with us (it costs nothing until you make a booking!), where you can get more detailed breakdowns of who you can use, and when.

How do You Pay Your Babysitter?

You will be expected to pay your babysitter directly, at the end of the sitting period. It’s conventional that you will round the payment up to the nearest quarter hour, with a minimum payment equivalent to 3 hours of work.

Is There Anything Else I Need to Pay For?

Usually, there is nothing else you need to pay directly to the babysitter. Sitters charge a small administration fee per booking, as well as a low-cost membership fee which covers things such as vetting available babysitters. There are a few instances when you may need to pay your babysitter to cover extra costs. For example, if you return after public transport has stopped, you will need to pay for your babysitter’s taxi, or provide transport for them, unless they came in their own car. You may also choose to tip your babysitter, although this is not common or expected.

Using the above advice and tools, we hope you can be sure of the correct going rate for babysitters in your area, at the time you will need to use them. The benefit of using a professional babysitting service like Sitters is that you can be sure you are paying fair babysitting rates for both you, and your babysitter.

Please note that hourly rates are correct at the time of publishing.

We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family www.sitters.co.uk.