Grannies acting as nannies are making summer holidays “three-generational”, a survey showed yesterday.

A third of grandparents regularly holiday with their children and grandchildren for the sole purpose of providing child care assistance, a study from insurance company RIAS found. Even when they are at home, 50 per cent of grandparents look after grandchildren during the summer holidays.

A total of 26 per cent of grandparents said their childminding activities were caused by the fact that parents had had to return to work because of the economic climate, while 28 per cent said parents were working longer hours.

The time spent by grandparents looking after grandchildren could cost parents up to £558 if they had to pay for it – saving UK parents around £800 million a year.

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