Loans up at the Bank of Mum and Dad

Parents lent almost a third (29%) more money to their children in 2016 compared with the previous year, according to a survey.

The 'bank of mum and dad' forked out an average of £3,987.22 to help their offspring, rising from £3,079.91 the previous year, the Bank of Scotland found.

The analysis found Glaswegians were most likely to borrow money from their parents

Research also showed a rise in children aged between 18 and 24 taking a loan from their parents from a quarter in 2015 to over a third (34%) last year.

Fewer offspring aged 25-34 borrowed from their parents, down from almost two-fifths (39%) in 2015 to a third in 2016.

The analysis also found Glaswegians were most likely to borrow money from their parents than offspring in any other region (28%), followed by Aberdeen (24%), North East Scotland and Lothians (both 19%).

The number of those borrowing from parents remained at 18% in 2015 and 2016, but the actual size of the loan changed substantially.

Rachel Bright, head of customer and change at Bank of Scotland, said: "It's interesting to see the shift in size of loan being given to children by bank of mum and dad over the year.

"Fewer parents are lending smaller amounts of up to £1,000, yet more are now providing quite substantial loans to children of £3,000 or more. It's very possible that this is parents helping their children with education costs or getting on the property ladder.''

Despite feeling guilty, only a third of Scots expect to have to pay the money back

Parents lending more than £10,000 increased by almost a quarter (23%), but only those aged 45 and over lent such high amounts.

The research also found half of those quizzed felt guilty about borrowing from their family, up from 44% last year, while those aged 45-54 felt the most guilty (58%).

Despite feeling guilty, only a third of Scots (34%) expect to have to pay the money back to the family member, which is 15% down on the previous year (40%).

• Money
• Bank of Mum and Dad