Is a written statement the same as an employment contract?
Not exactly. GOV.UK describes the written statement of employment particulars as a document setting out the main conditions of employment; it is not itself the employment contract. In practice, families often use a written employment contract that also contains the information required in the statutory statement.
The principal statement must be provided on the first day of employment. The wider written statement must be provided within two months.
See GOV.UK: written statement of employment particulars.
What must the principal statement cover?
GOV.UK currently lists core information including:
- the employer’s name;
- the employee’s name, job title or description of work, and start date;
- how much the nanny is paid and how often;
- hours and days of work and how they may vary, including relevant Sunday, night or overtime requirements;
- holiday entitlement and how bank holidays are treated;
- the normal place of work and any requirement to work at other locations;
- the expected duration and end date for a fixed-term role;
- probation period and conditions;
- other benefits;
- obligatory training and whether the employer pays for it.
Day-one information also includes sick-pay procedures, other paid leave and notice periods. The wider statement includes pension information, disciplinary and grievance procedures and other specified matters.
Define the nanny duties in practical terms
Do not rely on a single line saying “childcare duties”. The contract or attached job description should make the normal responsibilities understandable to both sides.
Depending on the role, that may include school or nursery runs, meal preparation for the children, bathing and bedtime routines, children’s laundry, organising activities, homework support, keeping children’s areas tidy, travel with the family, or other agreed tasks.
If duties change significantly later, discuss the change and update the written terms rather than allowing the role to expand informally.
Separate nanny duties from nanny-housekeeper duties
A nanny focuses primarily on childcare. A nanny-housekeeper has a genuine dual role that combines childcare with agreed household duties.
Our site keeps those services separate because role ambiguity creates avoidable problems. If the family expects general cleaning, family laundry, cooking, errands or wider household management, say so before hiring and reflect it in the job description.
What should the contract say about working hours?
State the normal start and finish times, the days of work, breaks, and how additional hours are authorised and paid. If evenings, overnight care, travel or weekend work are part of the role, describe the arrangement clearly rather than treating them as automatic because the nanny is live-in.
A live-in nanny lives in accommodation provided by the employer; live-in status does not mean continuous availability. Working-time and rest rules still need to be considered.
What should you write about pay?
State the gross salary or hourly rate, pay frequency and any separate arrangements for overtime, travel time, expenses or allowances. The National Minimum Wage rules apply according to the worker’s age and status, and the rates change each April.
For 21-and-over workers, the National Living Wage is £12.71 per hour from 1 April 2026. Live-in accommodation is subject to special National Minimum Wage rules, including the accommodation offset, so do not simply deduct the market value of a room from pay.
Use the current GOV.UK minimum-wage rates and accommodation guidance.
Holiday, sickness and statutory leave
Almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday each year, with the calculation depending on the working pattern. The contract should state the holiday year, how leave is requested and whether bank holidays form part of the entitlement.
Employees may also qualify for statutory sick pay and family-related statutory leave and pay. Keep the contract aligned with current statutory rules rather than fixing outdated figures into the document.
See GOV.UK holiday entitlement and Statutory Sick Pay guidance.
Live-in accommodation needs its own terms
If the role is live-in, record what accommodation is provided, whether meals or utilities are included, rules about reasonable use of the accommodation, and what happens to the accommodation when employment ends.
Keep accommodation terms separate from working hours. Living at the workplace should not blur when the nanny is on duty and when they are off duty.
Travel, driving and expenses
If the nanny will drive, use a family vehicle, use their own car, travel abroad or regularly incur expenses, write down the rules that apply. The contract should explain what is reimbursed, how expenses are approved, and any role-specific insurance or licence requirements that the family expects to verify.
Confidentiality, photographs and household information
Private households often share sensitive information about children, routines, addresses and travel. A confidentiality clause can define what should remain private and how family information, photographs or social-media content may be used.
Keep the clause proportionate to the job and consistent with data-protection and employment law. It should protect genuine privacy interests rather than create an over-broad restriction that the family has not taken advice on.
What does Filipino Nanny Agency require families to handle?
Our current client Terms and Conditions state that the client is responsible for concluding the employment contract with a permanent candidate and for paying wages, deducting tax and National Insurance, making pension contributions where relevant and obtaining any permits or certificates needed for the role.
That is why we treat the employment contract as an employer document, not a substitute for the agency’s placement terms.
Nanny contract checklist
- Names of employer and employee, job title and start date.
- Clear childcare duties and any household duties.
- Gross pay, pay frequency and overtime arrangements.
- Normal working days and hours, including any variable or overnight work.
- Place of work and any travel expectations.
- Holiday entitlement and holiday-request process.
- Sick-pay procedure, other leave and notice periods.
- Probation period and any conditions.
- Live-in accommodation terms where applicable.
- Pension information and relevant benefits.
- Disciplinary and grievance procedures.
- Confidentiality, expenses, driving or other role-specific terms where appropriate.
Related employer steps
Before employment starts, complete the right-to-work check and arrange the nanny payroll and PAYE setup. For the full recruitment sequence, see how to hire a Filipino nanny in London.
Legal note: This page provides general information, not individual legal advice or a contract tailored to your household. Employment terms can be fact-specific. Use current official guidance and obtain appropriate professional advice where needed.