Nursery World - Grandparents in UK more likely to have jobs than those in rest of Europe

Grandparents in England are younger, more likely to be in paid work and have more grandchildren on average than their counterparts in other parts of Europe, according to a new study.

The research, based on data from more than 40,000 people aged 50 plus from 11 European countries, shows that 63 per cent of people in England over 50 are grandparents, whereas in Greece, Italy, Spain, Germany and Switzerland, two-thirds or more are over 65.

One in four English grandparents aged 50 and over are in paid employment, compared with an average of one in seven across the other 11 countries.

The study, which was carried out by the Institute of Gerontology at King’s College London in partnership with Grandparents Plus, found that English grandparents were more likely to have more grandchildren than their European counterparts.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included