Leaving a child alone is something parents will not want to do, but may sometimes have to.

But what are the laws surrounding leaving your children alone in the car?

Whether it is popping in to pay for petrol or going grocery shopping when your child is asleep, there are varying circumstances where the question may arise.

The topic is of much debate among parents, and it is important to know not only whether it is illegal or not and whether it is sensible or safe to do so.

Is it illegal to leave kids alone in the car in the UK?

While the Government website does not specify an exact law preventing leaving a child in the car, or alone in general, it is illegal to leave a child alone if it places them at risk.

The gov.uk website says it is up to a parent's judgement on how mature a child is before you decide to leave them alone, whether that be at home, in a car or somewhere else.

It warns that parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised "in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health".

The topic was discussed on the Reddit forum r/AskUK.

One parent asked: "I was wondering if you had a child in the car, around one year old.

"Could you leave them in the car to quickly pay for fuel? I've seen people do it before and now that I think about it, I’ve never seen anyone paying for fuel with a child. Any laws regarding this?"

One user said: "For fuel, which should take no more than five minutes, and where you can see them from the giant windows as you queue up… yeah, why not?

"Wouldn’t leave a one-year-old at a big Tesco in the car for a weekly shop."

Another said: "Whilst paying for fuel is a debate with a 50:50 yes or no reply, in all other instances it is a hard no to ever leave a baby or young child in the car."

The UK's leading children’s charity, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), does give advice on the subject.

What does the NSPCC say about leaving a child alone?

The NSPCC stresses that there is "no 'one-size-fits all' answer", and that "every child is different".

However, it warns parents that infant children from newborns up to three years old should never be left alone.

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"This applies not just to leaving them home alone but also in your car while you run into the shops," the charity says.

It also recommends not leaving children under 12 alone, "particularly for long periods of time".

With children 12 to 18 years old, the NSPCC says parents should talk to them before planning on leaving them alone, particularly if at home on their own.