Role of the grandparent 'overlooked'

One in three mothers in the UK rely on grandparents to provide childcare, but unlike in many European countries, the state does little to recognise this, according to a study by charity Grandparents Plus, the Beth Johnson Foundation and the Institute of Gerontology at Kings College London. It said this left many grandparents struggling to juggle work and childcare, without financial support.

The report said that a number of EU countries had taken steps to address the situation, including enabling parents to transfer parental leave to grandparents, letting working grandparents take time off if their grandchild is unwell and in some circumstances paying them for the care they provide.

But it said that while from April next year grandparents in the UK would be able to claim National Insurance credits for the care they provided, they did not currently have a right to request flexible working, while parental leave could also not be transferred to them.

Research found that seven out of 10 grandparents thought they should be paid through tax credits or childcare vouchers for significant periods of childcare.