Grandparents as childcarers

Grandparents sometimes decide to care for their grandchildren. On the following link you can learn about National Insurance (NI) credits if you are caring for a family member under the age of 12:

Specified Adult Childcare credits: fact sheet - GOV.UK 

In addition: Looking after your grandchildren? Make sure it counts towards your state pension

Grandparents as registered childminders

Grandparents may also decide to become registered childminders. This decision can mean an extra source of income and professional development. For parents, this can provide extra comfort in the knowledge that their child’s carer will get continued support and training about childcare.

As an added benefit, parents may be able to get financial help to pay relatives who are a registered childminder. Both employer-supported childcare (such as childcare vouchers) and the childcare element of Working Tax Credit can be used to pay grandparents who are:

• registered with Ofsted
• providing care for non-related children in addition to their grandchildren
• not providing care in the child’s home

More information can be found on: Becoming a childminder | Westminster FIS

Alternatively, you could also visit the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years | PACEY website.

Useful information and links

Family Rights Group can offer grandparent carers legal financial and practical advice

Grandparents providing childcare | Family Lives

Age UK offer advice and promote Grandparent's Day which falls on the first Sunday in October.

Saga provide useful hints and tips for looking after your grandchild

Note: The Family Information Service take great care over the websites we link to and review them regularly, but the service is not responsible for the content of these sites. The inclusion of a link in these webpages should not, therefore, be interpreted as an endorsement of that site, its content, or any product or service it may provide.

For further information and guidance contact the Family Information Service on 07971 625922 or Bi-BoroughChildCareEarlyEd@rbkc.gov.uk.