Au Pair Programme UK

 

Health insurance

You can register your au pair with the National Health Service NHS. On the following page, you can find useful information about NHS services in the United Kingdom (UK). Au pairs do not have to pay any national insurance contributions.

The UK has made an agreement with the member states of the EU and some other countries (Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme). Thus, in case of illness during their stay, au pairs coming from these countries receive free medical treatment. Please remind your au pair to bring his/her health insurance card.

The treatment in case of emergencies is free and covered by the NHS for nationals of other countries. However, medical treatment by a general practitioner (GP) might not be free. You should always refer to your local health centre first in order to find out how much the treatment will cost.

Contract

It is important that you and your au pair clarify your mutual expectations in advance and put down in writing whatever is important to you. Thus, you can avoid future disappointments. We recommend that you sign the official contract according to the European Agreement.

On our web page Costs, working hours, time off & Co. you will find a more detailed overview on the general regulations for the au pair placement.

Driving licence / car insurance

Do you prefer an au pair who holds a driving licence? If so, then you need to take the following into consideration: having a driving licence does not equally mean having good driving skills. Ask your au pair how much driving experience he/she already has. After all, he/she will be driving your children. Make sure that driving on the left does not make him/her uncomfortable. Especially, if he/she is more used to right-hand traffic.

Should you put your car at the au pair's disposal, you need to be well informed about liability and insurance. Clarify who pays for the damages that could result from an accident caused by the au pair.

Moreover, enquire whether or not the au pair's driving licence is valid in your country.

Be on the safe side:

• Have you already spoken personally with your au pair? In a telephone conversation, you can quickly find out how well you get along with each other. Here you get more tips for your Safety.
• Does your au pair have sufficient English knowledge? Of course, your au pair does not speak the language perfectly yet. Nevertheless, he/she should at least be able to warn your children in their mother tongue from any kind of danger, such as a hotplate, etc.

More information for host families in the UK:

• Quick Check for host families
• Costs, working hours, time off & Co.
• Entry requirements for au pairs

Further information for au pairs in the UK

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[Last update: July 2011]