Grandparents risk financial hardship to provide free
childcare
Grandparents who are
filling the ‘care gap’ in some of Britain’s most vulnerable families
are risking hardship themselves, a new report from Grandparents Plus and the
Equality and Human Rights Commission reveals.
The report “Protect,
Support, Provide” highlights that grandparents in families most at risk of
poverty are under increasing pressure to take on a caring role. It shows that
working age, working class grandmothers on low incomes are most likely to be
providing childcare and to have given up work or tried to reduce their hours to
care for grandchildren. This has an impact on household income and may have an
effect on a grandparent’s pension rights as well as their health.
The report warns that
two social policy aims are working in conflict with each other – increasing the
numbers of lone parents in work and increasing the employment rate of older
people as they approach retirement – as grandparents are providing free
childcare instead of being at work themselves.
This in turn could be undermining attempts to reduce child poverty and to
reduce older people’s poverty.
Currently, ‘working’
grandparents in the circumstances described would be excluded from making a
request for flexible working arrangements as to qualify in relation to a child
under 17 years old (or 18 years old if the child is disabled) the person
applying must be either: (i) the child’s mother, father, adoptive parent,
guardian or foster parent; or (ii) the spouse, civil partner or partner of the
child’s mother, father, adopter, guardian or foster parent, and have or expect
to have responsibility for the child’s upbringing.
May 2010
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
