London · 2026 cost guide
How much does a nanny cost in London? (2026 guide)
Salaries, employer costs, maternity-nurse day rates, rota pay and agency fees for London families — the 2026 figures Lumière uses, stated plainly.
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Updated 13 October 2026 · by the Lumière team
Quick answer
In 2026 a full-time nanny in London earns £45,000–55,000+ gross a year (live-in roughly £550–850+ a week plus room and board); rota nannies £60,000–90,000+ gross each; maternity nurses £250–350+ a day for a single baby and £300–450+ for twins. The family is the employer and pays employer's National Insurance and pension on top, usually through a nanny payroll provider. Lumière's fee is separate from the salary and set out in writing before the search; guarantee three months plus two on each replacement; shortlist within a week. Facts checked October 2026.
What London families pay in 2026
Ranges are Lumière-published for permanent roles and indicative 2026 market ranges for rota and maternity. Inner-London live-out roles for senior nannies reach about £56,000 gross a year in 2026, at the top of the range.
| Role | 2026 range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time nanny (live-out) | £45,000 – 55,000+ gross / year | Set hours, five days; senior inner-London roles reach ~£56,000 (2026) |
| Live-in nanny | £550 – 850+ / week gross plus room and board | Accommodation and meals provided; lower cash salary than live-out |
| Rota nanny (per nanny) | £60,000 – 90,000+ gross / year | Indicative; roughly £900–2,000 per working week, about 26 weeks worked |
| Maternity nurse, single baby | £250 – 350+ / day | Indicative; 24-hour care, six days a week; often self-employed |
| Maternity nurse, twins | £300 – 450+ / day | Multiples experience commands the premium |
| Governess | Quoted per role | QTS/PGCE governesses above nanny rates; indicative £900–1,300 net/week |
Gross figures; the nanny's income tax and employee National Insurance are deducted through PAYE.
PAYE, pension, and what else to budget
In the UK a nanny is an employee: your family runs PAYE (income tax and National Insurance deducted), pays employer's National Insurance and auto-enrolment pension on top of gross salary, and issues a contract and payslips — almost always through a nanny payroll provider for a modest annual fee. Budget for 5.6 weeks' paid holiday, sick pay, travel costs when the nanny accompanies the family, and, for a rota pair, two salaries.
Budget on top of gross salary
- Employer's National Insurance and pension contributions
- Payroll provider fee
- Paid holiday (5.6 weeks statutory)
- Room and board for a live-in nanny
- Travel with the family, paid as working time
Agency fee, separate from the salary
Lumière's fee is separate from the salary and set out in writing before the search, and the Lumière Guarantee — three months, then two more on each replacement, up to three times.
Introduction-only: your family employs the nanny; we never charge the nanny.
London versus Monaco, Geneva and Dubai
London gross salaries sit below Geneva and, once tax is paid, below Monaco's net figures and Dubai's tax-free packages — offset by the depth of the London candidate pool.
| Market | Full-time, 2026 | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| London | £45,000 – 55,000+ gross / year | Lumière-published |
| Monaco | €3,500 – 4,500+ net / month (live-in) | Lumière-published |
| Geneva | CHF 6,000 – 7,000+ gross / month | Indicative market range |
| Dubai | AED 12,000 – 25,000 / month tax-free + package | Lumière-published |
Frequently Asked Questions
Budgeting for a London nanny?
Tell us the role and we will confirm a realistic range for your brief within 48 hours.
Tell us what you needVetting & compliance
How Lumière nannies are vetted for London families
Lumière introduces candidates; the family is the employer. We never charge nannies. We introduce only candidates with an existing right to work in the UK and do not sponsor visas. Terms of business are supplied before any introduction.
Right to work in the UK
Settled or pre-settled status, or a British or Irish passport, verified before any introduction. We do not sponsor visas.
Enhanced DBS
Current enhanced DBS certificate, or application started before introduction, plus references verified in person by Hanna.
The family is the employer
Declared PAYE employment, employer's National Insurance and pension auto-enrolment, usually through a nanny payroll provider.
Introduction-only
Lumière introduces; we never charge the nanny, and our terms of business are supplied in writing before the first introduction.
Paediatric first aid
Current certificate required for every candidate.
Language verified
Russian- and French-speaking candidates are interviewed by Hanna in that language and in English.
Declared employment. Every placement is made on a written, declared contract with the family as employer. Lumière does not place undeclared nannies.
The Lumière difference
Founded by a professional nanny, not a recruiter
"I founded Lumière because the families I worked for kept asking the same question: where do we find another nanny like you? I still take private placements. Every nanny I place is one I would work alongside."
Hanna founded Lumière Placements after years inside private households as a career nanny. Lumière is the only French Riviera-based boutique placement agency, placing across Monaco, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Nice, and worldwide, founded and led by a professional nanny.
Why families choose Lumière
- Based
- French Riviera
- Founder
- Hanna, professional nanny
- Approach
- Families understood from the inside, the right nanny for the right family
- Qualifications
- Norland, CACHE, NNEB, Montessori
- Vetting
- References verified, DBS where applicable
- Employment
- Declared, full contracts
- Reach
- 20+ cities · 3 continents
- Specialisms
- Live-in, rota, governess, maternity, yacht, travel
