How Much Does an After School Nanny Cost?

The school day finishes at 3pm. Your working day doesn’t. That’s the gap an after school nanny fills, picking the children up, getting them home safely, and looking after them until you’re done for the day.

So what does an after school nanny cost in the UK? It depends on where you live, who you hire, and how many hours you need. This guide breaks it all down in plain language, including the extras parents often forget to budget for.

What an after school nanny actually does

An after school nanny usually starts work somewhere between 2:30pm and 3:30pm, depending on what time school ends. They pick the children up at the gate or from a club, walk or drive them home, and stay with them until a parent gets back, usually around 6pm or 7pm.

In that window they’ll typically sort out a snack, help with homework, take the kids to clubs or playdates, manage tea, and start the bath and bedtime routine if you’ve asked them to. Some after school nannies will also do the kids’ laundry, tidy their rooms, and prep their school bags for the next day.

It’s a short shift but a busy one. A good after school nanny needs to be calm, organised, and confident behind the wheel if driving is part of the job.

The average after school nanny cost in the UK

As a rough guide, an after school nanny in 2026 costs between £13 and £20 gross per hour across most of the UK. London and the home counties sit at the higher end, often £17 to £22 per hour gross, while rates in the rest of the country tend to be lower.

A typical after school nanny works around three hours a day, five days a week. That’s 15 hours, which works out to roughly £200 to £330 per week in gross wages, or around £10,500 to £17,000 a year before the employer costs we’ll cover below.

Shorter setups exist too. Some families only need cover three days a week, or just on the days they can’t leave work early. Hourly rates often go up slightly for very short shifts, because nannies are giving up a chunk of their afternoon for just a few hours of paid work.

What affects the cost

A handful of things push the price up or down. Experience is the biggest one. A nanny with ten years on the job, a paediatric first aid certificate, and a childcare qualification will charge more than someone newer to the work.

Location plays a big part too. Central London and the commuter belt are noticeably more expensive than the rest of the country. If you’re inside the M25 you’ll usually pay a premium.

The number of children matters as well. One child after school is straightforward. Three children at three different schools with three different finish times is a logistical job in itself, and the rate should reflect that.

Driving is another big factor. If you need a nanny with their own car who can do school pickups, ferry the kids to swimming, then drop them home, expect to pay more than for a walk to school setup. You’ll usually pay mileage too, often at the HMRC approved rate of 45p per mile.

The extras most parents forget

The hourly wage is only part of the picture. As an employer, you also have to budget for a few legal costs that catch a lot of first time nanny employers out.

Employer’s National Insurance

You pay 13.8 percent on earnings above the secondary threshold. On an after school salary of around £12,000 a year, that could add a few hundred pounds on top of wages.

Workplace pension

If your nanny is eligible, you’re legally required to enrol them in a workplace pension and pay at least 3 percent of their qualifying earnings. There are no exceptions for part time staff.

Holiday pay

After school nannies are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, pro rata. For a nanny working five afternoons a week, that’s 28 days off paid at their normal rate.

Payroll and insurance

A nanny payroll service usually costs £150 to £250 a year and handles tax, NI, payslips, and HMRC reporting. Employer’s liability insurance is a legal requirement and tends to run about £100 a year.

School holiday cover

This one trips up a lot of parents. Your after school nanny is on contract all year, including the 13 weeks of school holidays. You’ll either pay them their normal hours during the holidays (and use them for full days), or agree a reduced term time only arrangement up front. Don’t assume you can just not pay them.

Agency fees

If you find your nanny through an agency, expect a one off placement fee, usually between 10 and 17 percent of the nanny’s gross annual salary. A good agency will include a replacement guarantee if things don’t work out in the first few months.

After school nanny vs after school club

After school clubs at primary schools usually cost £8 to £15 per child per session in the UK. For one child, that’s clearly cheaper than a nanny. So why do families still choose nannies?

Once you have two or more children, the maths shifts. Two children in after school club five days a week could easily run to £140 or more per week, and you still have to pick them up by 6pm. Three children, and a nanny often works out the same price or cheaper.

Nannies also handle things a club can’t. Homework gets done in a quiet kitchen. Tea is on the table when you walk in. The kids are bathed and ready for bed instead of overstimulated from another two hours of hall noise. If you’ve got a child who finds busy environments hard, an after school nanny can be a brilliant alternative.

Ways to bring the cost down

If the numbers feel tight, there are a few sensible options. A nanny share is the most common. Two families pool together to share one nanny, often based at one of the houses, with the cost split between them. It works best when both families have kids at the same school or nearby schools.

Tax Free Childcare from the government can also help, giving you 20 percent off your childcare costs up to certain limits. The nanny needs to be signed up with HMRC’s scheme for you to use it, so ask before you commit.

Term time only contracts can work if a nanny is happy with that arrangement, though many prefer year round work because it gives them income stability. Be upfront about what you can offer from the start, rather than springing it on them at the contract stage.

Getting the budget right

The biggest mistake parents make with after school nanny cost is focusing only on the hourly rate. Once you add in tax, NI, pension, holiday pay, insurance, and school holiday cover, the real number can be 20 to 25 percent higher than the headline wage. Plan for the full picture from day one and you won’t be caught out. At Nanny Matters, we help families work out exactly what an after school nanny will cost based on their schedule, location, and what they actually need. If you’d like an honest answer for your family, get in touch and we’ll happily talk you through it.