A Country Where Housekeeper Salaries Exceed 70 Million Won... UK Faces Worsening Supply-Demand Imbalance

Surging Demand and Labor Shortage Combine
Some Mothers Even Give Up Jobs

The annual salary of domestic helpers in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, has been found to exceed 70 million KRW. This is due to a surge in demand from parents seeking childcare workers, while foreign labor remains scarce.

On the 3rd (local time), the local financial media City A.M. reported this citing the announcement from the UK domestic helper market research firm Nannytax.

According to Nannytax's data, the current annual salary for domestic helpers available for hire in London is ?42,848, approximately 71.12 million KRW. This represents an 8% increase compared to the previous year.

Mary Poppins, an iconic character representing British domestic workers.
[Image source=YouTube]

Nannytax stated that the cost of domestic helpers is rising sharply not only in London but across the UK. This is because demand remains high while supply has been unstable recently. In particular, the number of foreign workers in the UK sharply declined during the COVID-19 pandemic but has recently been showing signs of recovery.

According to Nannytax's research, by the end of March 2023, the number of 'childcare workers' including domestic helpers in the UK decreased by nearly 5,000. Additionally, the number of available childcare places dropped by 25,000.

As a result, the demand from dual-income parents seeking domestic helpers has exploded, and in central London, the average hourly wage for domestic helpers now approaches ?18.53 (approximately 30,765 KRW).

The cost of childcare is also a factor hindering the recovery of female employment rates in the UK. City A.M. cited a government report released in April, stating, "Two out of five mothers in the UK are giving up their jobs instead of paying for domestic helper costs."

In England, a profession dedicated to childcare had already been employed since around the 18th century.
[Image source=Nanny Tax]

The history of domestic helpers in the UK is long. According to Nannytax, the origin of domestic helpers, known as 'nannies,' dates back almost to the 1700s.

In the past, nannies were employed mostly from the lower classes or poor commoners, but after the UK opened its immigration doors worldwide in the mid-20th century, foreign workers generally filled these positions. However, as the nanny profession has now evolved into 'professional domestic helpers' with certifications and knowledge, their value has skyrocketed.

The UK, struggling with a shortage of care workers including domestic helpers, is seeking solutions through active immigration policies.

According to data from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of immigrants entering the UK last year reached 1.2 million, setting a historic record. Meanwhile, only 550,000 people left the UK. This means the net population increased by more than 600,000 solely through immigration.

The UK government is also issuing the so-called 'Nanny visa,' officially known as the 'overseas domestic worker visa.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.