You’ve done all the hard work of setting up your childminding business. Now it’s time to start taking on your first kids – maybe you’ve even got a few families interested already. The question is: what do you charge for your childminding services? Being a childminder takes a lot of skill, patience and preparation, and you want to make sure you’re being paid what you’re worth.
How much to charge for childminding depends on where you live, what you bring to the table and – perhaps most importantly – what you’re being asked to do. Picking children up and dropping them off, preparing meals and going on outings are all additional tasks that need to be factored in on top of caring for the kids. Here are some tips to help you figure out where to set your rates.
What to consider when determining your rate
In addition to your budget and that of the family, it’s worth considering your location, your qualifications and what services you offer when deciding on a pay rate.
1. Average childminding rates for your area
Base pay rates can vary significantly across the UK depending on the cost of living, i.e. how much you have to pay for things like food and rent. This means childminders typically charge more in areas that are expensive to live in, like London. If a particular area has a shortage of qualified childminders or nursery places, this might also drive prices up as families compete for the available providers.
Rates in certain areas of the UK start from as low as £3/hour per child and range up to £6/hour, or even £7/hour in London. Here’s an overview of the average fees for registered childminders:
| UK average | Central London | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 hours/week (part-time)* | £118 (£4.73/hour) | £164 (£6.56/hour) |
| 50 hours/week (full-time)* | £228 (£4.56/hour) | £303 (£6.06/hour) |
Average local rates serve as a good baseline – but you can always adjust up or down depending on your experience and what services you offer.
2. Your experience
How many years have you been working as a childcare provider, including babysitting and working at other childcare facilities? How many years have you been working as a childminder specifically? The more experience you have, the more you can charge.
It’s important to note that this generally refers to paid work only. Experience raising your own children can be a selling point for parents and may help to tip the scales in your favour, but it shouldn’t factor into how much you charge for your childminding services.
3. Your qualifications
Do you have a university degree? How about a master’s? Childminders with higher levels of education are typically able to charge more, especially if the degree is relevant to childcare, such as a degree in early childhood education or child psychology.
Even if you don’t have a degree, however, other licences or certifications – such as an NCFE CACHE diploma or specialised qualifications in special needs or newborn care – can also give you leverage to up your fees. Check out our list of programmes and certifications that can make you stand out – and boost your pay grade, too.
4. The number of children and their ages
It’s worth considering the number and ages of the children in your care when calculating the right rate for you. Some childminders offer sibling discounts if they are looking after more than one child from the same family at the same time. Others charge more to care for school-age children or newborns. Every childminder decides for themselves how to structure their fees – think about how much extra effort and preparation these different factors cost, and bear this in mind when choosing your rates.
5. What you offer
When setting your rates, make sure to calculate all the additional costs surrounding the care you offer, too. If you’re a childminder who goes above and beyond, that should be reflected in the fees you charge. Things to consider include:
- Do you provide meals?
- Do you take the children on outings, e.g. to museums or activity centres?
- Are you picking up, dropping off or shuttling the children about in your car?
- What activities and equipment do you provide yourself at your home?
It’s usual for childminders to charge extra for providing breakfast, lunch or dinner (often in the form of a flat fee), and for specific trips or activities. But don’t forget to factor in the ongoing costs of basics like milk, snacks and baby wipes, too – as well as things like art supplies (paint, paper, colouring pencils), toys and games, and petrol for your car.
Many childminders also charge extra for (unscheduled) overtime or “unsociable hours”, e.g. before 8am or after 6pm. The same goes for childcare on weekends and bank holidays.
When to raise your fees?
Even if you’ve been looking after the same children for a while, childminders can still negotiate for more pay when required. Circumstances can change as children develop and grow, e.g. from babies into toddlers, or from pre-school age to school age – and your tasks and duties will, too.
In addition, the longer you’ve worked as a childminder, the more experienced you’ll be, and the higher the rates you can command (see point 2). Likewise, you might want to consider adjusting your fees if you’ve recently completed a relevant qualification. How you do this is up to you – setting a pay rate for your services isn’t an exact science. But make sure that the time, effort and added value you provide are reflected in the fees you charge.
Looking for work as a childminder? Check out our childminder vacancies.