Shared parental leave and pay scheme to be extended to working grandparents
The Government has announced that it is planning to extend the current scheme of shared parental leave and pay to include working grandparents by 2018. A consultation is expected to be launched on the details of the extension in the first half of 2016, with the new legislation expected to come into force in 2018. The Government hopes that the proposed change will increase flexibility and choice in parental leave arrangements and support working parents with the costs of childcare during the first year of a child's life.
Evidence suggests that nearly 2 million grandparents have given up work, reduced their hours or taken time off work to help cut down childcare costs.
