Employing an au pair in the United Kingdom
Employment Rights Act — employing someone in your home
Last reviewed
This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Employment law changes, varies by region and depends on your exact arrangement. Figures below are researched from official sources but go out of date — always confirm the current position with the official body linked on this page, or with a qualified labour adviser, before you rely on it.
If you employ a nanny or an au pair in your home you are an employer with legal duties. GOV.UK is explicit that au pairs are entitled to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage — there is no separate “cultural exchange” status in the UK. If you provide accommodation, that is taken into account when working out whether the minimum wage has been met. Confirm details with GOV.UK and HMRC.
Pay floor
£12.71 per hour (21+)
Effective 1 April 2026; £10.85 at 18–20, £8.00 under 18 and for apprentices. Reviewed every April — next change 1 April 2027. Verified against GOV.UK on 2 September 2026.
What to get right
Written terms
Employees are entitled to a written statement of the main employment terms from day one. Use the contract template in the NannyTank app as a starting point.
Minimum wage
The National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage applies, by age band — £12.71 an hour at 21 and over, £10.85 at 18–20 and £8.00 under 18, from 1 April 2026 (next change 1 April 2027). If you provide accommodation, an “accommodation offset” of £11.10 a day (£77.70 a week) counts toward it — accommodation only, not food or travel. Where accommodation is free the offset is added to pay for this test. GOV.UK: it is the employer’s responsibility to keep records proving the minimum wage is being paid.
PAYE payroll (HMRC)
If you pay above the threshold, register as an employer with HMRC and run PAYE payroll — deducting Income Tax and National Insurance and paying employer’s NI.
Leave & sick pay
Statutory paid annual leave (5.6 weeks pro-rata) and, where eligible, Statutory Sick Pay apply. Auto-enrolment into a workplace pension may also apply.
Official sources
Check these for the current position — they are the authority, this page is not.
An editable contract template for United Kingdom
NannyTank includes a downloadable employment contract template that references Employment Rights Act — employing someone in your home — you fill in the agreed pay and hours. Available in the app, along with hours, overtime and claim tracking.
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NannyTank is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page is a starting point to help you know what to look into; it may be incomplete or out of date, and it does not account for your specific circumstances. Confirm anything you rely on with the official bodies above or a qualified adviser.