Overview

• The NSPCC Helpline logged a 65% year-on-year increase in contacts this week, handling 7,800 calls and making more than 500 regional referrals.
• UK law still sets no specific minimum age for leaving a child home alone but allows prosecution if a child is placed at risk of unnecessary suffering or injury.
• NSPCC guidance advises that children under 12 are rarely mature enough for extended periods alone, those under 16 should not spend the night alone, and very young children must never be left unattended.
• Parents are urged to establish clear ground rules, run through emergency scenarios, check in regularly, and gradually build up the time their child spends alone.
• Rising summer childcare demands and cost-of-living pressures are driving families to seek clarity and support through NSPCC and GOV.UK resources.