Tag: employing a nanny

Ofsted Registration Process

Nannies at present are not required by law to hold any childcare qualifications.

However if they wish to become part of the Voluntary Ofsted Childcare Register (OCR) they have the same requirements as a childminder, the only difference being is that they are caring for the children in their own home.

​To register, a nanny needs to complete online application via the Government Gateway website.

https://online.ofsted.gov.uk/OnlineOfsted

​​It will cost around £103 and needs renewing every 3 years.

​​As a nanny you will also need a Paediatric First Aid certificate, The Common Cores Skills and Knowledge in Childcare, Enhanced DBS Check and Public Liability Insurance.

 

SSP Statutory Sick Pay

All nannies are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), as long as they earn over the lower earnings limit of £118 a week and give you the correct notice.

SSP is paid to nannies on the 4th consecutive working day off and the first 3 working days are classed as waiting days and any salary for these 3 days are paid at employers discretion, unless they have something specific in the contract regarding paid sickness.

If a nanny has more than one job then she is entitled to SSP from each employer should she qualify.

Nanny must provide a Doctor’s fit note if she is off sick for more than 7 days in a row, for first 7 days they can self-certify.

How much is SSP

For this tax year, 2019/20 SSP it is £94.25 per week. Nanny can get SSP up to 28 weeks.

As of the start of the 2014/15 tax year the Government abolished any compensation on SSP for small employers and this is now a cost to the employer.

Nannies do not qualify

If they have already had 28 weeks of SSP paid.

Have already taken 3 or more years ‘linked periods of sickness – where 4 or more days of sickness happen within 8 weeks of each other.

Receiving other statutory payments (SMP for example).

Nanny may be able to apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if she is not entitled to SSP with you or has had 28 weeks of SSP. In order to apply for this, you must give nanny a SSP1 form.

 

Career Breaks

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

There are no laws that deal specifically with taking a career break – it is only an agreement between the employer and the employee.

Employers don’t have to offer career breaks. If they do, the policy must be clearly laid out (eg in a staff handbook) and should cover things like:

  • eligibility and notice periods
  • how to apply and how long is allowed
  • if the employment contract’s terms and conditions continue – eg qualifying for pay increases

Employees can make arrangements to return to work after a career break, but these agreements are not legally binding, and it could mean ending the existing contract of employment

Nannies and Mobile Phones

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

A lot of parents are becoming increasingly concerned regarding nannies and their use of mobile devices when they should be concentrating on their job, which of course is looking after the children in their care.

People generally, not just nannies, seem to spend a lot of their time on mobile devices whether texting friends or checking their social media apps.

Some parents are now putting a clause in the nanny contract limiting the amount of use a mobile phone or even supplying nanny with a work mobile phone and then nanny not permitted to use their personal mobile.

We would perhaps suggest erring on the side of caution as nanny may feel that if implemented you are not trusting them entirely.

Nanny-State Pension Age

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

What happens when nanny reaches state pension age

If nanny reaches state pension age, she will then not have to pay employees NI, this then increases the amount of money she will then take home in her pocket if she is on a gross wage.

If nanny is on a net wage, then the employer will then get the benefit of employee then not paying NI and will then see a reduction in the overall total cost each pay period.

Nanny and Sleepovers

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

If you are thinking of going away for the weekend, and have asked nanny to look after the children, should you pay her national minimum wage while she sleeps?

The court of appeal in July 2018 has stated you need to be awake for the purposes of working to qualify for national minimum wage.

This Judgement is likely to be appealed but as it stands the below will apply.

Once the nanny has been woken up, then national minimum applies.

If nanny is going to do sleep ins, it would be advised to agree a flat rate, and then in addition to that a rate for when nanny is awake.

 

https://www.moorepay.co.uk/blog/court-of-appeal-reverses-pay-decision-in-sleep-in-workers-saga/

Nanny believes she has paid too much in tax

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
Parents, nanny may come to you as the employer, and claim she believes she has been
paying too much tax in either the current tax year or previous years.
If relating to previous tax years it is best for nanny to contact HMRC directly by writing to
them with an explanation of why she thinks she has paid too much tax and she should
enclose relevant P60’s for the tax years involved. If it is then the case that she has overpaid
tax in a previous year HMRC would then issue a cheque directly to her.
If nanny believes she is paying too much tax for the current tax year, it is advisable that she
first contacts the employers payroll provider, such as us here at payroll4nannies to see if
they can help or she will need to call HMRC direct on 0300 200 3300 and will need to quote
her national insurance number and have other personal information to hand. HMRC will
issue a revised tax code if incorrect to the employer and any tax then previously overpaid in
this tax year would be repaid through the employer.

Expenses

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
If you pay nanny for mileage during work hours the mileage rate as per HMRC is 45p.
Anything above 45p is taxable and must go through the payroll. As an employer you must
keep records of mileage that you have paid out, you must only pay for miles traveled.
Simple putting £15 for expenses for general travelling is not acceptable and would mean it is
taxable.
By paying 45p a mile or more for getting nanny to and from work is a taxable, and would
need to be declared to HMRC.
Benefits in kind would arise when you let nanny have private use of your car, this benefit
would then need to be declared to HMRC annually by means of a P11d.
We would advise you to keep receipts from nanny that you have reimbursed her, for day
trips with the children and any shopping she has done.

NI Categories

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
There are various categories for employment in the UK for national insurance deductions,
below are the categories denoted by a letter and what they represent
NI Categories for UK employment
A – All employees who do not fall into B, C, J, H, M and Z
B – Widows and married women entitled to pay reduced national insurance
C – Nanny’s over the state pensionable age so does not pay NI
J – Nanny’s who are already paying national insurance in their other job so can defer it
H – Apprentice under 25
M – Nanny under 21 Employer pays no NI
Z – Nanny’s who are already paying national insurance in their other job so can defer it and
are under 21 years of age
X – Nanny’s who are aged under 16

Court Orders

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
Parents, you may during the course of nanny’s employment receive a Court order to make
deductions on her pay because of monies owed to a third party, this could be for unpaid
council tax, outstanding fines or from the child support agency.
As an employer it is then your responsibility to ensure that any such order is processed
correctly through nanny’s payslip and that the right deductions are made as per the order.
Any decent payroll provider will have the various different order types already installed on
their payroll software to ensure that the correct deductions are made.
Any payments to the relevant payee can either be made over the phone or via internet
banking and any instructions on how to make the payment are included with the order.
If you as an employer do not deduct the order from nanny’s wages you will be fined, it is
important to ensure that the correct deductions are made.