Nanny-State Pension Age

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

What happens when nanny reaches state pension age

If nanny reaches state pension age, she will then not have to pay employees NI, this then increases the amount of money she will then take home in her pocket if she is on a gross wage.

If nanny is on a net wage, then the employer will then get the benefit of employee then not paying NI and will then see a reduction in the overall total cost each pay period.

What sort of parent are you?

Most of us when referring to our own parents would describe them as strict or easy going but over recent years new parenting styles have begun to emerge and parenting has become a bit of a minefield and depending who you talk to you either feel you are doing a brilliant job or are the worst parent out there!

Here are the top 5 parenting techniques currently doing the rounds, which one are you?

Instinctive parenting

This style of parenting tends to follow how you where bought up, the things that you felt your own parents did well or badly influence your decisions on what you do. You feel what is right for your child and family rather than follow the pack and what the ‘experts’ say is the right thing to do.  If, for example, you always went to Cornwall for a week at Easter and this was a happy memory of your childhood you are much more likely to carry on that tradition than consider doing something different.

Attachment parenting

Parents who support the theory of attachment parenting tend to be more emotionally involved with their offspring. They always make themselves emotionally available to their child and believe that this bond makes a child more secure, more compassionate and calmer. The child is often carried closely, and they are usually breastfed until they are much older than the average child. Attachment parenting usually involves home schooling, co sleeping and positive discipline.

Helicopter parenting

The phrase ‘helicopter parent’ was coined in 1990 by child development researchers Foster Cline and Jim Fay and was used to describe parents who constantly interfered with their children’s lives and development, they ‘protected’ them from hurting themselves by not allowing them to climb the slide on their own or run ahead or play out doors without an adult in constant supervision and as the child grew they would micro manage their homework or projects never allowing the child to fail or make a bad decision. Obviously, we all want to protect or children from harm, but this form of parenting tends to smoother the child’s independence and can backfire later in life when they are young adults and struggle to make decisions and are often still very reliant on their parents.

Authoritative parenting

How many of us have said ‘because I say so’ or ‘my house, my rules’? Authoritative parenting is a parenting style characterized by high responsiveness and high demands. Authoritative parents are responsive to the child’s emotional needs while having high standards. They set limits and are very consistent in enforcing boundaries. However, research has shown that this form of parenting tends to produce the best all round child. Expectations are high for the child to achieve, behave, follow the rules but the child knows where they are and understands the boundaries. The parents are loving and nurturing and understand that the child needs to become independent whilst setting rules and expectations authoritative parents use reasoning and allow give-and-take discussions. Authoritative parenting should not be confused with Authoritarian parenting which tends to be more neglectful and colder.

Permissive parenting

Permissive parents tend to be very loving but do little to set boundaries or encourage discipline, they often have more of a ‘friendship’ with their children than a parent / child relationship and are dismissive of immature or irresponsible behaviour citing ‘children will be children’ rather than explain what appropriate behaviour might be. Permissive parents are often overindulgent towards their children, they are often inconsistent in their parenting style and are not adverse to resorting to bribery to get a child to do what is required of them. Expectations of achievement are often lower with permissive parenting which can lead to children under achieving as parents are happy to just let them get on with it and do as much or as little as they want to.

Nanny and Sleepovers

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

If you are thinking of going away for the weekend, and have asked nanny to look after the children, should you pay her national minimum wage while she sleeps?

The court of appeal in July 2018 has stated you need to be awake for the purposes of working to qualify for national minimum wage.

This Judgement is likely to be appealed but as it stands the below will apply.

Once the nanny has been woken up, then national minimum applies.

If nanny is going to do sleep ins, it would be advised to agree a flat rate, and then in addition to that a rate for when nanny is awake.

 

https://www.moorepay.co.uk/blog/court-of-appeal-reverses-pay-decision-in-sleep-in-workers-saga/

Grandparents looking after grandchildren – help with state pension

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk  provide payroll advice for parents and have created this content.

Thousands of grandparents caring for their grandchildren over the summer holidays could be missing out on the chance to boost their future State Pension.

Many working-age grandmothers and fathers could qualify for Class 3 National Insurance credits for looking after children aged under 12 – which can be used to top up their income in retirement.

Half of Britain’s 7 million working-age grandparents have a grandchild under the age of 16.

Applications for NI credits for caring for children under 12 need to be made to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and must be signed by both the adult carer and the Child Benefit recipient. Applications need to be made after 31 October following the end of the tax year in which the caring took place.

https://public-online.hmrc.gov.uk/lc/content/xfaforms/profiles/forms.html?contentRoot=repository:///Applications/NICs_iForms/1.0&template=CA9176_en_0.5.xdp

Nanny believes she has paid too much in tax

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
Parents, nanny may come to you as the employer, and claim she believes she has been
paying too much tax in either the current tax year or previous years.
If relating to previous tax years it is best for nanny to contact HMRC directly by writing to
them with an explanation of why she thinks she has paid too much tax and she should
enclose relevant P60’s for the tax years involved. If it is then the case that she has overpaid
tax in a previous year HMRC would then issue a cheque directly to her.
If nanny believes she is paying too much tax for the current tax year, it is advisable that she
first contacts the employers payroll provider, such as us here at payroll4nannies to see if
they can help or she will need to call HMRC direct on 0300 200 3300 and will need to quote
her national insurance number and have other personal information to hand. HMRC will
issue a revised tax code if incorrect to the employer and any tax then previously overpaid in
this tax year would be repaid through the employer.

BAPN

Nannyjob is pleased to partner with BAPN, the No 1 Nanny Membership Association in the UK.

This article is provided by BAPN.

As the No 1 in the UK, we are proud of what we do and will continue to build on our reputation – that of delivering a high standard of services and benefits to our members.  We will continue to work in partnership with highly respected companies within the childcare and early years sector, making sure that nannies are no longer the invisible professionals.

BAPN is a proud partner of Nannyjob.  Learn more about BAPN at www.bapn.org.uk

 The BAPN you see today isn’t a ‘New BAPN’, it’s more a grownup BAPN, changing with the times, developing to meet the needs of a more discerning, sophisticated nanny who quite rightly expects so much more than social get togethers or signposting to help, advice and support.  They’re busier than ever before and they favour having everything in one place; to know where to go to for quick, reliable, trustworthy employment support, advice, discounted products and services they can afford.

BAPN hasn’t changed its remit, set up all those years ago, we’ve always offered high quality support and services.  However, the most significant addition we have introduced, is our personal representation cover for when things go wrong.

Being a nanny can be thrilling and the most rewarding job you’ll ever get to do. However, caring for someone else’s children can leave you extremely vulnerable, you can feel isolated at times and unsure of your facts be it a childcare issue or regarding your employment rights.  A Nanny might find themselves facing an accusation of some kind or with a battle on their hands to recover unpaid salary or wrongful deductions for example.  Whether a Nanny needs a second opinion, some reassuring advice or requires support and personal representation, wherever they are in the UK, BAPN can now act on their behalf.  We can now be there, in person, fighting their corner.  Nannies tell us that it is this addition to the array of member benefits that has made them look again at BAPN and to join us.

It’s been an extremely busy 6 months and I’m delighted with what we’ve been able to achieve recently.  We’ve more than quadrupled the discounted benefits available to members and we’re particularly proud that this includes much needed Health Care Benefits for nannies.

We’re also proud to be offering International Affiliate Membership to British nannies working abroad and we’re hopeful that this will enable us to further develop our overseas community, going some way towards tackling the isolation that often comes with working in a new country.  International Affiliate Membership is also available to overseas nannies who are not from the UK but who want to keep up to date with nanny issues in the Uk, as well as make new friends.  Everyone is welcome and we’re excited to see this membership flourish.

The signs that we are delivering what our members want from us are good.  The feedback we’re getting is extremely encouraging.  Obviously, as we move to add more support, more benefits, and to get out there, holding workshops around the country, we really do need nannies to join us.  We’re a membership Association first and foremost and the only income we receive is from our membership subscriptions.  We aim to keep our fees affordable while offering quality and that can only be achieved by member growth.  So, if there are nannies reading this who haven’t taken a fresh look at BAPN we would urge them to do so.  We’re confident they’ll like what they see www.bapn.org.uk

BAPN membership means your voice is heard and shows your support for the work we do to raise the profile of nannies, the outcome of which can only be beneficial and improve the employment of nannies.

 

​Tricia Pritchard

Managing Director, BAPN

Hypnobirthing

Recent years have seen a soar in the popularity of Hypnobirthing. Perhaps once thought of as a bit ‘woo’ or ‘hippy’, more and more expectant parents are now tapping into the mind:body connection and learning simple yet powerful relaxation techniques to prepare for their baby’s birth.  So, what are the benefits: –

Hypnobirthing increases/improves

  • Confidence for pregnancy and birth (for mum-to-be AND her birth partner)
  • Flexibility during labour and birth
  • Informed decision making
  • Relationship with midwives/doctors
  • Higher Apgar score
  • Bonding with baby
  • Ease of breastfeeding
  • Smoother transition to parenthood

Hypnobirthing reduces:

  • Fears, anxieties and tension
  • Need for medicated pain relief
  • Requirement of medical intervention
  • Length of labour
  • Caesarean rates
  • Length of stay in hospital
  • Recovery time after birth
  • Incidence of post-natal depression

How does it work?

A Hypnobirthing course can be seen as a complete birth toolkit. It teaches simple but specific self-hypnosis, relaxation, breathing and massage techniques for a safe, calm and gentle birth. Simply put, the more relaxed and calm you can be in labour the more in control and positive you will feel.

Hypnobirthing also helps dads and other birth partners understand their role and feel confident about the practical and emotional ways they can support their partners.

It is for all types of birth?

Yes! The techniques are invaluable regardless of the setting, or the way in which your baby enters the world. In fact some of Hypnobirthing’s greatest advocates are those who, for varying reasons, had surgical births. The techniques that they had learned equipped them with the tools they needed to relax, remain calm, and enjoy a positive experience where they still felt in control.

The very point of the techniques is that they work when things are going ‘to plan’ as well as when things may take a turn ‘off plan’: what happens during your birth experience is less important than how you feel about what happens.

Whilst Hypnobirthing doesn’t promise a natural pain-free birth, it does give you the best possible chance of having a straight-forward, vaginal birth, and an experience that you will remember with only positive memories.Sarah teaches in Reading Berkshire. She has worked with many couples to transform their mindset from feeling apprehensive and fearful to feeling prepared, supported, relaxed and excited, and go on to enjoy a birth experience that is positive, empowering and calm.

  www.happybirths.net

Expenses

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
If you pay nanny for mileage during work hours the mileage rate as per HMRC is 45p.
Anything above 45p is taxable and must go through the payroll. As an employer you must
keep records of mileage that you have paid out, you must only pay for miles traveled.
Simple putting £15 for expenses for general travelling is not acceptable and would mean it is
taxable.
By paying 45p a mile or more for getting nanny to and from work is a taxable, and would
need to be declared to HMRC.
Benefits in kind would arise when you let nanny have private use of your car, this benefit
would then need to be declared to HMRC annually by means of a P11d.
We would advise you to keep receipts from nanny that you have reimbursed her, for day
trips with the children and any shopping she has done.

NI Categories

Our recommended partners at www.PayrollForNannies.co.uk provide payroll advice for
parents and have created this content.
There are various categories for employment in the UK for national insurance deductions,
below are the categories denoted by a letter and what they represent
NI Categories for UK employment
A – All employees who do not fall into B, C, J, H, M and Z
B – Widows and married women entitled to pay reduced national insurance
C – Nanny’s over the state pensionable age so does not pay NI
J – Nanny’s who are already paying national insurance in their other job so can defer it
H – Apprentice under 25
M – Nanny under 21 Employer pays no NI
Z – Nanny’s who are already paying national insurance in their other job so can defer it and
are under 21 years of age
X – Nanny’s who are aged under 16

My Mood Stars

Nannyjob are always keen to discover great ideas to encourage child development and we are really impressed with these fantastic My Mood Stars. The idea was thought up by former Childminder Wendy Elizabeth White and in the early stages of development her keen needlework skills came in very handy!  Each yellow star filled with cotton depicts an emotion. There is sad, happy, angry, scared, shy, silly, surprised and sleepy.  We all know that the ability to express and control our emotions and to recognise them in others is an essential skill.  However, for some children trying to communicate feelings can be difficult and frustrating.

Self-confident children in touch with their feelings find it easier to flourish in social situations. Indeed personal, social and emotional development and communication are key aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage in the UK. Children who understand and can express and manage their own emotions, as well as those around them, are more likely to develop a positive sense of self and be assured and inquisitive learners and these Mood Stars are a great way to encourage conversation and expression with your little ones. For more information please visit.

www.mymoodstars.co.uk

Twitter – www.twitter.com/mymoodstars

Facebook – www.facebook.com/mymoodstars

Instagram – www.instagram.com/mymoodstars41