According to a YouGov survey of more than 2,000 parents who work full time, 17% said they would make a flexible working request as a result of the new legislation, and 22% said they were unsure.

The majority (61%) intend to remain full time, and if the results of the survey are a true reflection in the way in which people across the UK use the legislation, around 765,000 new requests will be made.

The legislation was extended on 6 April to allow parents of all children aged up to 16 to request the right to work flexibly. It is estimated that 4.5 million people are now eligible to make a request.