Individual families or agencies may wish to improve on these benefits, but these should be offered as a minimum.

Nature of the Programme:  The au pair programme is a cultural exchange programme and not a contract or work.  Au pairs must be welcomed as a member of the family.

Age:  Traditionally, an au pair is aged 17 – 27, however an au pair without visa requirements (from EU) can also be older.

Hours on duty:  Au pairs can be on duty from 25 – 35 hours per week if they are from an EU country.  This is limited to 25 hours per week if the au pair is from Bulgaria or Romania.  These hours can be spread out over 5 days per week.  Longer hours are usually referred to as ‘au pair plus’.  Many au pair agencies also offer ‘Mother’s help’ positions; this is not part of the traditional cultural exchange programme, as it usually involves longer hours and schedules can conflict with language classes.

Pocket Money:  Pocket money must be minimum £65 per week for 25 hours, regardless of whether the minimum hours are worked. Many agencies recommend slightly higher pocket money.  For 30 hours the minimum is £80.

Babysitting:  Two evenings babysitting per week are included as part of the programme.  Additional pocket money should be paid for any additional evenings.

Leisure time:  The au pair’s schedule must provide sufficient time to attend language school, and the au pair shall receive two free days each week and should be offered one full weekend off per month.

Holiday entitlement:  The au pair is entitled to a minimum of two weeks holiday per year; one week for every six months stay.  Pocket money will be paid during these two weeks.  If the au pair placement is for a shorter time, holiday is calculated pro-rata.  The au pair should not be forced to take holiday to coincide with the family holiday.

UK Bank /  National Holidays: BAPAA advocates that au pairs are given UK Bank / National Holidays as free time.

Light Housework:  A list of suggested light housework duties is below these guidelines.

Childcare:  An au pair is not permitted to have continuous sole charge of children under the age of two.

Room and board:  The au pair receives full room and board from the family throughout the stay.  The au pair must have her own private room with a window and not be required to share with children, and she should be given facilities to study.

Travelling Costs:  The au pair is required to pay their own travelling cost to and from the UK, unless the family chooses to fund this.

Insurance:  EU au pairs visiting the UK do not need additional health insurance as they are entitled to use the National Health Service.  The au pair may also wish to take out additional travel insurance to cover loss of belongings, repatriation in case of accident, death etc.

Language School and Costs:  Au pairs must be given enough time to attend language school.  There are many courses in the UK for EU members, which are more affordable due to government funding.  These are usually ESOL classes.  If an au pair chooses to go to a private school, they must bear their own cost, unless the family offers to fund this.

Written Offer:  Each agency shall ensure that the au pair receives a written offer from the family covering the duties and benefits.

The host family:  Each agency shall ensure that the family is suitable to host an au pair and understands the nature of the au pair programme, and that the au pair is there to help the family and is not in charge of the house.

List of housework duties accepted as light housework:

• Washing dishes, including loading and unloading dishwasher
• Preparing simple meals for children
• Keeping kitchen tidy and clean, including sweeping and mopping floors
• Loading and unloading laundry into washing machine
• Ironing for children
• Putting washed clothes away
• Vacuuming
• Dusting
• Making and changing children’s beds
• Cleaning children’s bathroom
• Everything to do with keeping their own room/bathroom clean and tidy
• Light shopping (not the entire household shopping)
• Walking and feeding pets
• Emptying bins 

List of duties considered unsuitable for an au pair – Please remember, it is a cultural exchange programme, giving a young person the opportunity to learn about British culture and improve language skills through interaction with children.

• Gardening
• Window cleaning
• Spring cleaning
• Cleaning the oven, other than simple wiping out
• Washing carpets
• Washing the car
• Weekly shopping
• Pet training
• Clearing up after untrained pets
• Making parents bed*
• Ironing for parents *
• Cleaning parents’ en-suite bathroom*
• Polishing silver and brassware*
• Cooking the family meal, unless the au pair enjoys cooking and has chosen to do this for the family

*These duties can be included where there is less childcare and the children are out of the house for most of the day, if this is agreed in advance.

Au pairs should not be required to do housework such as ironing, when looking after children of primary school age or toddlers, due to safety reasons.
 

Au Pairs and Driving

1. Check that your au pair has a current driving licence with no convictions, and find out how long she/he has been driving.

2. If your au pair is from an EU* or EEA* country then she / he can use her licence to drive in the UK.

3. Au pairs from most other countries outside the EU or EEA can drive for up to 12 months provided they have a full licence which remains valid. To carry on driving after 12 months they must have obtained a provisional British licence and passed a British driving test before the 12 months elapses. For more information visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/DrivingInGbOnAForeignLicence/DG_4022556

4. It is essential to ensure you are satisfied with your au pair's driving skills before allowing her/him to drive your children. The au pair will probably be used to driving on the opposite side of the road and may be used to quieter roads. BAPAA recommends that host families arrange a course of driving lessons for their au pair to make sure he or she is safe and understands our highway code. Ensure that the driving instructor reports back to you when he/she feels the au pair has reached the correct degree of confidence required.

5. Petrol used by the au pair in connection with work is paid for by the family but most au pairs will have to pay for petrol for their personal use. This needs to be discussed at the beginning of the au pair's stay.

Insurance

1. The family is responsible for insuring the au pair to drive the family car. Your au pair should only agree to drive if he/she is satisfied that they are insured. Please show your au pair evidence that he/she is included on your motor insurance policy before they drive in the UK for the first time.

2. Au pairs under 25 will be more expensive to insure than those aged between 25-27.

3. Au pairs from within the European Union are cheaper to insure with some insurance companies than those from other countries.

4. If your au pair has an accident in your car you will lose your no claims bonus so it may be worth insuring your no claims bonus.

5. Some families put their au pair on their company car policy to save the cost of insurance.

*Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. (Iceland, Liechenstein and Norway are not members of the European Union (EU) but citizens of these countries have the same rights to enter, live in and work in the UK as EU citizens. Switzerland is not in the EEA but an international treaty means that Swiss nationals have similar rights.)