Grandparents are one in a million this Valentine's Day

Grandparents will, quite literally, be left holding the baby on Valentine's Day this year according to new research from over 50s insurance provider, RIAS.
 
The nation's grandparents will save UK mums and dads a staggering £15.3m in childcare costs this Valentine's Day. Over one million grandparents, 10% of all grandparents, will be giving parents a well earned break by looking after their grandchildren, as mums and dads head out to celebrate.
 
Grandparents in the North East are in high demand with almost one quarter (22%) being called on to babysit on Valentine's Day, far higher than the national average. 17% of London grans and grandads also said they'll be putting romance on hold on to care for their grandchildren.
 
Romance is still alive amongst grandparents, with two in five (42%) planning to do something special. A recession-busting romantic evening at home is the most popular way to celebrate Valentine's Day (21%), followed by going out for a meal or drink (17%), or visiting the theatre or cinema (4%.)
 
And it's reassuring to know that the art of giving gifts doesn't disappear with age. UK grandparents are still proving to be ‘old romantics' with well over a third (40%) looking to buy that someone special a card or present this Valentine's Day. The research also showed that grandads are more likely to treat their loved ones, one third (33%) of grandads will be buying a Valentine's card compared with 28% of grandmas.
 
Peter Corfield, Managing Director at RIAS, comments: "Grandparents are often the unsung heroes in families' lives and their commitments this Valentine's Day proves it more than ever! With today's parents struggling against rising childcare costs and cuts to Child Benefit for some families, it's nice to know that they can still rely on their mums and dads to look after their grandchildren so they can enjoy a well-deserved night out. And today's grandparents need no excuse to spend some extra time with their grandchildren."
 
For more information about the full range of products RIAS offers, visit rias.co.uk.