A live-in nanny lives in accommodation provided by the family, while a live-out nanny travels to the family home for agreed working hours and returns to their own accommodation. The better choice depends on your schedule, available space, privacy preferences, commuting practicality and the duties you actually need.
The arrangement should never replace a clear job description. Live-in does not mean 24-hour availability, and live-out does not automatically mean part-time.
Live-in vs live-out nanny: quick comparison
| Factor | Live-in nanny | Live-out nanny |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Family provides agreed accommodation | Nanny has their own accommodation |
| Commute | No daily commute to the family home | Travels to and from the family home |
| Working hours | Must still be clearly agreed; living in is not 24-hour duty | Agreed start and finish times for each working day |
| Privacy | Requires clear boundaries around private and working time | Greater physical separation outside working hours |
| Household space | Suitable accommodation is required | No staff accommodation required |
| Payroll and employment | Household-employer obligations still apply | Household-employer obligations still apply |
Choose live-in if the accommodation and schedule genuinely fit
A live-in arrangement can work well when the family has suitable accommodation and wants a stable childcare routine without a daily commute. It can be particularly practical when the working day starts early, finishes later, or the household wants continuity across a regular full-time schedule.
The key requirement is a written boundary between working time and private time. Even when the nanny lives in the same property, the employment terms should state normal hours, any agreed evening or overnight work, rest arrangements and how extra hours are requested.
See our live-in Filipino nanny service for the full arrangement.
Choose live-out if you want clearer separation
A live-out arrangement can suit families with predictable hours, no suitable staff accommodation, or a preference for a clearer separation between the employee’s home life and the household where they work. It may be full-time or part-time.
Commuting practicality matters. Early starts, late finishes and the family’s location should be discussed before the role is offered so both sides know whether the schedule is realistic.
See our live-out Filipino nanny service.
Does live-in mean the nanny is always available?
No. Live-in describes the accommodation arrangement, not unlimited working time. The family should specify the normal schedule and separately agree any babysitting, evening, overnight, weekend or travel duties.
Domestic workers in private households have specific working-time provisions and exceptions under UK law, so unusual working patterns should be checked against current guidance rather than assumed from the words “live-in”.
What about accommodation and minimum wage?
Accommodation supplied by an employer can affect National Minimum Wage calculations. From April 2026, the statutory accommodation offset is £11.10 per day or £77.70 per week. This is a statutory calculation rule, not a market-rent figure.
See the current GOV.UK accommodation guidance and our live-in nanny accommodation guide.
Which arrangement costs more?
There is no reliable single answer without defining the job. Pay depends on experience, hours, children’s ages, duties, location and any additional evening, overnight or travel requirements. For live-in roles, the accommodation arrangement also matters.
We are deliberately not repeating the older salary figures that previously appeared across this site until current placement ranges are re-verified. The agency’s placement fee is separate from salary; see our current fees and nanny payroll guide.
From our work: how we define the arrangement before matching
Our client terms require families to specify the nature of the work and the arrangement they need. In practice, the label “live-in” or “live-out” is not enough for a useful candidate brief. The role also needs the children’s ages, working days and hours, duties, location, start date and any driving, travel, evening or overnight requirements.
For a live-in role, accommodation must also be clear enough for a candidate to assess the position. For a live-out role, commuting and start/finish times need to be realistic. We use those details to compare candidates against the actual job rather than assuming one arrangement is universally better.
Questions to answer before choosing
- Do you have suitable private accommodation for a live-in employee?
- What are the normal working days and start/finish times?
- Are evenings, weekends or overnight duties a regular part of the role?
- Is the family home practical to reach for a live-out nanny at the required times?
- Are the duties childcare-only, or is the role really a nanny-housekeeper position?
- What driving, travel or school-run responsibilities are required?
What should you do next?
If you have chosen the arrangement, use our client enquiry form to describe the children, hours, duties, location and start date. If you are still defining the role, use our nanny job description template first.