The verdict in three sentences
A London group of 11 workplace nurseries selling places to employers needs a website that speaks first to HR directors and finance teams, not only to parents. The decisive lever is a net cost calculator showing tax and National Insurance savings under a workplace nursery salary sacrifice scheme, paired with a live availability map and a qualified HR enquiry form, to target 20 employer contracts a year. In the UK market this kind of site costs around 15,000 to 28,000 GBP (2026 order of magnitude), delivered in 8 weeks.
Two audiences, two journeys
The business development director sells a funded place for 20,000 to 30,000 GBP a year in central London. The buyer is an HR lead comparing childcare against other benefits, while parents still need reassurance on curriculum, Ofsted rating and opening hours.
| Element | Employer journey (HR, CFO) | Parent journey |
|---|---|---|
| Main question | What does a place really cost us? | Is there a place near home or the office? |
| Key tool | Net cost calculator | Map of 11 nurseries and open places |
| Proof expected | Client employers, retention data | Ofsted reports, photos, team |
| Conversion | HR form: headcount, need, start date | Enrolment request via employer |
| Secondary content | Scheme guide, internal memo template | Parent area: menus, news, documents |
| Tracked metric | HR meetings booked per month | Visit requests |
Both journeys share one platform, but the home page should route in one click: I am an employer, or I am a parent.
The net cost calculator, the commercial heart of the site
What gets an HR director to sign is net cost. Under a workplace nursery scheme, the parent pays the fee through salary sacrifice, which is exempt from income tax and National Insurance, and the employer saves its own NI contribution of 15 %. The calculator takes three inputs: number of places, annual fee, employee tax band.
| Annual fee per place | Employer NI saved (15 %) | Basic rate parent saving (28 %) | Higher rate parent saving (42 %) | Employer monthly saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18,000 GBP | 2,700 GBP | 5,040 GBP | 7,560 GBP | 225 GBP |
| 20,000 GBP | 3,000 GBP | 5,600 GBP | 8,400 GBP | 250 GBP |
| 24,000 GBP | 3,600 GBP | 6,720 GBP | 10,080 GBP | 300 GBP |
| 28,000 GBP | 4,200 GBP | 7,840 GBP | 11,760 GBP | 350 GBP |
| 3 places at 22,000 GBP | 9,900 GBP | 18,480 GBP | 27,720 GBP | 825 GBP |
These are estimates to be checked with the employer's payroll adviser, and salary sacrifice cannot take pay below the minimum wage. The calculator should say so clearly and offer to email the result as a PDF, which creates a named lead.
Budget and 8 week plan
| Component | 2026 UK market order of magnitude | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial core and employer journey | 6,000 to 10,500 GBP | Weeks 1 to 4 |
| Tax calculator with PDF export | 2,500 to 5,000 GBP | Weeks 4 and 5 |
| Availability map | 2,000 to 4,000 GBP | Weeks 5 and 6 |
| Secure parent area | 3,500 to 6,500 GBP | Weeks 6 and 7 |
| HR form linked to CRM | 1,000 to 2,000 GBP | Week 7 |
| QA, UK GDPR, launch | included | Week 8 |
At Kolonell, the website itself follows our Growth (1,830 to 3,050 EUR) or Premium (3,050 to 5,340 EUR) grid; the parent area and connected calculator are priced as a simple custom application, 3,810 to 6,100 EUR, or quoted on the exact scope. Each nursery manager updates availability from an admin table in about 2 minutes a week.
On compliance, the parent area handles children's data: UK or EU hosting, individual accounts, a fixed retention period, and no child photo published without written consent.
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Mini case study
Emma, business development director of the group, signs 9 employers a year today, averaging 2.5 places per contract at 22,000 GBP, about 495,000 GBP of new annual revenue. Reaching 20 employers lifts that to 1,100,000 GBP. If the website closes only half the gap, 5.5 extra contracts, revenue rises by around 302,000 GBP a year. At a 20 % margin that is 60,500 GBP, for a 24,000 GBP website: payback in under five months.
FAQ
Can the calculator show a binding figure?
No, it shows an estimate. Add a note pointing to the employer's payroll adviser, since savings depend on tax band and the minimum wage floor.
How many HR leads can such a site generate?
A well ranked site across London can target 8 to 15 qualified HR enquiries a month. At a 15 % close rate, that covers 20 employers a year.
Do places need to be shown in real time?
A weekly update covers about 90 % of needs. What matters is never showing a place that was filled three weeks ago.
Is the parent area required at launch?
No. The employer journey can go live in 5 to 6 weeks, with the parent area added later to spread the budget.
Who manages content after launch?
The group's own team, trained in about 2 hours. Technical maintenance at Kolonell starts from 53 EUR per month.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your nurseries, target employers and contract goals, and we will scope the HR journey, the calculator and an 8 week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
