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Nanny Agency in London: Hire World-Class Nannies, Hand-Picked for Families in London and Across the UK
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Morgan & Mallet, as a luxury household staffing agency, recruits fully vetted private nannies for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families across London and the UK.
From our London office, we place experienced live-in, daily, rota, and travel nannies, as well as maternity nurses, governesses, and Norland-trained childcare professionals.
Every search starts with us listening to what you and your family need. Our team spends time getting to know your children’s ages and routines, your parenting preferences, how your household works, and how flexible you need to be.
We then find candidates with the right experience, qualifications, temperament, and discretion that you can trust enough to be in your home and work with your children.
We do thorough interviews with all candidates, covering references, background, and right-to-work checks, before we agree any placement with you.
So, whether you’re based in Kensington, Surrey, or relocating to London from overseas, we’ll help you find a nanny who can settle easily into your household and bring the support your children need.
What to Expect When Hiring a Nanny with Morgan & Mallet
Hiring with the support of a specialist UK nanny agency like Morgan & Mallet means your family’s needs always come first.
You might already have a good idea of what you need, or you might need help shaping the role. Whatever stage you’re at, our recruitment specialists are here to help.
Here’s a step-by-step walk-through of what happens when you reach out to Morgan & Mallet’s London team for help placing a nanny.
1. Your Initial Consultation
We talk through your children, family routines, preferred approaches to parenting, household set-up, working pattern you need, travel plans, and the duties you would like the nanny to take on.
If needed, we’ll also help you decide whether a nanny, governess, maternity nurse, or a combined role would better meet your needs.
Many clients after speaking to us and we go through their lifestyle, properties, and expectations decide to hire a different role altogether.
2. Finding and Shortlisting Candidates
Once the brief is agreed with you, we search our UK and international network for candidates whose experience, availability, and nannying approach fit with what you have asked us for.
We’ll introduce a small number of candidates we genuinely believe could work well with your family, giving you time to get to know the people behind the CVs.
3. Interviews and Trials
We set up interviews and help you assess each candidate’s experience, judgement, communication style, and compatibility with your household.
A paid trial can also be arranged where appropriate, allowing you to get a feel for the working relationship before committing.
"Check the references, of course. And during the trial period, as an employer, put them in a stressful situation and in a quiet one. See both." Morgan Richez, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet.
4. Salaries, Offers, and Contracts
Once you’ve chosen your preferred candidate, we can have conversations around everything from gross salary and working hours to accommodation, travel, and day-to-day responsibilities.
We can also help make sure the agreed duties are clear in the employment contract, so both you and the nanny are clear on everything from the start.
5. Post-Placement Support
Our support continues during onboarding and after the nanny starts. Morgan & Mallet has a 96% placement success rate, and all permanent placements come with a 90-day replacement guarantee.
Start to finish, our recruitment process normally takes three to six weeks, though searches for newborn specialists, travelling nannies, or nannies with SEND experience may take eight to twelve weeks.
How We Recruit Exceptional Nannies Across the UK
Any agency can help you recruit a nanny with experience, but Morgan & Mallet’s team goes the extra mile to find you one with the professional judgement, personality, discretion, and capabilities needed to work with your family and even feel like they are part of your family.
From our London office, we search our UK and international network of more than 50,300 vetted household professionals for candidates with the childcare experience, qualifications, languages, and private-household background your family needs.
Our co-founder Laurine was a nanny in London herself, so she built the company up around knowing what it is that those looking to hire a nanny want, and how the hiring process should be to find the very best nannies.
Our UK Nanny Recruitment in Numbers
- UK families request nannies most frequently – 24% of all our nanny positions worldwide
- Morgan & Mallet has 3,854 nannies in its network across 54 nationalities
- On average Morgan & Mallet has 43 nanny applications per role in the UK
- 60% of UK Morgan & Mallet’s UK nanny requests are in London, but we recruit nationwide
- Morgan & Mallet accepts fewer than 1 in 3 nanny applicants into our talent pool
Our Nanny Vetting Process Explained
Every shortlisted candidate does a structured 90-minute interview with one of our recruiters. In that conversation, we go through their career history, reasons for leaving previous roles, and their understanding of professional childcare within high and ultra-high-net-worth households.
We also ask in-depth questions to find out how they would respond to specific situations that potentially could happen in a private home, including those outlined in your brief.
Our recruiters have the skills to assess the qualities that are harder to show on paper, too. Most of them have done the role before themselves and have a keen eye to spot the best candidates.
We look for things like decision-making, emotional intelligence, flexibility, and the ability to communicate in the right way with parents, children, and other household staff.
A nanny might well have excellent qualifications, but we recognise the placement will only succeed if how they work, works with your family.
Our thorough checks include:
- Direct reference conversations with previous employers
- Verification of employment history and qualifications
- Enhanced DBS screening
- Right-to-work documentation
- Paediatric first-aid certification
- Driving credentials, where required
- Review of relevant childcare and early-years training
- Confidentiality and NDA requirements
At Morgan & Mallet, we settle for nothing short of excellence, so only one in four childcare applicants is accepted into our candidate network. In general we receive more than 100 applications per role, sometimes up to 200.
By the time you receive a shortlist, each person has already been interviewed, checked, cross-checked, and carefully considered by our team for life with your family.
We handpick only the very best, our reputation lives by this.
Recruiting Norland-Trained Nannies
Some families specifically ask us for a Norland-trained nanny, for their combination of early-years knowledge and practical childcare training.
Norland students do an integrated early-childhood degree and a practical diploma, with more than a third of their training spent out on placements, giving them that practical experience.
Laurine Mallet our co-founder from her point of view says:
“What Norland teaches is mindset. Not with the children, with the family. You have the skills to look after the children very well, and then how to act with the family, with the parents in general. They teach you not to bring your own manners into the house. If the family’s manners don’t match yours, you don’t impose yours.”
We can focus the search on Newly Qualified Nannies or experienced Norlanders, depending on what you would prefer. Norland nannies are often in high demand, so we may say you need to allow more time for the search.
Recruiting Ofsted-Registered Nannies
Nannies in England are not legally required to register with Ofsted, but some choose to join the voluntary Childcare Register.
Registered nannies need to meet requirements for childcare training, first aid, public liability insurance, and enhanced DBS screening. Nannies join the voluntary Childcare Register rather than the Early Years Register.
Where Ofsted registration is important, we can include it within the search criteria or discuss whether a suitable candidate would be willing and eligible to register.
This registration complements, rather than replaces, the thorough vetting and careful matching carried out as part of our standard process.
What Type of Nanny is Right for Your Family?
The right childcare professional for one family might not be the right one for yours. Our London team will help make the role you need clear before beginning the search to make sure everyone’s on the same page about expectations.
Around one in five of clients who enquire about our nanny services end up hiring a governess or maternity nurse instead.
When you first reach out to our recruitment team, we take the time to discuss the available options with you so you’re confident you’re appointing the best possible fit.
We can also help you to hire a housekeeper, butler, private chef or any other UK household staff.
A nanny takes responsibility for your children’s day-to-day care and routines.
Typical duties include preparing children’s meals, arranging activities, managing school runs, and generally keeping on top of things like their bedrooms, clothing, and belongings.
A governess works with children mainly on education and personal development.
They might help with schoolwork, teach additional languages, prepare children for exams, and help develop soft skills like confidence, independence, and social etiquette.
A maternity nurse provides specialist care in the first months following the birth of a baby.
They can help establish feeding and sleeping routines, care for the newborn, provide practical guidance, and give reassurance to parents.
Specialist Nannies for Different Family Requirements
Whatever nannying services you need, we’ll help you place the perfect candidate for you, your household, and your children.
Live-In Nannies
Nannies who live within the family home and provide consistent, full-time childcare, with good private accommodation included as part of the role.
Daily or Live-Out Nannies
Live-out nannies work agreed hours while staying in their own homes, making them well-suited to families who need regular daytime support.
Rota Nannies
These nannies work intensive schedules in rotation with another nanny, often supporting high-net-worth families, international travel, and multiple residences.
Night Nannies
Nighttime nannies give care overnight for babies and younger children, helping families manage feeding, settling, and sleep routines.
Part-Time and After-School Nannies
Working on a part-time basis, these nannies give childcare on selected days or around school hours, including collections, homework, meals, and evening routines.
Travel Nannies
For families who need childcare support on UK and international trips, these nannies keep continuity in the children’s routines while away from home.
From Laurine our co-founder who did this role and understands what it involves:
"I worked with an English family near Holland Park and travelled with them to Greece. I worked with a Russian family near Green Park and we travelled to Brighton. Another family in France, another in Spain."
Weekend Nannies
A dedicated weekend nanny gives regular childcare during weekends, either independently or alongside the family’s weekday nanny.
Temporary or Emergency Nannies
These nannies cover short-term needs, holidays, illness, events, or gaps between permanent placements.
Although they’re temporary, our recruitment process means they are held to the same strict standards as every other candidate we place.
Nanny Housekeepers
Nannies who have two responsibilities, to combine childcare with clearly agreed household duties. The scope should be realistic, with the children’s care always taking priority.
Special Needs Nannies
We can recruit nannies with relevant experience and qualifications in supporting children with special educational needs, disabilities, or medical conditions.
The search will be based around your child’s individual needs and the level of care involved.
We can also advise on nanny-share arrangements. This is where one nanny cares for children from two families under a clearly agreed structure.
Not sure which arrangement would suit your household? Our London team will talk through the options with you.
How Much Does a Nanny Cost in London?
Morgan & Mallet 2025/26 placement data puts the typical salary for a professional nanny in the UK at £50,000 to £80,000 gross per year.
London-based roles are likely to sit towards the upper end of this range, particularly where the position needs specialist training or for the candidate to be very flexible.
The right salary will depend on things like:
- Whether the nanny is live-in or live-out
- The number and ages of the children
- Working hours and rota arrangements
- Is evening, weekend, or overnight care needed
- UK and international travel
- Languages and specialist qualifications
- Norland or other early-years training
- Years of experience within HNW or fully staffed households
Should a Nanny’s Salary Be Agreed as Gross or Net?
We recommend agreeing on a gross annual salary. This gives everyone a clear figure to work from and protects your family from unexpected cost increases if the nanny’s personal tax circumstances change.
Our co-founder Morgan richez says:
“It’s very important to do the calculation before you agree anything. As an agency we prefer to talk in gross to the client and even to the candidate. That way it’s very clear, because every month there is a gap between the net and the gross. It depends on the tax and it can be changed by the government.”
What Is the Full Cost of Employing a Nanny in the UK?
The nanny’s salary is one part of the overall hiring budget, but as their employer, you may also need to account for:
- Employer’s National Insurance
- Workplace pension contributions
- Payroll administration
- Morgan & Mallet’s recruitment fee
- Accommodation for a live-in nanny
- Travel, expenses, and agreed overtime
What Are Your Responsibilities When Employing a Nanny in the UK?
Employing a nanny for the first time can feel confusing, particularly when it comes to things like payroll, taxes, and contracts. In most permanent placements, the nanny is employed directly by the family.
This means you’ll usually be responsible for registering as an employer and operating PAYE.
When their employment begins, your nanny should receive written terms covering key details such as pay, working hours, duties, holiday entitlement, place of work, travel expectations, and notice periods.
Many of the families we’ve supported use our payroll services to handle HMRC reporting, payslips, tax, and pension administration.
If you’re looking to employ a nanny across more than one country, we can help you with specialist tax and employment advisors specific to each region. We are an international agency and so we are used to working across borders.
Morgan Richez:
“We have a lot of clients in Knightsbridge, many from the Middle East. They don’t have the time to manage this and they don’t fully understand how it works, because employment is complicated. And they’re not in the UK all year. They spend the summer here. So even when they’re not in the country, they have someone in the UK managing that part.”
What Services Do Nannies Offer to HNW and UHNW Households in the UK?
A private nanny gives consistent, highly personalised care shaped around your children and the way your family lives.
Depending on the brief, a nanny might take responsibility for:
- Managing the children’s daily routines
- Preparing meals and snacks for the children
- Organising school and nursery runs
- Planning activities, whether that’s outings, playdates, or something at home
- Supporting homework and age-appropriate development
- Managing the children’s laundry, bedrooms, playrooms, and wardrobes
- Booking appointments and maintaining children’s schedules
- Packing for holidays and accompanying the family on UK or international travel
- Liaising with parents, schools, private tutors, and other household staff
- Maintaining consistency across more than one family home
Within a fully staffed household, the nanny might work closely with housekeepers, chefs, chauffeurs, personal assistants, and household managers.
Cooking for your children, taking care of their laundry, and doing light housekeeping might naturally fit within the role, but clear boundaries help make sure the nanny knows that the childcare comes first.
Laurine our co-founder on one of her placements in London when she was a nanny looking after a child:
“When I started she was nearly six months old. I arrived at 7am, so it was breakfast and indoor activities. We used to go to a children’s cafe with singing and dancing. She was very shy, so at the beginning it was hard for her to join the group. But I danced and sang with her, and after a couple of weeks she was walking into the room singing.”
Expert Perspectives from a Former UK Nanny
What makes a nanny placement succeed?
Ellie Littlechild worked as a private nanny in the UK and internationally before moving into nanny recruitment.
Her experience on both sides of the process has shown her that the most successful placements are built on three things: clear expectations, professional respect, and trust.
“I think understanding what you want from your nanny is a big thing. If you don’t know what you want them to deliver, how can they know? These ladies are amazing at what they do, and if you give them space to do it, they’ll be able to show you.”
“Remember that a nanny can’t do everything, though. They will cook the children’s dinner, do a bit of laundry, and drive them to school, but you can’t expect them to do absolutely everything. Finally, it’s making them feel valued. I know from experience that a thank you goes such a long way.”
Where Do We Place Nannies in the UK?
Our London team places professional nannies with families across the capital, including Kensington, Chelsea, Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill, Hampstead, and St John’s Wood.
We also recruit throughout Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and the wider Home Counties, as well as for country estates and family homes elsewhere in the UK.
For families who divide their time between locations, we can find nannies who are comfortable travelling in the role too, whether that’s working across different properties or in different countries, all while keeping the children’s routines consistent.
Why Choose Morgan & Mallet as Your London Nanny Agency?
Morgan & Mallet was jointly founded in 2015 by Laurine Mallet and Morgan Richez, Laurine is a former nanny who worked directly with high-net-worth families for four years before moving into private household recruitment.
That first-hand experience shapes how we approach every search. We understand the importance of doing more than just matching qualifications to a job description, and appreciate how personal the process of appointing a nanny is.
Our team of experts uses these insights to help families set realistic roles and find candidates who can adapt to the pace and expectations of a private home.
We can recruit locally or internationally, including searches for Norland-trained nannies, multilingual candidates, and professionals comfortable working across several different homes.
We also understand the candidate’s perspective. This helps us recognise when a role is well-structured and when expectations may need refining to make sure whoever you appoint wants to work with your family for the long term.
“I worked as a nanny before moving into recruitment, so I know how personal the decision is. I mean, you’re trusting someone with your children and, depending on the arrangement, welcoming them into your home! This is exactly why I always want to spend time getting to know everyone properly – the family and the candidates. It’s important to make sure everyone feels understood and able to start building trust, so having full transparency about expectations from the get-go is a feature of all successful placements.”
Laurine Mallet, Co-Founder of Morgan & Mallet
Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring Nannies in the UK
Is a nanny cheaper than a nursery in the UK?
Really, it depends on your family and childcare needs. For one child attending nursery during standard hours, nursery tends to be cheaper, while a private nanny can make more financial sense for families with several children or more involved childcare arrangements, such as longer days, changing schedules, regular travel, or just a preference for care at home.
Is an au pair cheaper than a nanny?
An au pair will usually cost less than a professional nanny, but the roles aren’t the same, so it’s tricky to compare side-by-side. Au pairs typically provide some childcare and do light household work as part of a cultural exchange, whereas nannies are experienced childcare professionals who can take more responsibility for your child’s routines, activities, development, and day-to-day care.
What is the minimum wage for a nanny in London?
Nannies must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage applicable to their age. From April 2026, the National Living Wage is £12.71 per hour for workers aged 21 and over. What we see in practice, though, is that experienced nannies (and especially those working across London) earn considerably more, with salaries influenced by a whole range of factors, including contracted hours, specific responsibilities, whether travel is required as part of the role, and any additional qualifications specified by the family. Visit GOV.UK for more information on the National Minimum Wage in 2026.
Should I pay my nanny a gross or net salary?
We recommend agreeing on a gross salary. This clearly shows the nanny’s pay before tax and National Insurance, and gives everyone a clear figure to work from. It also protects your family from unexpected cost increases if the nanny’s personal tax circumstances change. The agreed gross salary should appear in both the offer and the employment contract.
How quickly can you place a nanny in London?
Normally, it takes three to six weeks, but because it’s such a personal process tailored to your needs and situation, timescales depend on things like the exact location, working hours, accommodation, travel, specialist qualifications, and the level of experience required. We keep the search moving and update you regularly, but we won’t rush a decision that needs to work well for your family over the long term.
Can you place an Ofsted-registered nanny?
Yes. Ofsted registration can be included as a requirement within the search. Nannies in England can voluntarily join the Childcare Register, and registration may allow eligible families to access Tax-Free Childcare. We can also discuss whether an otherwise suitable candidate would be willing and eligible to register with Ofsted, if needed.
Can you place a Norland-trained nanny?
Yes. We recruit both newly qualified and experienced Norland nannies. Because Norland-trained candidates are often in high demand, it can help to agree on things like working patterns, locations, travel requirements, and salary right at the beginning of the search.
What personal qualities make a nanny suitable for a private household?
In our experience, warmth, judgement, emotional intelligence, and discretion all matter. At Morgan & Mallet, we also assess how well candidates communicate with and work alongside other household staff, and how effectively they recognise when to take the initiative or step back to give the family space.
Our co-founder Laurine worked as a nanny and her experiences working in private homes has helped us build an agency where we understand what both clients looking to hire a nanny and nanny candidates need.
How much independence should a nanny have?
A lot of our recruiters are ex-nannies, and a common theme amongst them is how important having a certain level of independence is to feeling confident in the role and adding real value to the household. Of course, boundaries still have a place, but these should be agreed on early so there are no misunderstandings about discipline, allowed activities, travel, spending limits, and so on.
Can my nanny sign an NDA or confidentiality agreement?
Yes. Confidentiality requirements can be built into our search from the beginning, allowing recruiters to prioritise candidates who are comfortable working under an NDA and understand the level of discretion expected in a private household. The scope of the agreement can be tailored to what you need, covering things like family information, travel, photography, social media, and even conversations overheard within the home.
What qualifications should a nanny have?
The right qualifications depend on your children and the role you’re creating. For example, some families could prioritise Norland training, early years or teaching qualifications, Montessori experience, newborn care training, or expertise supporting additional needs. At Morgan & Mallet, we consider formal training like this alongside paediatric first aid, relevant private-household experience, strong references, and the nanny’s overall fit with your family.
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office address
Level 1, Devonshire House, One Mayfair Place, W1J 8AJ, London, United Kingdom
phone
+44 20 4578 6249
opening hours
Monday - Thursday : 9AM - 6PM
Friday : 9AM - 5PM
Saturday & Sunday : Closed