Nanny share in Chiswick: how it works and what it costs

Updated 14 October 2026

In a nanny share, two families employ one nanny together. The nanny looks after the children from both families at the same time, in one of the two homes. Each family pays part of the wages, and each pays a lot less than it would for a nanny of its own.

Is it allowed?

Yes. In England a nanny can look after children from one or two families at any one time, in one of those families' homes, without registering as a childminder. If a nanny cares for children from three or more families at once, that counts as childminding and needs Ofsted registration.

The care can happen in either family's home, as long as it's one home at a time. Many families agree a main host home; others take turns.

Who employs the nanny?

Both families do. Each family is a separate employer for its share of the wages, runs its own payroll, and pays its own employer National Insurance and pension contributions. Most families use a nanny payroll service to handle this.

Being two separate employers matters for cost: each family gets its own £5,000 allowance before employer National Insurance starts, so a share saves more than a straight half.

What it costs: a worked example

Nannies in outer London earned an average of £21.73 an hour gross in 2025/26 (what a nanny costs in full), according to Nannytax's salary data for full-time, live-out nannies. Shares usually pay the nanny a few pounds an hour more, because they're caring for more children, but that higher rate is split between two families.

Here's a full-time example: 50 hours a week, paid for 52 weeks including holiday, with 2026/27 employer rates (15% National Insurance above £5,000 a year per employer, and 3% employer pension on qualifying earnings).

In this example each family saves about £30,500 a year, 46%, and the nanny earns £62,400 a year instead of £57,200. Try your own numbers in the calculator.

An estimate, not tax advice. Your payroll provider will confirm exact figures.

Ways to bring the cost down

Tax-Free Childcare

If your nanny is registered with Ofsted (nannies can join the voluntary part of the Childcare Register), you can pay through Tax-Free Childcare. The government adds £2 for every £8 you pay in, up to £2,000 per child a year. Both parents need to be working, and each must earn under £100,000. In the example above that could bring one family's cost down to about £33,900 a year.

Funded hours: not for nannies

Working parents in England can get up to 30 hours a week of funded childcare from when their child is 9 months old, but the funding can't be used for a nanny or home carer. If you'd like to use your funded hours, a mix can work: a share for some days and a nursery or childminder for the rest. See how the costs compare.

Who a share suits

• Parents going back to work before their child is old enough for funded hours, or still on a nursery waiting list.
• Families who need longer or less regular hours than a nursery offers.
• Parents who want care at home, with one carer and one other child, rather than a room of children.
• Families who'd like a nanny but can't justify the cost of one on their own.

Finding a family nearby

The hardest part of a share is finding the right family: close enough to walk between homes, needing the same days, with children of a similar age. That's what Pairfold Chiswick is for.

1. Answer six questions about your area, your child and the days you need. No name, email or phone number.
2. See families nearby who fit, each under a code name like Willow Heron.
3. When you're both interested, choose a first meet-up at a public place from our list, grown-ups only.
4. If it feels right, agree the details and find your nanny together. Here's what to agree.

Questions

How much more should a shared nanny be paid?

There's no fixed rule. Shares commonly pay a few pounds an hour more than a sole role. Agree a figure both families can afford and that's fair for caring for more children.

Whose house does the nanny work in?

Either, one at a time. If one home hosts most days, the other family often contributes to food, heating and wear. Agree it in writing before you start.

What happens if one family leaves?

Agree a notice period between the families at the start, and talk honestly about what happens to the nanny's job if the share ends. Our agreement guide covers this.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Register as a nanny (the two-family rule)
• Nannytax: 2026 nanny salary guide (outer London hourly rate)
• Nannytax: 2026/27 tax year changes (employer National Insurance)
• Nannytax: Tax-Free Childcare for nannies
• Best Start in Life: how 30 hours childcare works