As you will know, the legislation in relation to flexible working was extended on 6 April to allow parents of all children up to the age of 16 to request the right to work flexibly.

An associate at Pinsent Masons, a leading law firm believes some employees might be wary of making a request due to the current economic climate.

If companies are considering redundancies or cost cutting, allowing employees to work flexibly or on reduced hours could be one way to prevent job cuts.