The older generation are pulling no punches when it comes to opinions on their own grandchildren's work ethic.

One in five retired people think their grandchildren are snowflakes, according to research by retirement specialists Responsible Life. The research reveals that 19 per cent of grandparents believe their grandkids are 'prone to taking offence, less resilient than previous generations or are too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own'.

A quarter (24 per cent) think their grandchildren don't have a good work ethic and nearly half (43 per cent) of grandparents are critical of their own children, believing they are too easy on their offspring.

Nearly one in 10 retirees ends up back in work, with nine per cent saying they had gone back into full or part-time work to help their grandchildren financially. Seven out of 10 have helped grandchildren with rent money, a house deposit or general living costs, either through working in retirement, savings or equity release from their homes.

On the whole, grandparents are being incredibly generous with 60 per cent of them giving grandchildren financial help three to four times a year, 15 per cent once a month and seven per cent once a week. While a third of these sums were less than £100, 18 per cent had given more than £1,000.

A quarter of grandparents had lent their grandchildren between £10,000 and £20,000. Of the 35 per cent who had lent their grandchildren money, expecting to be paid back, only half received the full amount, 13 per cent had been paid back less than half and 20 per cent had been repaid nothing at all.

Steve Wilkie, managing director of Responsible Life, said: "Every generation gets a bit of stick from their elders and the snowflake generation, it seems, is no different. But despite their views on younger members of the family, they are still there for them financially."