Assistant Wages

[lorettacritchet]

Hi,

what is the standard assistant wages paid? I am meant to be getting an assistant in but thinking why the hell would I pay her the same amount as what I charge parents i.e. £5.....especially as I can't leave her alone with the kids for longer than a short school trip or toilet trip.

Would appreciate a view point. thanks

[Bluebell]

tricky and I guess it would depend on how many children you can take on and what she brings to the table in terms of experience etc. I guess if you are taking on a student from the local college studying childcare minimum wage might be appropriate to start?
If its an older person that although not being left alone with children will contribute to your setting and allow you have more children then I think you should pay her in line with the extra income you make - but of course you will still need to allow for your running costs and expenditure you incur so could work out a percentage?
I'm sure someone who has an assistant and pays them will be along in a minute!

[pillows]

I charge my parents £35 per day and I pay my assistant £6.50 per hr. she is employed therefore I am responsible for tax & NI being sorted etc and don't forget the holidays I don't charge my parents if I am on holiday so therefore have to make sure I put enough behind for when I take holiday and also pay my assistant as she is entitled to holiday pay.hth

[rickysmiths]

I would have thought at least the min wage. This is the info for your area.

http://www.centrallondonconnexions.o...B/Default.aspx

[lorettacritchet]

Hmmmm I can definetely see what you say about whether it's worth getting an assistant. I can't afford to actually EMPLOY her...i thought maybe on an as and when self employed basis - was that not an option??? If I employed her I would be more at a loss to pay her holidays, sick pay, tax and NI which I wouldn't be able to do. WHy on earth would I want to pay an assistant much more than what I am on?

I would have thought at least the min wage. This is the info for your area.

http://www.centrallondonconnexions.o...B/Default.aspx

[loocyloo]

my assistant was self employed and i paid her the minimum wage. i also gave her children tea

[Rebecca Foster]

Hmmmm i say where you're coming from. Personally, if you have more mindees because of your assistant then it only sems right that she gets a share

[lorettacritchet]

Yes true, I am not trying to be money grabbing. I am just thinking if she works full time with me then she is just literally earning a wage which one parent pays me. It would seem pointless.... I only managed to get one extra number with her being my assistant, at least until my daughter goes to full time school. If I had two then I wouldn't have an issue plus i need to be careful not to have to get into an employment position as I can't afford it.

Hmmmm i say where you're coming from. Personally, if you have more mindees because of your assistant then it only sems right that she gets a share

[lorettacritchet]

i read somewhere that assistants are not allowed to be self employed? is that rubbish? do you have a contract with her ie what you pay her etc or is it just verbal. Is there a limit which you pay her for her to remain self employed?
sorry all the questions

my assistant was self employed and i paid her the minimum wage. i also gave her children tea

[rickysmiths]

It depends how many hours they work and how much they earn. I think if they work full time then yes my accountant said I would have to employ them and pay tax, NI, holidays, sick and maternity, training and I would have to do a paye payslip which the accountant would do for a very reasonable fee.

I decided it wasn't worth all the extra work and cost for the little I would get out of it. I would also have to have some kind of cover system if the assistant was on holiday or sick.

Even though of course the Assistant's wage is added to your expenses.

Yes you would have to have a Contract of Employment.

In the end I decided I was earning more by being full and having 4 under fives some days on my own. I enjoy working on my own and I get out and meet other cms a lot. I went out today and had lunch out with a cm friend and our children, so I don't get lonely and I suit myself which is one of the reasons I like being self employed.

I really think you need to take some expert advise before you go into it.

[jumping j]

I have an assistant who is self employed. I pay her £6.50 an hour and she works 1 or 2 days a week depending when I need her. It's allowed me to take on 2 extra children who I had space for on other days but would put me over my numbers on a friday and sometimes another day depending on shift patterns. On the days she works I break even but it makes it worth while for the other days when I'm full because of the extra children.
To be self employed they have to be free to get work elsewhere and work under a certain amount of hours, I think, I find it quite confusing.
I think there's some information on the HMRC tax website somewhere

[WildMonkies]

I have several different self employed assistants. They work as and when i need them. I pay them £3.50 per child over the children I can have in my numbers. I do have a contract and confidentiality agreements with them. I'm also having one of them complete thier nvq2 through my setting. It's nice to have the company although can be hard work.

I'm desperately trying to earn enough to buy a bigger house and this is working out very well for me.

Hope that's of some help

X

[Sharon 72]

Hi

I want to work with an assistant and I have checked with the tax office, and they have confirmed that she can work as many hours as she wants self employed as long as she is able to look elsewhere for work also.

My question is really how much to pay her per hour? I will be able to take on 3 more under 5's with her.

I have paid for her first aid course, and she will be getting the nvq level 3 in children and young people's workforce for free, and also bringing her daughter with her in the school holidays and after school term time, so I will be providing meals, outings etc.

Does anyone think that £6.50 an hour, and then deducting a child care fee from that would be appropriate?

Totally at a loss really now with all of this

any help is really greatly appreciated

many thanks

Sharon

[Bluebell]

why you would deduct a child care fee from her? - she will be looking after her own child surely and her working for you would be no benefit to her if she still has to pay for childcare!
She can surely contribute to cost of meals, outings and a share of expenses including running costs. A co-minder would be expected to pay a contribution towards these things as minding from your house so you could deduct a small proportion on this basis but this is for you to negotiate with her and see what she would be happy with.

[Sharon 72]

I agree totally, I want to ensure that the business pays for all the essentials, trips, meals, etc, and then give us both a wage so to speak.

would it be better for her in the long run, to register as a childminder in her own right.

She was advertising as a nanny, but has no qualifications, and is not voluntarily registered with Ofsted.

As an assistant is it better to pay her per hour, or a set wage per week, as a self employed person do I still need to pay her minimum wage???

all so confusing and I don't want to get into trouble

thanks

[Sharon 72]

I totally agree tbh. I am wanting to deduct trips, meals, etc from the business and then give us both a wage.

Would it be better for her to be registered in her own right, but she would have to do it from my home. That then would mean two ofsted inspections when the times comes.

My assistant was advertising as a nanny when I found her, and she has no qualifications, and is not voluntarily registered with Ofsted.

What would be my best option?

thanks Sharon x

[jadavi]

I pay my assistants min wage which is £5 an hour for their age. I agree one child over my ratio does not make it worth it ( yes I would be out of pocket as parents pay £4 an hour.)
However I aim to build up to six children on the days I have them and then I do make a profit. On the days I have four children and an assistant I see it as support for me which I very much appreciate as I find the sole worker side of the job a bit isolating . The minimum number of hours they are contracted with me is very low and I only take on assistants who can be very flexible which so far has been fine.
What I would love is a guy assistant to promote a positive male role model for all the single mum mindees but so far haven't found one...
Oh and none of the assistants reach the tax threshold so paperwork is minimal.
Assistants make this job a lot easier and more fun espec if they love children and are really good with them.

[KarenM]

I have an assistant and pay her 6.20 an hour. She also brings her child and claims tax credits etc so I charge her a proportionate fee of 75% of my normal hourly rate. I appreciate it may mean she earns less at the end of the week, but her child is still taking up a place that would be making me money and she still gets 70 / 80% of those fees paid for from tax credits.

[kellyb]

I have several different self employed assistants. They work as and when i need them. I pay them £3.50 per child over the children I can have in my numbers. I do have a contract and confidentiality agreements with them. I'm also having one of them complete thier nvq2 through my setting. It's nice to have the company although can be hard work.

I'm desperately trying to earn enough to buy a bigger house and this is working out very well for me.

Hope that's of some help

X

Hi wild monkies!

I'm looking at taking on one of the parents of the children I look after as my assistant 3-6 pm tues & thurs.. Someone told me yesterday on a first aid course that you can't increase your numbers with an assistant unless they are another registered childminder which I want to query.. Because if that's the case it's surely not worth employing someone? Also this lady who wants to become my assistant - we have talked about her becoming my voluntary assistant and instead of paying her a wage I have her daughter who is 7 for free.. Obv contracts would be drawn up to document this..

Any advice would be fantastic!!