Registered childminders are almost universally self-employed, providing home-based childcare regulated by Ofsted (England) or the equivalent regulator elsewhere in the UK. Profit ranges from around GBP 15,000 for a part-time setting to GBP 45,000-plus for a full, high-demand setting with an assistant. Because childminders are self-employed, income tax and National Insurance are both calculated on Class 4 rates rather than the PAYE Class 1 rates used for employed roles -- this guide's take-home table reflects that throughout. This guide sets out realistic UK profit by stage, shows estimated take-home after Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance for 2026/27, and explains the deductible expenses and funded-hours income specific to childminding. All figures are estimates -- use the linked calculators for your own numbers.
| Level | Stage | Typical profit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-Time Childminder | Small number of hours/children | GBP 15,000--GBP 20,000 (profit) | Common alongside caring for own young children |
| Full-Time Childminder | Full complement under EYFS ratios | GBP 24,000--GBP 30,000 (profit) | Up to 6 children under 8, max 3 under 5, including own children |
| High-Demand / Outstanding-Rated Childminder | Ofsted Outstanding; strong local demand | GBP 32,000--GBP 38,000 (profit) | Premium hourly rate; consistently full with waiting list |
| Setting with Assistant | Registered to work with an assistant | GBP 38,000--GBP 45,000+ (profit) | More children cared for; assistant wage/share deducted first |
2026/27 England rates. Self-employed profit using Class 4 National Insurance (Class 2 was abolished from April 2024). Personal Allowance GBP 12,570. Figures shown are profit after deductible business expenses -- see the expenses section below. No student loan applied.
| Scenario | Profit | Income tax | Class 4 NI | Net/year | Net/month | Keep % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part-Time Childminder | GBP 18,000 | GBP 1,086 | GBP 326 | GBP 16,588 | GBP 1,382/mo | 92% |
| Full-Time Childminder | GBP 26,000 | GBP 2,686 | GBP 806 | GBP 22,508 | GBP 1,876/mo | 87% |
| Growing Setting | GBP 30,000 | GBP 3,486 | GBP 1,046 | GBP 25,468 | GBP 2,122/mo | 85% |
| High-Demand / Outstanding-Rated | GBP 34,000 | GBP 4,286 | GBP 1,286 | GBP 28,428 | GBP 2,369/mo | 84% |
| Setting with Assistant | GBP 42,000 | GBP 5,886 | GBP 1,766 | GBP 34,348 | GBP 2,862/mo | 82% |
For your exact figure including any other income, use the take-home pay calculator.
Childminders can deduct a wide range of business costs before calculating taxable profit: food and snacks for minded children, toys and equipment, a proportion of household bills used for childminding, insurance, registration and inspection fees, DBS renewal, first aid training, and mileage for school runs and outings at HMRC's simplified rate of 45p per mile (first 10,000 business miles). HMRC also offers simplified flat-rate expenses specifically designed for childminders, reducing the record-keeping burden.
Government-funded early years entitlement hours are paid at a local-authority-set hourly rate, which is often below a childminder's standard private rate. Most childminders operate a mix of funded and privately-paid hours -- funded hours provide reliable income, while private hours typically improve overall profit margin.
As self-employed individuals, childminders have no employer pension contribution and no automatic enrolment. A SIPP or personal pension with 20% basic-rate tax relief added automatically is the standard route -- many childminders also rely on voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions (GBP 18.40 per week for 2026/27) in years where profit falls below the Small Profits Threshold, to protect State Pension qualifying years.
Childminders who are Scottish taxpayers pay Scottish Income Tax on non-savings profit. For 2026/27 a full-time childminder with GBP 30,000 profit in Scotland pays the Intermediate rate (21%) on income between GBP 27,492 and GBP 30,000 -- 1% more than the equivalent rUK taxpayer -- costing approximately GBP 25 more per year. Use the Scottish Income Tax calculator for a precise comparison.
