Keeping it in the family can save £3k a year

CHILDCARE provided by relatives is saving the average Scottish family almost £3,000 a year, say experts.

A study has found that nearly half of families rely on relatives to provide some element of babysitting.

Researchers who questioned more than 2,000 Scots found family members provide an average of 13 hours of free care a week.

With the average cost of childcare now £4.19 an hour, this equates to a saving of approximately £2,832 a year per child. The study also found that only one family in ten turns to paid childcare workers.

The most helpful relatives are grandparents, with 54 per cent saying they help out. They typically provide seven hours of their time every week. The remaining six are provided by other family members.

But the How Scotland Lives survey of 2,007 adults, carried out by YouGov for Bank of Scotland in December, also found that most youngsters spend an average of 14 hours a week with paid babysitters and nursery workers, which means parents are footing an average yearly bill of £3,050.

Mike Moran of Bank of Scotland said: ‘Starting a family is an exciting adventure, but also comes with plenty of challenges.

‘Childcare costs can soon mount up, so having the support of the wider family can ease financial pressure and give parents the opportunity to be more flexible when it comes to work commitments. Creating a budget that includes all household outgoings including childcare costs can help families manage their money.’

The Family and Childcare Trust’s annual Holiday Childcare Survey recently found that the summer break from school is costly for parents in Scotland who do not have relatives who can provide free help.

The average price of one week of full-time holiday childcare is £124.43 north of the Border, compared with £124.62 in England and £117.62 in Wales.