Paid leave for carers could be introduced in Employment Rights Bill

Carers UK is calling for the Government to introduce measures within the Employment Rights Bill to increase support for carers in the workplace, including a right to paid leave.

The Bill aims to amend the law relating to employment rights, including providing for duties to be imposed on employers regarding equality.

Two key amendments to the Bill have been tabled, backed by Peers from different parties. One amendment would change unpaid carers’ current right to unpaid leave to be made a paid leave entitlement. The other amendment would require employers with over 250 employees to consider what support unpaid carers are given in their workforce when publishing equality action plans.

Cost of caring

According to the most recent Census, over five million unpaid carers are in England and Wales, and 1.7 million people in the UK provide 50 or more hours of care per week.

A recent report from the Health and Social Care Committee also found that the amount of unpaid care provided is likely to increase due to the lack of affordable, reliable, and good-quality social care available, with families left to plug the gaps in formal provision.

• 1.2 million unpaid carers living in poverty, research finds
• Four in 10 parent carers have thought about suicide, study finds

This has a significant impact on carers’ ability to participate in paid work and contribute to the broader economy. Between 2017 and 2019, 468,000 people, or around 600 people every day, gave up work because of caring.

The recent Carers UK State of Caring 2024 survey also found that 25% of unpaid carers providing substantial care had taken lower-paid work or turned down a promotion due to the demands of caring. In addition, 44% of carers who responded to the survey said they had reduced their working hours to provide care.

Billions saved by supporting carers to remain in the workplace

Carers UK modelling estimates that paid carer’s leave would only cost between £5.5 million and £32 million a year to deliver, but would ultimately save billions by increasing productivity and supporting carers to remain in the workplace.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “Every year the UK economy loses an estimated £37 billion due to unpaid carers being unable to work. Without adequate support, carers are often left with no choice but to give up paid work to care, impacting their own financial security and resulting in a loss of valuable skills and experience for employers.

“The Bill contains some welcome measures to help unpaid carers, including stronger rights to flexible working, but we need to be ambitious for further change. There is a clear opportunity to lay the foundations for paid Carer’s Leave, which is critical for those unable to take up their existing, unpaid rights.

“Carers who fall out of employment are at far higher risk of poverty and long-term financial hardship. We are encouraging this Government to use the positive momentum of the Carer’s Leave Act and go one step further to increase help for carers able to juggle work and care.”

Alison Bloomer

Alison Bloomer is Editor of Learning Disability Today. She has over 25 years of experience writing for medical journals and trade publications. Subjects include healthcare, pharmaceuticals, disability, insurance, stock market and emerging technologies. She is also a mother to a gorgeous 13-year-old boy who has a learning disability.

See Full Bio