Rise in number of fathers who give up work for childcare

One in six couples that were surveyed on behalf of insurance company Aviva said that the main wage earner in their relationship was female. If applied to the whole of the UK population, the results suggest that more than 600,000 men in the UK regularly look after their children while their wife or girlfriend works, compared to just 60,000 ten years ago.

The study found that 18 per cent of parent couples said that they share childcare equally in their household and that in 85 per cent of households with dependent children, at least one parent had reduced their hours or given up work altogether after having children. In one in three cases this was due to the cost of childcare.

Rob Williams, chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, said, ‘What’s crucial now is that legislation  - and enforcement of legislation - in the UK catches up with what's going on in families: paternity leave is still very small compared to other European countries and paid at a minimal rate; fathers’ requests for flexible working are more likely than mothers’ to be turned down by employers - and by Employment Tribunals; and very few health, education or family services have taken on board the Gender Equality Duty which requires them to help both parents to be the best parents they can be. For these services, dads are at best still seen an optional extra, not as central to children’s and families’ happiness.’

Louise Colley, head of protection marketing for Aviva, said, ‘While both roles are equally valuable, nowadays it’s quite likely that women will be heading off to the office while men are changing nappies and doing the school run! We’d advise anyone with dependent children to consider the importance of financial protection for their family – particularly if they are relying on one income.’

Aviva offers £10,000 worth of free life cover to new parents, per parent, per child up to their first birthday.