Overview

• Between April 2024 and March 2025 the NSPCC Helpline logged 6,719 contacts about children left home alone, averaging 560 a month with a July–August peak of 1,276.
• Over the same period the charity made more than 4,000 referrals to police and children’s services across the UK, including 496 in the West Midlands and 391 in the South West.
• UK law sets no minimum age for leaving children unsupervised, though the NSPCC advises against leaving any child under 12 home alone and recommends assessing individual readiness.
• Helpline advisers escalate serious concerns to local authorities when additional support or intervention is needed to protect children’s welfare.
• To help parents manage rising childcare pressures, the NSPCC has published step-by-step safety planning advice for gradually building children’s independence and ensuring emergency preparedness.