1. You are the employer — not Nannvo
When you hire a nanny to work in your home, UK law treats you as their employer. Nannvo Ltd connects you with vetted nannies and facilitates matching and payroll — we are not the nanny's employer and are not a care agency. Your direct employment relationship is with the nanny you hire.
That means you have legal duties around tax, insurance, and employment terms. The sections below walk through the essentials.
2. What Nannvo handles vs what you handle
| Nannvo | You (the employer) |
|---|---|
| Matching, shortlisting, and 6-step vetting (DBS/PVG, references, interview, PL insurance verification) | Employers' liability insurance (where required by law) |
| Employer setup support and payroll onboarding when you confirm a hire through Nannvo | Safe working environment and day-to-day management of your nanny |
| PAYE payroll and HMRC reporting included in your all-in hourly rate once your placement is active on Nannvo | Agreeing hours, duties, and house rules with your nanny |
| Verifying nanny public liability insurance before introduction | Due diligence before and during employment (Nannvo verifies certificates; you remain responsible for your household) |
3. HMRC employer checklist
Follow these steps when you become a nanny employer. Official guidance: gov.uk — Employ someone.
- Check the nanny can work in the UK — right-to-work documents (Nannvo verifies during vetting; you should keep copies for your records).
- Register as an employer with HMRC — do this before the nanny's first payday. Apply at gov.uk/register-employer. You will receive an employer PAYE reference.
- Set up payroll — when you hire through Nannvo, we onboard your payroll and run PAYE on your behalf as part of your all-in rate. If you prefer to manage payroll yourself, see section 9 below.
- Pay your nanny through payroll — deduct income tax and employee National Insurance; pay employer NI and pension contributions where applicable.
- Report to HMRC on time — Full Payment Submission (FPS) each pay period and any year-end tasks. Nannvo handles this when you use our payroll.
- Keep records — payslips, hours, tax records, and employment documents for at least three years (HMRC may ask for up to six).
4. The £99 employer setup fee
When you employ your first nanny through Nannvo, you pay a one-off £99 employer setup fee. This covers:
- HMRC employer registration support
- Employment contract and onboarding paperwork support
- Payroll onboarding for your placement
You only pay this once for your first nanny on Nannvo. Subsequent hires on the platform do not incur another setup fee.
Not included in the £99 fee: nanny Enhanced DBS or PVG checks — those are part of Nannvo's nanny vetting programme, not a charge to you for DBS processing.
5. All-in hourly rate
Your invoice through Nannvo is an all-in hourly rate that typically includes:
- Your nanny's gross pay
- Employer National Insurance and workplace pension contributions (where applicable)
- Nannvo matching, vetting, and support
- Verified nanny public liability insurance (certificate checked before placement)
See the full rate card, surcharges, and calculator on our pricing page.
6. Employers' liability insurance
If you employ anyone — including a nanny in your home — you may need employers' liability (EL) insurance. This is a legal requirement in most cases when you have employees.
- Many household policies offer EL as an extension — contact your home insurer and confirm cover for a employed nanny.
- Minimum cover is typically £5 million by law.
- Nannvo does not provide employers' liability insurance for your household.
Official guidance: gov.uk — Employers' liability insurance.
7. Workplace pension (auto-enrolment)
As an employer, you may need to enrol your nanny in a workplace pension scheme if they meet eligibility criteria (generally aged 22 to State Pension age and earning above the auto-enrolment earnings trigger — check current thresholds at gov.uk/workplace-pensions).
When you hire through Nannvo, employer pension contributions are included in your all-in rate where they apply. We set up and administer pension deductions as part of payroll.
8. Nanny public liability insurance
Every nanny matched through Nannvo must hold valid UK public liability insurance for nanny work. We verify certificates before introduction. Nannvo is not the insurer — we check that cover is in place; the policy is held by the nanny.
Eligible new nannies may receive up to £59 towards their first annual policy after vetting (programme terms apply). See our Terms of Service and vetting process for details.
9. Employment contract
You should agree a written employment contract with your nanny before work starts. At minimum, you must provide written particulars of employment within two months of start date (see gov.uk — Employment contracts).
Nannvo provides a draft template to help you get started:
- Nannvo draft nanny employment contract — includes probation, hours, pay, holiday, safeguarding, and insurance clauses.
Many families arrange a paid trial shift before signing — see our trial shifts policy for how that works, including insurance and payment.
10. Optional: DIY or third-party payroll
Some families prefer to run payroll themselves or use a specialist provider (for example Nannytax or similar services). That is your choice.
When you confirm a hire through Nannvo, payroll and PAYE admin are included in your all-in rate — you do not need a separate provider unless you prefer one. If you hire a nanny outside the Nannvo platform, you are responsible for all employer obligations independently.
11. Tax-Free Childcare and Ofsted registration
Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) is a UK government scheme that helps eligible working parents with childcare costs. For every £8 you pay into your online childcare account, the government adds £2 — up to £2,000 per child per year (£4,000 if your child is disabled). Official overview: gov.uk — Tax-Free Childcare.
Can I use Tax-Free Childcare to pay my nanny?
Sometimes — but only if your nanny is registered as approved childcare. Employed nannies are not automatically eligible. In England, most families who want to use TFC need their nanny on Ofsted's Voluntary Childcare Register (or the compulsory part, if it applies to their work). In Scotland, registration is through the Care Inspectorate, not Ofsted.
TFC pays towards childcare costs — it does not replace your duties as an employer. You still register with HMRC, run PAYE, and meet employers' liability and pension rules as set out above.
Typical requirements for an Ofsted-registered nanny (England)
Exact rules are set by Ofsted and can change. Commonly, a nanny applying for voluntary registration must show, among other things:
- Enhanced DBS check (updated as required)
- Valid UK public liability insurance for childcare work
- Paediatric first aid training
- Right to work in the UK
Nannvo verifies DBS/PVG, references, interview, and PL insurance before matching — but Ofsted registration is separate and is the nanny's responsibility unless you agree otherwise in writing. Official guidance: gov.uk — Register as a nanny and Ofsted childcare register.
How parents use Tax-Free Childcare
- Check eligibility and open a childcare account at childcarechoices.gov.uk.
- Confirm your nanny (or their agency, if applicable) is registered and can accept TFC payments.
- Pay your nanny through the childcare account — the government top-up is applied when you fund the account, not as a separate reimbursement from Nannvo.
You cannot use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as Universal Credit childcare support or tax credits for the same childcare. Check current rules before you choose a scheme.
What Nannvo does and does not do
- Nannvo verifies DBS/PVG, references, and public liability insurance before introduction — many of the same documents Ofsted will ask for.
- Nannvo does not register nannies with Ofsted or the Care Inspectorate on your behalf, and does not act as an Ofsted-registered agency.
- Nannvo does not process Tax-Free Childcare payments today. If you want to use TFC, agree payment arrangements directly with your nanny and confirm their registration status before you rely on the scheme.
12. Scotland and the rest of the UK
Employer tax and payroll rules apply UK-wide, but background checks differ in Scotland:
- England & Wales: Enhanced DBS for nannies working with children.
- Scotland: PVG Scheme membership (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) — the Scottish equivalent. See our Edinburgh and Glasgow pages.
Safeguarding in Scotland follows Scottish Government guidance. See our Safeguarding Policy for more.
Tax-Free Childcare in Scotland: the scheme is UK-wide, but nanny registration is through the Care Inspectorate, not Ofsted. See Care Inspectorate — early learning and childcare for current registration routes.
13. Ready to hire?
Tell us what you need — we respond within 24 hours and aim to send a vetted shortlist within 48 hours.