Less than one in five working parents have taken advantage of flexible working laws.

A government study released on Friday found a fraction of parents had asked for flexible working hours since being given the right to do so.

Since last April, parents have had the right to ask their employers for more flexible working hours, while men have been granted paid paternity leave.

However, the survey found that only 17 per cent had asked for it since the change in the law, while 37 per cent said they intended to ask in the future and 72 per cent claiming it would influence their decision on whether to go back to work.

Financial

The survey of 800 women, for the Department of Trade and Industry's Work-Life Balance Campaign, found that 60 per cent had returned to work for purely financial reasons.

Only 12 per cent of those questioned said they had wanted to pursue a career after having children.

The issue of childcare once again came to the fore with 41 per cent of respondents claiming they had given up holidays or their own clothing needs to fund it.

Hewitt

"Balancing work and family life has always been incredibly difficult for parents, especially new mums," said trade secretary Patricia Hewitt.

"But the new rights we put in place last April offer parents more choice and support than ever before in getting the right balance for their families.

"I'm especially pleased that new fathers are taking advantage of the benefits of paid paternity leave."