The amount Scots lend to children and grandchildren has risen to more than £12,000 in the past five years, new research has found.

People in their late 30s, those who are divorced or have children under 16 bear the brunt of family responsibilities, according to the Scottish Widows study which described these groups as a "risk triangle".

Scots lend an average of £12,186 to children and grandchildren, just under £700 less than to the UK average of £12,846.

Across the UK the amount lent has risen by 31% in the past five years and Scotland is said to have seen a similar rise, though a figure is not available.

The study found that across the UK a quarter of parents with children under 16 have no savings at all and 37% are not currently saving.

A quarter of those aged 35-44 have no savings at all, with 73% of them saying they have no money available to save

More than a third, some 39%, of people who are divorced and living alone are currently failing to save anything at all.

Iain McGowan, Head of Savings and Investments at Scottish Widows, said: "Although these groups aren't mutually exclusive, what we can discern from the research is that all the points in this 'Risk Triangle' have significant family responsibilities.

"We can see that family giving has risen exponentially, but this is clearly unsustainable. It begs the question, that without taking steps to provide, how will they help their children in another five years through education or onto the property ladder?'

The Scottish Widows Savings & Investments Report 2012 found that almost a third of UK parents with young children (28%) said that the value of their savings and investments came to under £2500, whilst a quarter have nothing saved at all.

The study also suggested that those north of the border were struggling to pay for treats such as holidays and family days out.

Nearly half of Scots (47%) said that taking one holiday a year is an extra cost they can ill-afford, while 45% say family days out are also a luxury.

Almost a quarter (23%) called home ownership a luxury.

The report also identified a trend of saving for the short term.

It found that half of Scots are saving for the short-term, or not at all.

Two in five long-term savers in Scotland (44%) view 'long-term' as the period of six to 10 years and only a quarter of Scots adults believe they are saving enough for their long-term needs.

Mr McGowan said: "We are increasingly seeing people fail to plan properly for the future. When a life stage - whether having children, buying a home or planning for retirement - is so far away, we tend to not take it into account, preferring to focus on the here and now instead.

"However not only is this misguided, this short-sightedness will cost the current generation dearly, and deliver a huge savings shock further down the line."