PRICE GUIDE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY · 2026–2027
Au Pair cost in the UK
£70–£90 per week. Typically £85.
Au pair placements are advertised at £70–£90 a week, typically about £85, plus a private room and meals. But gov.uk is clear that both the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage apply to au pairs, so the hours you agree decide the lawful pay, and accommodation you provide counts towards it.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does an au pair cost in the UK?
| Low end | £70 | twenty-five hours a week, outside London |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £85 | what most people pay |
| High end | £90 | thirty hours a week with evening babysitting |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the babysitters, childminders, nannies, crèches and agencies near you.
What moves the price
- Weekly hours — an au pair working thirty hours receives more pocket money than one working twenty-five
- Evening babysitting — extra evenings on top of the agreed au pair hours are usually paid on top
- Location — au pair families in London and the South East often offer above the usual weekly sum
- Language course — many host families help with the au pair's language school fees as part of the deal
- Travel and phone — an Oyster card, bus pass or phone for the au pair adds to the weekly cost
- Agency fees — placing an au pair through an agency adds a one-off fee to the family's first costs
WHAT YOU GET
What an au pair booking includes
Takes: Usually a placement of six to twelve months, at around twenty-five to thirty hours a week. Not included: The au pair's room and board, travel, phone and any language course are separate costs for the family; full-time childcare from a nanny is priced in the guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common au pair jobs
KNOW THE PRICE? NOW SEE THE REAL ONES
Au Pair near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Agree the au pair's weekly hours precisely so pocket money matches the work rather than growing by default
- Find an au pair directly through a reputable matching site rather than paying a full agency fee
- Share school runs with another family so your au pair's hours stay within the agreed weekly limit
Before you book
- Check the au pair has the right to work in the UK, usually through a visa such as the Youth Mobility Scheme
- Read gov.uk’s au pair page before agreeing pay: both the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage apply to au pairs, and the employer keeps the records
- Write down the au pair's hours, duties, days off and pocket money before they arrive
- Ask the au pair for references, and agree how phone, travel and language school costs will be shared
Au Pair cost: questions people ask
Between £70 and £90 a week, with about £85 typical, alongside a room and meals. The weekly sum follows the hours: council guidance pairs twenty-five hours and thirty hours with different minimums.
Usually twenty-five to thirty hours a week, including some babysitting, with two days off. Longer hours make the role closer to a nanny's job.
Yes. gov.uk is clear that both the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage apply to au pairs. Accommodation you provide counts when the minimum wage is worked out, and as the employer you keep the records that prove you pay it.
It is not recommended. Au pairs are usually young, may have little childcare experience and are best suited to helping with school-age children rather than sole care of a baby.
The au pair's room and food, travel, phone, language school and any agency fee are paid by the family on top of the weekly sum.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, taken from published au pair pocket money ranges and council guidance. They are a national range, not a quote for your placement.