GRANDPARENTS ACTING AS GUARDIANS AND CARERS

That this House welcomes the recognition the Government now gives to the role of grandparents who have to act as parents to their grandchildren; notes that many such grandparents receive no additional financial help other than the basic social security allowances available to children; further notes that the Department for Work and Pensions professes to hold no information on the numbers of grandparents claiming income support allowances for their grandchildren; and calls on the Government to set up an inquiry to determine the numbers of such grandparents throughout the country and to recommend what financial support should be available to all grandparents acting as parents to their grandchildren with an objective of reporting within six months of establishment.