South: Over half of working parents spending up to £1,800 a year unnecessarily on childcare

57% of working parents could be spending up to £1,800 a year unnecessarily on childcare cover after research by local employment law specialists,  Crossland Employment Solicitors  found that a staggering 41% are unaware of their legal right to take unpaid parental leave to care for their children and a huge 75% admit to never having taken advantage of this entitlement.

The research by the firm based on Milton Park, Abingdon, also found that a further 27% will be splashing out this Summer on holiday club fees of up to £800.

Unpaid parental leave is available to any employee who has been with the same employer for a year or more so parents can take more time off to care for their child, in addition to their agreed annual holiday leave. It can be taken for up to four weeks a year, in blocks of one week, to a maximum of 18 weeks for each child before they turn 18.

Crossland Employment Solicitors polled an equal split of 1,500 working fathers and mothers with children under 18 and who have been with the same employer for at least a year. 

Nearly half unaware of their rights

The findings revealed that nearly half (45%) of workers aren’t even aware of how many weeks they are entitled to take off each year under unpaid parental leave.

Half of fathers (49%) neither know about this employment right, nor how much time they are allowed off (52%) compared to 32% and 38% of mums.

More mothers (33%) than fathers (18%) have exercised their right to unpaid parental leave yet overall; take up of this entitlement remains low at just 25%. Interestingly, only 6% of working parents have taken shared parental leave.

Parents will be leaning on friends and family this Summer

A significant lack of awareness around unpaid leave means a huge 41% of working mums and dads will be leaning on friends and family this Summer for childcare cover while 27% will be spending up to £800 on holiday clubs, alone. 

For the entire year, 57% will spend between £50 and £450 a week on childcare from nannies, nurseries to ‘after school’ clubs, which works out to a saving of between £200 - £1,800 a year for parents that exert their right to four weeks unpaid parental leave a year.

Fear time off will impact career

Poor uptake in unpaid parental leave may not just be down to a lack of awareness. Nearly half of men (47%) and 31% of women worry how taking unpaid leave, such as to care for a child or a sick family member, may impact their career. 

39% are concerned that taking extra unpaid time off, in addition to other statutory leave allowances, will be perceived negatively by their employer and colleagues.  

A staggering 63% said they could not see themselves taking advantage of the Conservative Government's proposal for up to a year’s unpaid leave to care for a sick family member, such as an elderly parent, either now or in the future - although, more women (49%) than men (25%) say that they would make use of this entitlement.

Beverley Sunderland, managing director of Crossland Employment Solicitors said: “Our research found that 41% of working parents will have to rely on friends and family this Summer to care for their children because they say there’s a real lack of affordable childcare available, yet the same number of parents have no idea about unpaid parental leave. Employers need to be more open and transparent with workers about their unpaid leave entitlements as well as creating a culture that encourages employees to take leave rather than it being perceived as something that could damage their career. Unpaid leave allows eligible parents time off to look after their child’s welfare for example, to spend more time with their children and the family, to look for new schools, or to settle children into new childcare arrangements. Their employment rights (like the right to pay, holidays and returning to a job) remain protected.

“Whilst there’s no obligation to advise employees of their right to unpaid parental leave, it is in the employer’s best interest to support working parents where they can, so they can maintain a happy work/life balance.”

Paw-ternity

The research also revealed that some workers are strongly in favour of extending statutory unpaid leave beyond just time off for children and family.

Crossland Employment Solicitors polled an additional 500 workers who did not have children. Over half (61%), of which 67% of these were women, felt that the law for unpaid time off work should also cover time to care for pets for example, to settle a new pet into a home, or to care for them when they’re sick.

Sunderland added: “Extending statutory leave for employees to care for a sick relative, pet and now, child bereavement leave as set out in the Conservative Government’s most recent election manifesto, is a good idea. A quarter of workers are off with stress every year so employment laws and company initiatives that help relieve workers from the pressures of life, can only be a positive step.”