Live-In Nanny Jobs in London: Pay, Hours and What to Expect

A live-in nanny job in London means living in your employer's home and caring for their children as your full-time job. For many nannies it's the most practical way to work in one of the most expensive cities in the world: no rent, no commute, and a close relationship with the family.

This guide covers what live-in nanny jobs in London involve, how they compare with live-out roles, typical hours, what your accommodation should include, pay on current listings, and the points to agree before you move in. You can browse current live-in nanny jobs in London at any time.

What a live-in nanny job means

A live-in nanny lives with the family, usually in their home, and works set hours looking after the children. Outside those hours you're off duty, even though you're still under the same roof.

The care itself is the same as any nanny role: routines, meals, play, outings, school and nursery runs, classes, homework, and the children's laundry and rooms. Live-in roles in London range from sole charge of a single baby to working within a childcare team in a fully staffed household. Some combine childcare with cooking and housekeeping, as nanny housekeeper roles do.

Living in doesn't mean being on call around the clock. A good live-in job has defined working hours, defined time off and clear rules about babysitting. For the wider London picture, including areas and the kinds of families hiring, see our guide to nanny jobs in London.

Live-in vs live-out in London

Most nannies weigh the two options against each other at some point. Here's how they compare in London:

Some families offer both. The Stamford Brook role on the board is live-in but will consider live-out for the right person. If you're weighing up the same choice abroad, our guide to Dubai nanny jobs: live-in vs live-out covers it for the UAE.

Typical hours, evenings and time off

Current London live-in nanny listings on Jobs in Childcare show the usual pattern: a five-day week of 11 to 12-hour days.

• Battersea: 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday
• Streatham Hill: 7.30am to 7pm, Monday to Friday
• Stamford Brook: about 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday, with flexibility
• Westminster (nanny housekeeper): 7am to 9pm, five or six days a week

Things to pin down before you accept:

• Babysitting. How many evenings a week, and is it paid on top?
• Weekends. Are they fully yours, and are you welcome to stay in the house?
• Nights. If there's a baby, who handles night wakings?
• Travel. Many London live-in roles include travel with the family. Find out how your hours change when you're away.
• Holidays. When can you book your own leave, and is any of it fixed around the family's plans?

“Living in should never mean always on. Agree your hours, your evenings and your days off before you unpack.” – Jobs in Childcare

Your accommodation: room, bathroom, meals, car

What's included varies a lot, so read each listing closely and ask.

• Room. At minimum, a private room of your own. The Westminster role offers a private room in the family's flat.
• Bathroom. A private bathroom makes a real difference. The Stamford Brook role has a private bedroom and bathroom on the top floor, and a Knightsbridge role offers your own bedroom and bathroom in the family home or a nanny apartment.
• Meals. Food is normally provided while you live in, but ask about days off and whether you can use the kitchen for yourself.
• Car. You often don't need to drive in London. The Battersea and Streatham Hill roles both say driving isn't required, though a family car is available if you do.

It's also worth asking about Wi-Fi, a lock on your door, whether friends can visit, and where you sleep when the family has guests.

Pay: gross vs net, and what affects it

Gross pay is your salary before income tax and National Insurance; net is what reaches your bank account. Every London live-in role below is advertised gross, but some listings on the board quote net pay, so always check which figure you're being offered and make sure your contract says the same. A nanny employed by a family in the UK should be paid through payroll, with a payslip.

Current London live-in roles on the board:

• Battersea, sole charge of a 20-month-old: £35,000–£40,000 gross a year
• Streatham Hill, sole charge of a baby: £35,000–£38,500 gross a year
• Stamford Brook, one five-year-old: up to £60,000 gross a year
• Westminster, nanny housekeeper for three children, including cooking and housekeeping: £600–£800 gross a week
• Knightsbridge, SEN rota support and retainer nanny, with your own bedroom and bathroom: £70,000 gross a year, rising to £75,000 after probation, for a maximum of 162.5 days a year

That's five live roles, so treat it as a snapshot rather than a market average. What moves the figure:

• The number and ages of the children
• Sole charge or shared care
• Extra duties such as cooking and housekeeping
• Specialist experience; the Knightsbridge role asks for proven SEN experience, particularly with ASC and ADHD
• Travel and flexibility
• Qualifications, and references from similar households

Remember the value of the room. Because you're not paying London rent and bills, a lower live-in salary can leave you with more at the end of the month than a higher live-out one.

What London families expect from a live-in nanny

• Experience with the right ages. The Battersea family need toddler and pre-school experience; the Streatham Hill family need baby and toddler experience.
• Confidence in sole charge. Many live-in roles leave you in charge for most of the day.
• The basics in place. A paediatric first aid certificate, an enhanced DBS check and the right to work in the UK. The Westminster listing asks for all three.
• Strong, checkable references from previous families.
• Discretion. You'll see family life up close and should keep it private.
• Flexibility. Busy professional households change plans, and travel is common.
• Being easy to live with. Tidy, respectful of the family's space and good at communicating.

Contract points to agree before you move in

When you live where you work, a clear contract protects your job and your home. Agree these in writing:

• Working days and hours, including start and finish times
• Babysitting: how many evenings, and how they're paid
• Your pay: gross or net, when it's paid, and how overtime and travel are handled
• Holiday: how much, and how it's booked
• Your accommodation: what's provided, house rules and guests
• Food on and off duty
• Travel: duties, hours and where you sleep
• Sick pay, probation and notice, including how long you can stay in your room if the job ends
• Your exact duties, so childcare doesn't quietly turn into housekeeping

Our 12 considerations for your nanny contract goes through each of these in detail.

How to find and apply for live-in roles

1. Decide what you'll accept. Sole charge or team, babies or school-age children, housekeeping or childcare only.
2. Update your CV. List each family, the children's ages, how long you stayed, sole charge, travel and any live-in experience.
3. Get your documents ready. DBS, paediatric first aid, references and right to work.
4. Search regularly. Start with live-in nanny jobs in London, which also shows live-out roles, and widen to live-in nanny jobs elsewhere in the UK and abroad.
5. Apply through the listing. Use the Apply button and add a short note on why the role suits you.
6. Ask the right questions at interview. Hours, evenings, your room, time off, and whether pay is gross or net.

Ready to move in and get started? Browse current live-in nanny jobs in London on Jobs in Childcare.