The cost of childcare in the UK can vary significantly depending on type of childcare, location, hours required, and age of your child.
Many families face substantial expenses for childcare. There are government initiatives such as Tax-Free Childcare and Free Childcare Hours which aim to alleviate some of the financial burden for working families, making quality childcare more accessible and affordable. Read more on getting help for childcare here.
In the table below I’ve tried to show the cost of childcare in a clear table for London and the rest of the UK, but always make sure to ask any childcare provider for a full breakdown of what your weekly or monthly costs will be.
| Childcare Option | Age | London (GBP) | Rest of UK (GBP) |
Eligible for government support?
|
| Nursery | 0-2 | £7 – £12 per hour | £5 – £10 per hour | Yes |
| Nursery | 3-4 | £6 – £10 per hour | £4.50 – £9 per hour | Yes |
| Childminder | 0-2 | £7 – £12 per hour | £5 – £10 per hour | Yes |
| Childminder | 3-4 | £6 – £10 per hour | £4.50 – £9 per hour | Yes |
| After-school nanny | 5+ | £10 – £15 per hour | £8 – £12 per hour | No |
| Full-day nanny | 0-4 | £12 – £20 per hour | £9 – £16 per hour | Sometimes |
| Nanny share | 0+ | £7 – £10 per hour (per family) | £6 – £8 per hour (per family) | Sometimes |
| Night nanny | 0-1 | £17 – £22 per hour (per night) | £9 – £15 per hour (per night) | Sometimes |
| Maternity nurse | 0-1 | £20 – £40 per hour (per night) | £18 – £25 per hour (per night) | No |
| Mother’s help | 0+ | £7 – £11 per hour | £7 – £10 per hour | No |
| Au Pair | 0+ | £9 – £14 per hour (plus board and lodging) | £7 – £10 per hour (plus board and lodging) | No |
| After-school club | 5+ | £10 – £20 per session | £8 – £15 per session | No |
| Breakfast club | 5+ | £5 – £10 per session | £4 – £8 per session | No |
| Live-in Nanny (food and board) | 0+ | £120 – £200 per week | £90 – £160 per week | No |
| Nanny housekeeper | 0+ | £12 – £16 per hour | £8 – £12 per hour | No |
| Babysitter | 0+ | £8 – £15 per hour | £7 – £12 per hour | No |
| Playgroup | 0+ | £5 – £10 per session | £4 – £8 per session | No |
Budgeting for consumables
Many childminders and nurseries will offer the funded hours (the Government childcare support) with a consumables charge.
This is so they can offer funded places without running a loss. The consumables charge makes up for that loss of income. The parents still pay very little (often around £2 per hour), and the childcare provider can still offer the same quality of care as they do to other children whose parents pay the full amount themselves.
‘Consumables’ usually includes food nappies, wipes, cream, and suncream.
Becoming an employer
Choosing a childminder or a nursery means you’ll be paying a business, so you’ll be able to either set up a direct debit directly with them or pay through your tax-free childcare Government account.
To use any other childcare you’ll either need to ensure your nanny is registered as self-employed, or you’ll need to set yourself up as an employer. Koru Kids will set you up with HMRC as an employer but most agencies won’t so you’ll need to follow the HMRC guidance to set yourself up.
As an employer you’ll be liable to pay Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions. Employer National Insurance contributions increased in 2025, you can read more about those changes here.
