Most grandparents are acutely aware of the challenges their grandchildren face as they progress through education and into the workplace…
University tuition fees and other costs can leave the upcoming generations with debts before they begin full-time work, making it more difficult for them to accumulate the deposit on their first property purchase.
The impact of the pandemic has added a new dimension to the problem, with disrupted education and a battered economy raising questions about future earnings potential. This has not gone unnoticed by those grandparents fortunate enough to be able to help the next-generation-but-one along the rocky road to their lifetime dreams and ambitions. Many have been moved to upgrade their help.
Evidence that grandchildren have often benefited financially from locked-down grandparents, unable to spend on holidays and eating out, has been provided through research conducted by a leading financial mutual. Scottish Friendly Assurance Society surveyed a sample of grandparents who were already investing for their grandchildren, to see what influence the pandemic had exerted.
Almost half upgrade their largesse
Responses showed that 47% of those grandparents had enhanced the amounts contributed to their grandchildren’s savings during the previous 12 months. The main drivers were found to be a reduction in their own spending opportunities during the COVID-19 restrictions and a heightened desire to create a larger savings buffer for their grandchildren at a time of economic uncertainty.
“There are grandparents who do have the discretionary income to put towards family savings and this can be a big support,” comments Jill Mackay of Scottish Friendly. “It’s also encouraging to see grandparents deciding to invest more of their money rather than save it in cash.”
Financial advice
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The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. The past is not a guide to future performance and past performance may not necessarily be repeated.
If you withdraw from an investment in the early years, you may not get back the full amount you invested. Changes in the rates of exchange may have an adverse effect on the value or price of an investment in sterling terms if it is denominated in a foreign currency. Taxation depends on individual circumstances as well as tax law and HMRC practice which can change.
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