How does the 9-hour weekly minimum work?

Explanation of how contracted weekly minimum hours work, what to do if you need to change your minimum hours or have different term dates

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Written by Support
Updated over a week ago

This article has been written for the Koru Kids Nanny Service for families.


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How it works

We ask families to commit to regular, weekly hours during term time so that our nannies aren't on zero-hour contracts. Most Koru Kids contracts include a minimum of 9 hours a week, on average, during school term time. This gives our nannies income security, improves job satisfaction and helps to build longer-lasting relationships.

Because our contracts are for term-time only, minimum hours won't apply during:

  • school holidays

  • bank holidays

  • times when your nanny is sick or on holiday. As long as your nanny logs their leave on their timesheet, we'll automatically waive minimum hours during their absence.

We calculate minimum hours across the month, not week by week. So if your nanny works 5 hours one week and 13 hours the next, you'd still be meeting your minimum.

You can always see where you're at with minimum hours by checking the counter in your app.

What if I don't need that many hours of childcare?

Before you start working with a nanny

If you need less than 9 hours/week of childcare on average, we can still help. You’ll need to offer at least 3 hours/week and pay an additional £1.00/hour surcharge. We don’t charge finder's fees so the surcharge helps us give you and your nanny the support you need throughout your arrangement.

After you start working with a nanny

If you feel like you need less childcare after you've started working with a nanny, that's okay too, as long as you and your nanny agree on their reduced hours. Please also let us know so that we can make sure you’re not billed for any extra hours and add the £1.00/hour surcharge - it won’t happen automatically.

How does it work in practice?

Normally, a month's worth of work starts on the 1st and ends on the 30th/31st of each month. Our pay cycles work a little differently. Each month's work starts on the 26th and ends on the 25th of the following month.

What happens from the 26th of each month

  • 26th of the month: we'll remind you to approve any outstanding shifts. On our end, we'll check if your nanny took any time off, if there were any bank/school holidays and/or if your nanny worked less than the minimum hours in your contract. If any of these have happened, we'll adjust your invoice accordingly.

  • 27th of the month: review your draft invoice. If you see anything that doesn't look right, let us know - we'll be happy to review this with you.

  • End of the month (30th/31st): review your final invoice.

The standard term dates for the 2023/2024 academic year are:

Autumn term:

  • Starts 4th September 2023

  • October half term 23rd - 27th October 2023

  • Ends 21st December 2023

Spring term:

  • Starts 8th January 2024

  • February half term 19th - 23rd February 2024

  • Ends 28th March 2024

Summer term:

  • Starts 15th April 2024

  • May half term 27th - 31st May 2024

  • Ends 24th July 2024

What if I have different term dates?

If your term dates are different from the standard UK dates shown above, please don't worry about it! When you receive your invoice estimate on the 27th of the month, if you have a minimum hour top-up on your invoice, you will see a link that allows you to input your child's term dates. The great thing is, is that you will be able to input the dates for the rest of the school year to save you having to keep updating this each term! You can have peace of mind that your term dates and minimum hours are accurate.

What if my nanny is unable to work?

Sometimes nannies are sick or on holiday and can't work their minimum hours in a month. When this happens, they can let us know by logging leave on their timesheet. We'll adjust your invoice to reflect this. You'll also be able to check this before your final invoice is issued.

What if my nanny and I have agreed on a different working arrangement?

If you and your nanny have come up with a different working arrangement to what we've explained above, please don't hesitate to get in touch if you're unsure how it'll work out or if you've got any questions. We're happy to talk this through with you and support you in any way we can.


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