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By Joy Harris
Children and Grandchildren
27 April 2009 15:16
Grandparents in Britain save their children more than £50bn in childcare costs every year – so why does the government leave them worse off?
Look outside your local school gates around 3pm and you’ll probably find more grandparents than mums waiting to hear all about the children’s day. Unable to afford professional childcare which can cost a third of average earnings for one full-time nursery place in some areas, single parents – and hard-pressed couples both working to make ends meet – are relying more and more on their own families to help out. And nine out of ten do it for free.
Our own 21st Century Gran survey recently showed that nearly half of you childmind an average of two young grandchildren at least 20 hours a week, a quarter for more than 25 hours and 12 per cent more than a whopping 40 hours a week.
Meanwhile, The Grandparents’ Association has discovered that 82 per cent of children receive some care from their grandparents and one in every 100 children lives with a grandparent – that’s an average two to four in every primary school.
Many grandparents find themselves out of pocket after paying for their grandchildren’s meals, treats and outings at holiday times. Although this often means going without themselves, they don’t begrudge the cost because they love looking after their grandchildren and wouldn’t take money from their children anyway.
Accepting help from the government is a different matter, however. They feel it’s not fair that while low-paid parents can claim tax credits of up to £300 a week to cover childcare bills from nurseries or registered childminders, grandparents and other family members cannot be paid under the benefits system.
Yours has campaigned long and hard for grandparent child carers to be treated more fairly. We believe they should be eligible to receive childcare vouchers and have made this a key point in the Yours Charter, our manifesto on issues close to our readers’ hearts.
Now the charity Grandparents Plus is calling for tax credits to allow the children’s mums and dads to ‘pay’ their own parents for help. They also want working grandparents to be able to claim two weeks of unpaid ‘granny leave’ in the first year of a grandchild’s life and to receive credits towards care they may need for themselves in the future. Their poll found 60 per cent of people believe grandparents should be paid by the government for childcare.
Spokesman Sam Smethers says: “In the tough economic climate, it’s families who are taking the hit. Grandparents are playing an ever-increasing role in supporting family life and caring for children, but their contribution often goes unrecognised.”
Grandparents of working age are really missing out. A parent, foster parent or someone looking after a disabled adult for 20 hours or more per week gets National Insurance credits – a grandparent does not.
The possibility of righting this wrong was raised in Parliament in early March under discussions of the Welfare Reform Bill. Glasgow West MP John Robertson tried to get grandparents caring unpaid for under-12s for more than 20 hours a week included in NI credits, but was persuaded to withdraw his amending clause by Employment and Welfare Minister Tony McNulty, who said it was ‘deficient’ and that wider provisions are being drafted to be put before Parliament later this year. But with Mr McNulty’s view that ‘few grandparents would need additional credits’ it may still be too much to hope that they will finally get a fair deal.
Two years ago, HSBC bank costed the amount British parents would have to spend on childcare if there is no grandparent to help out at a collective £50bn a year. Today it would be even higher…
Grandparents diaries
Maureen Harwood (62), Hertfordshire.
Maureen travels nearly 120 miles a week from her home in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire to Maidstone, Kent to look after her two grandsons. Maureen retired four years ago but is still busy as the treasurer of the National Association of Women’s Clubs. Despite this, she still manages to look after Dillon (4) and Donovan (2) for two days a week.
“My daughter Mandy works four days a week and my son-in-law works in retail so they’re both very busy providing for the family,” says Maureen.“My son-in-law’s mother looks after the boys two days a week so together we’ve got the childcare covered.”
Maureen’s daughter and her partner have to work in order to pay their mortgage and without Maureen’s help they’d be forced to shell out for expensive childcare.
“They’re very lucky to have our help,” says Maureen. “But it’s a real pleasure helping to bring up my grandsons. I’d much rather they were looked after by me than by a stranger.”
Although Maureen admits she thankfully doesn’t need financial help in order to care for her grandsons, she knows many grandparents who do.
“I wouldn’t want any payment from my daughter but if the government were giving money it would certainly help towards my petrol bill. I know other people who’ve given up their own jobs to look after grandchildren. I think it’s only fair that they should be financially supported for doing so.”
Anita Green* is one of those people; she’d just been made redundant nine years ago when her daughter announced she was pregnant. Instead of looking for a new job, she prepared to help out with the childcare.
Lorraine (60), West Midlands.
Lorraine is now up and ready for 7.30am every weekday for the arrival of Anna* (8), Paul* (4) and Martin* (2), who stay until 5.30pm. She provides meals, does the school runs and entertains Martin all day – for no pay.“I don’t begrudge my daughter,” says Anita. “Although she’s a teacher and her husband also works, they could never afford childcare for three. They’re my grandchildren and I feel I was put here to look after them.
“Even so, it would be nice to get some remuneration from the government. Grandparents like me feel undervalued and unrecognised. Without people like us, there’d be more lone parents claiming benefits.* Not their real names.
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Helping out – and missing out!
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Sheila Huckfield-Powell says
RE: Helping out – and missing out!
My daughter and her husband work in the hotel trade which means weekend and early plus late shifts. For the last 5 years we have had our grandson over night at least on a Saturday sometimes during the week too. This has meant our weekends are not what most grandparents experience, we usually involve our grandson within our program such as parties etc. We love our grandson and are awaiting the birth of a second, but also know that without us our family could not hope to carryon working and they need to do this in the economic climate and if they wish to have their own home eventually. As we are getting older this puts a strain on us and particularly when my husband was very poorly a few years ago the child care feel completely to me. The state is saving thousands, but by not providing grandparents with finances to help them take family members out and to help with informative outings which can be expensive for people who are retired our younger generation may miss out on really mind stretching things.
My daughter and her husband work in the hotel trade which means weekend and early plus late shifts. For the last 5 years we have had our grandson over night at least on a Saturday sometimes during the week too. This has meant our weekends are not what most grandparents experience, we usually involve our grandson within our program such as parties etc.
We love our grandson and are awaiting the birth of a second, but also know that without us our family could not hope to carryon working and they need to do this in the economic climate and if they wish to have their own home eventually. As we are getting older this puts a strain on us and particularly when my husband was very poorly a few years ago the child care feel completely to me. The state is saving thousands, but by not providing grandparents with finances to help them take family members out and to help with informative outings which can be expensive for people who are retired our younger generation may miss out on really mind stretching things.
13 May 2009 12:38
Littlegem2107 says
I agree completely with the article. There are lots of other people out there who can't afford nursery fees and need to rely on grandparents whilst they work - why should they not be able to use childcare vouchers to pay them instead and the grandparents be able to use them for credits for bills/extra heating allowance etc or cash if they want it? At the moment, childcare vouchers can only be used to pay for registered nurseries or childminders. Unlike somebody stated in an earlier post childcare vouchers are not provided for everybody free of charge by the government, they are given as part of a salary sacrifice scheme which a lot of employers don't use. Before people start complaining about getting more money out of the government a hell of a lot more people choose not to work and let the state pick up the tab for housing benefit, council tax benefit, income support etc - at least working parents are making an effort to pay their way in life. In a lot of cases parents are better off staying at home because they are entitled to more than they would get at work because of the high cost of childcare (although some do use having a child as an excuse never to work again). And before people make assumptions both myself and my partner work full time to pay for our Daughters' upbringing and take pride in showing a good example to our Daughter, values that we hope she will take with her into her adult life. Yes things are different than 'in our day' and 'our grandparents weren't paid' but a lot of things have changed since then and a lot more mothers have to go out to work to earn a decent living. People get penalised for going to work these days - child tax credits are better than nothing but working tax credits are a joke if you are a two parent family - we do not get a penny although we both work full time. Grandparents are undervalued and should be given some financial incentive for the help that they provide. If you weigh up how much a single parent would get in benefits if they stayed at home to how much they could put back into the economy if they went back to work and by giving the grandparents a say, weekly allowance - the state would be paying out less by paying grandparents!!! All in all I think the benefits system needs a radical overhaul. I would be interested to hear what other readers think. Reader (age 25)
I agree completely with the article.
There are lots of other people out there who can't afford nursery fees and need to rely on grandparents whilst they work - why should they not be able to use childcare vouchers to pay them instead and the grandparents be able to use them for credits for bills/extra heating allowance etc or cash if they want it? At the moment, childcare vouchers can only be used to pay for registered nurseries or childminders.
Unlike somebody stated in an earlier post childcare vouchers are not provided for everybody free of charge by the government, they are given as part of a salary sacrifice scheme which a lot of employers don't use.
Before people start complaining about getting more money out of the government a hell of a lot more people choose not to work and let the state pick up the tab for housing benefit, council tax benefit, income support etc - at least working parents are making an effort to pay their way in life. In a lot of cases parents are better off staying at home because they are entitled to more than they would get at work because of the high cost of childcare (although some do use having a child as an excuse never to work again). And before people make assumptions both myself and my partner work full time to pay for our Daughters' upbringing and take pride in showing a good example to our Daughter, values that we hope she will take with her into her adult life.
Yes things are different than 'in our day' and 'our grandparents weren't paid' but a lot of things have changed since then and a lot more mothers have to go out to work to earn a decent living. People get penalised for going to work these days - child tax credits are better than nothing but working tax credits are a joke if you are a two parent family - we do not get a penny although we both work full time.
Grandparents are undervalued and should be given some financial incentive for the help that they provide. If you weigh up how much a single parent would get in benefits if they stayed at home to how much they could put back into the economy if they went back to work and by giving the grandparents a say, weekly allowance - the state would be paying out less by paying grandparents!!! All in all I think the benefits system needs a radical overhaul. I would be interested to hear what other readers think.
Reader (age 25)
10 May 2009 12:13
keenreader says
Come on grandparents, why on earth should the Government pay us for looking after our own kith and kin? The Government pays the parents child benefit to help with costs of bringing up their children, they provide nursery vouchers and no doubt there are other goodies available to parents. However as grandparents we should treasure the pleasure we receive in looking after our own grandchildren knowing that we are doing what we can to help our children give them a happy and secure upbringing. Did our grandparents get paid - of course not so why should we. They had it a darn sight harder than we do. This is a 'nanny' state already without us bearing down on a cash strapped country. I think its time people stopped moaning about this. If you don't want to look after the children for 'love' then don't do it.
09 May 2009 07:48
granniejoan says
We look after our 2 granddaughters because we love them,I also think my son and daughter-in-law need the peace of mind to know we will never let them down re-child care.They bring joy to our lives you get endless hugs,kisses and even the finger marks are a welcome change from living in a house with know children.I would never take money from my family for the privelidge of looking after my grandchildren.We are often treated with meals out or tea at theirs bar-b-qs and that is the only reward we need.Time with family are far more important than any money and peace of mind for the parents knowing that their children are safe.Maybe i am old fashioned but if you can help your kids you should
08 May 2009 21:09
judy123 says
I help almost daily looking after and fetching and taking my grandchildren to and from school and looking after them until their parents get home and if necessary cook their meals etc. I have very little money but I am more than rewarded being able to be so involved with their lives . I deplore the attitude today that we should be paid for doing everything and that the government should pay us. Where do you think that this money can keep coming from? No let us go back and re adopt the old way of life and be prepared to help anyone,our children, grandchildren and friends and neighbours as much as we are able and not to expect to get paid money.
08 May 2009 20:35
