Do You Know How Much to Pay a Babysitter?

When it comes to knowing how much to pay a babysitter you can be left in more of a tangle than attempting to wrestle a trio of bubble-bath covered toddlers against their will. How much is the ‘right’ amount? What is legal? What other factors come in to play? Do you pay babysitting per child? Do you pay for any extras such as travel? Do you tip? Do you pay more at certain times? If so, when?

When it comes to knowing the ins and outs of how much to pay your babysitter, Sitters.co.uk are experts. With 50 years in the business we know the legalities, the moralities and the unseen costs of babysitters. Use our experience to take away the angst and be sure you’re getting the best care at the best price.

Start with the Basics – How Much to Pay a Babysitter

Before money even comes in to the equation you need the right person for the job. Doug-Next-Door’s 15-year-old niece might be visiting, and willing to come on round for £5 an hour, but is she really the sensible choice? Bear in mind, much as you might be desperate for some adult-only letting-your-hair-down time, these little beings are your most treasured possessions. Are you really going to relax and unwind if you’re not 100% certain your kids are in the most capable and experienced hands?

Don’t start with the preconception that a seasoned childcare expert will cost you dearly. In our experience you can easily find childcare experts, with many years of babysitting behind them, and frequently families of their own, for around the National Minimum Wage level When it comes to babysitting, you really can have the best of both worlds: an experienced capable babysitter and value for money.

Location, Location, Location

Ascertaining how much to pay a babysitter requires you giving a little thought to your area. If you’re in central London, you’re going to be paying a premium, and possibly more for requiring a babysitter to come to your hotel. Bear in mind these rates are still competitive. You’re currently looking at around £12.50 p/hr for a Saturday night in London or the South East. However, down in Devon, or up in the North East, you’re most likely to find a competitive rate for experienced childcare babysitting professionals on a Saturday night is equal to the National Minimum Wage.

When and Why

Next up, affecting the rate of how much to pay a babysitter is the when and why. For babysitting, much like any other service, it’s often about supply and demand. Saturday nights are more popular than a weekday evening because generally both your, and the sitters, social lives are centred then. Premium nights, like New Year’s Eve, are going to hit the pocket a little harder still. Daytime rates - when the eight year old has homework; the pre-schooler wants to play Shopping List (again); and the baby is on a feeding marathon - command a higher fee than evenings when the babysitter can get the brood in bed, and kick back with a DVD and the baby monitor.

Getting it Right

All in all, therefore, there are a significant number of factors that come in to play when knowing how much to pay a babysitter. The good news is that Sitters.co.uk take the hard work out of it for you. Simply enter your postcode in to our online search tool and in a split second you’ll have a break-down of rates showing you exactly what an experienced and checked babysitter will cost you in your area, whether it’s a Saturday, a weekday, in a hotel, or for daytime needs.

Babysitting Extras

All that’s left is for you to make the booking and hand over the payment for the babysitter at the end of their work, usually rounding the payment to the next quarter hour. However, a few little extras do need to be remembered. If your babysitter came by public transport, and that’s stopped running by the time you’re home, then you’ll need to cover a taxi fare. If you’re a nice sort, who values a trusted sitter who’ll come back again, then some tea and coffee and a few nibbles won’t be missed either. If they’ve gone above and beyond the service you expected, a tip would be nice but is certainly not obligatory. Remember that tips are entirely up to you and not part of the ‘fair pay’ established by us.

 Sitters.co.uk Make Payment Clear

Using Sitters.co.uk makes booking and paying for a babysitter easy, hassle-free, and allows you to leave your little ones knowing they’re in good hands at a fair rate. You can’t get much better than that.

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.