PRICE GUIDE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY · 2026–2027
Childminder cost in the UK
£5–£9 per hour. Typically £6.
A registered childminder charges £5–£9 per hour per child, typically about £6. Rates climb for babies and toddlers, in inner London and the South East, and for early starts or late finishes, while funded hours and Tax-Free Childcare can cut what a working family actually pays.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does a childminder cost in the UK?
| Low end | £5 | a school-age child, outside the big cities |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £6 | what most people pay |
| High end | £9 | a baby in inner London, long days |
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
- Age of the child — childminders charge more an hour for babies and under-twos than for school-age children
- Where you live — inner London childminders sit well above those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Funded hours — where your child qualifies, the childminder bills only the hours outside the free entitlement
- Hours outside the core day — early drop-offs, late pick-ups and weekend cover carry a higher childminder rate
- Meals, nappies and outings — some childminders include them in the hourly rate, others add a daily charge
- Siblings — many childminders take a slice off the hourly rate for a second child from the same family
WHAT YOU GET
What a childminder visit includes
Takes: Booked by the hour or session, usually for a set pattern of days each week across the year. Not included: Nursery places, a nanny in your own home and occasional evening babysitting are separate kinds of childcare with their own prices — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common childminder jobs
KNOW THE PRICE? NOW SEE THE REAL ONES
Childminder near you, with prices shown
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Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
How to pay less
- Ask the childminder whether funded hours can be used with them and how the remaining hours are billed
- Pay the childminder through Tax-Free Childcare, where the government adds a quarter on top of what you pay in
- A regular weekly childminder booking is usually charged at a lower rate than odd days added at short notice
Before you book
- In England check the childminder is on the Ofsted register; in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland check the Care Inspectorate, CIW or the local Health and Social Care Trust
- Read the childminder's latest inspection report and ask about qualifications and paediatric first aid training
- Agree a written childminder contract that covers holidays, sickness, notice and what happens on bank holidays
- Ask the childminder which meals, snacks and nappies are included and what is charged on top of the hourly rate
Childminder cost: questions people ask
Between £5 and £9 an hour per child, with £6 a fair middle figure. Childminders outside the big cities and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland charge least; inner London charges most, and babies cost more than school-age children.
Most childminders work a full day of about ten hours, often from early morning to early evening. You book a fixed pattern of days or sessions, and many also cover the school holidays.
Often, yes. In England working parents can use funded hours with a registered childminder for children from nine months; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own schemes with different ages and hours. Ask the childminder whether they are approved to offer them.
Many do, because they keep the place open for you. Check the contract: some childminders charge a retainer for your holidays and nothing for theirs, others charge full fees all year.
Nursery places, a nanny who works in your own home and one-off evening babysitting are other kinds of childcare and are priced on their own.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, drawn from published hourly childminder rates for each region and nation. Treat them as a national range rather than a quote; your own childminder sets the fee.