PRICE GUIDE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY · 2026–2027
Babysitter cost in the UK
£10–£13 per hour. Typically £11.
Most UK babysitters ask £10–£13 an hour, with around £11 the usual figure. London sitters charge the most, experienced or first-aid-trained sitters charge more than a teenager from down the road, and a larger family or a late finish nudges the hourly rate up.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a babysitter cost in the UK?
| Low end | £10 | a teenage sitter, outside the big cities |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £11 | what most people pay |
| High end | £13 | an experienced sitter in London, late finish |
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
- The babysitter's age and experience — a trained, older sitter charges more than a teenager starting out
- Number of children — a babysitter looking after four or five children often adds a pound or two an hour
- City or town — babysitters in London and Edinburgh charge more than those in Bradford or Birmingham
- Late finishes — many babysitters charge extra after midnight or ask you to pay for a taxi home
- Short notice — a same-day babysitting booking on a Friday or Saturday night costs more to fill
- Extra tasks — bathing, cooking tea or homework help on top of babysitting can raise the hourly rate
WHAT YOU GET
What a babysitter visit includes
Takes: Booked by the hour, usually three to five hours for an evening out, often with a minimum of two or three hours. Not included: Regular daytime childcare, a nanny on a contract and overnight care are different services with their own prices — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common babysitter jobs
KNOW THE PRICE? NOW SEE THE REAL ONES
Babysitter near you, with prices shown
The babysitters, childminders, nannies, crèches and agencies that cover your area, nearest first, each with their price and one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
How to pay less
- Book a regular babysitter on a set night and you can often agree a slightly lower hourly rate
- Share a babysitter with another family for a joint night out and split the cost between you
- Avoid booking babysitting at short notice on Friday and Saturday nights, when sitters are most in demand
Before you book
- Ask for references and, for an adult babysitter who works with children, whether they hold a DBS, PVG or AccessNI check
- Agree the hourly rate, the minimum booking and how the babysitter gets home safely before the night
- Leave the babysitter your mobile number, any allergies, bedtimes and the full address for emergency calls
- Check whether the babysitter has paediatric first aid, especially when looking after a baby or toddler
Babysitter cost: questions people ask
Around £10–£13 an hour, with about £11 typical. A teenager in a smaller town asks least, while an experienced sitter in London asks most.
Most evenings run three to five hours. Many babysitters set a minimum of two or three hours, so a short trip out still costs that minimum.
There is no legal duty for an informal babysitter to be checked or registered. Many adult sitters choose a basic or enhanced check — DBS in England and Wales, PVG in Scotland and AccessNI in Northern Ireland — and asking to see one is reasonable.
It is common to cover a taxi or drive the sitter home after a late evening. Agree it when you book so it does not become an awkward conversation at midnight.
Daytime childcare on a contract, a live-in or live-out nanny and overnight care are priced as separate services.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, built from published hourly babysitting rates in cities across the country. They give a national range, not a quote; each babysitter sets their own rate.