New workplace protections for unpaid carers proposed

About three million people balance work with caring responsibilities, including parents of seriously ill children - and many can only manage by cutting their working hours, delaying going back to work or quitting the workforce entirely.

And that has serious consequences.

For example, over the past year, more than 4,000 of our customers have been carers, a measure of the financial strain many people face while supporting a loved one.

So the government wants to create the conditions where unpaid carers can stay at work and balance their job with their responsibilities at home.

What’s being proposed?

The government is looking at introducing:

• paid carer’s leave
• a new “right to return” to work after a period of intensive caring, similar to protections offered to people on maternity leave
• new guidance to help workers and employers better understand carers’ workplace protections.
• paid leave and financial support for parents after a child is diagnosed with serious illness

“Unpaid carers provide a vital service, caring for their family, friends and loved ones,” said care minister Stephen Kinnock.

“They often put the needs of others before their own and we owe them a debt of gratitude for all they do. 

“That is why we must make sure unpaid carers are not left behind or forgotten.”

Employment rights minister Kate Dearden added that unpaid carers shouldn’t have to choose between their job and the people they love.

“These proposed reforms are about making sure the world of work reflects the reality of people’s lives,” she said.

Carers and employers can respond to a consultation on the proposals here.

Check what benefits you can claim

If you’re an unpaid carer and struggling with day-to-day living costs, it’s worth finding out what financial support you could get.

Try our benefits calculator to check whether you're receiving everything you're entitled to.

It might be more than you think.

If you'd prefer to speak to someone, we're here to help. Call us on 0161 518 8285.

Our lines are open:

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Read our article on what financial support is available to carers to find out more details about what’s available.