Salary Survey and trends for 2025
2025 promises to be a buoyant year for recruitment of Private Household Staff.
Live in staff – this remains the top request and is mostly for recruitment of Household Domestic Couples. Typically an established couple who work together to manage and help with various household tasks, such as housekeeping, cooking, gardening, and property maintenance. By recruiting two staff members highly talented and skilled to work as a team and sharing one accommodation this can be highly valuable for households – especially those in the country where the house is used mainly at weekends. Salary for a housekeeper handyman driver are currently from – £65k. If there is a talented cook or Chef this can be up to £75k. A few of the top couples who cover every aspect of house and gardens can command £100k. The accommodation is highly important and those employers offering 2 or 3 bedroom quality accommodation can attract and retain the very best staff.
The most popular request is always for Housekeepers. Experienced skilled housekeepers either Daily, Living in or part time has been the biggest request in 2024. Salary has varied from £35k to £45k which is reflected in the days and hours Monday to Friday 9 to 5 role.
There have been jumps to £50 and £55k but this is for a talented Housekeeper with ability to cook very good family food most days and for the odd guest in the style of Jamie Oliver/Ottellengi/Deliah style.
Private Chefs and Personal Cooks can command from £50k to £70k plus – there are few Live in Chef roles these days but London still offers the higher salaries to compensate for work hours which can be unsociable – evenings and weekends and possible travelling with the family. The highest salaries are for those with high levels of nutritional knowledge.
House managers and Butlers- the high salary senior roles at the top of Private Service are always sought by staff. These are much more rare than they used to be and salaries of £60k plus.
Estate Managers are still highly valued with requirements for experienced knowledgeable, qualified, staff with regenerative farming and Organic gardening being the largest salaries.
Gardening- the care of the gardens is a high priority- flowers and trees are always enjoyed by property owners. In the countryside organic gardening and produce growing is top of the requests. 50% of requests are as part of a Domestic Couple- The gardening part of a couple salary can be from £35k to 50k. These tend to be the higher paying roles. A solo gardener salary daily Monday to Friday from £35- 55k.
Carers and companions have seen a real increase in demand so that the older generation can remain living as long as possibly independently. Salary from £35 to 55k with mainly live in options.
Housekeeper Nannies are always popular with families with young children who need Domestic support and childcare – these can pay from £40 – 60k depending on the days worked and hours- with the higher salaries asking for babysitting and travel overseas.
Chauffeurs are much more rare than they were ten years ago – due to so many other options for travel – again this can be part of a Domestic Couple role with the care of the cars. Or a Butler Chauffeur to be able to utilise other skills when driving is not required- salaries vary from £35-50 as part of a couple and £35-60k for a daily live out post.