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Charity says Britain's 14 million grandparents are helping to keep families afloat by providing childcare worth £3.9bn a year
Working grandparents would be entitled to two weeks of "granny leave" after the birth of a grandchild under plans to be submitted to the government today.
The charity Grandparents Plus says Britain's 14 million grandparents are helping to keep families afloat by providing childcare worth £3.9bn a year. Nearly a third are below retirement age and many are making an economic sacrifice to look after the grandchildren.
The charity announced results of a YouGov poll of more than 2,000 parents showing 44% expect to rely more on grandparents during the recession. And 61% said grandparents should receive some form of reward or payment from the state for providing childcare.
The charity said working grandparents who provide childcare should be entitled to tax breaks. Parents, foster carers and carers of disabled adults will become eligible next year for a national insurance credit and there was no reason why grandparents providing childcare should not get a similar reward, the charity said.
It called on the government to give grandparents an entitlement of up to two weeks of "granny leave", to be taken at any point in the child's first year. Employers with flexible working practices should consider extending the right to grandparents, it added.
Sam Smethers, the charity's chief executive, said: "The [government's] policy focus on the nuclear family means we miss what is really going on ... In the tough economic climate, it is 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.
"Our poll shows that the general public appreciates the important role that grandparents play but most people do not think the government values this highly enough. It is time to recognise the contribution grandparents make."
The YouGov poll found 75% think working age grandparents who provide substantial periods of childcare should receive a credit towards their basic state pension in the same way as parents of children under 12 and carers of disabled children and adults.
And 55% of people said grandparents should have the right to request flexible working in the same way as carers and parents of children under six.
The Conservatives said they would "examine closely" the flexible working proposal, including a right to granny leave. The government said the problems of family childcare providers will be discussed at regional conferences this year.
Maria Miller, the Conservative shadow families minister, said: "As many grandparents live longer and lead healthier lives, they will become even more important for modern families. That is why we support moves for children to have the right to see their grandparents even when their parents have separated and will examine closely the case for extending the right to request flexible working to grandparents."
Beverley Hughes, the children's minister, said: "Our research shows that the majority of grandparents prefer to not be paid for their care, but we are committed to doing more to value and support family childcare providers – including grandparents – and will hold a series of regional events this year to discuss the issues faced by family childcare providers."
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