The Employment Rights Bill is currently being debated in the House of Lords. Carers UK, a charity that supports a number of people who are juggling both paid and unpaid care responsibilities, has called on the Government to improve protections.
The charity advocates for changes in legislation that would give employees more support when caring for friends and family who are disabled, elderly or sick.
Two amendments were proposed to improve the Bill’s impact for unpaid caregivers. The first amendment would convert the current unpaid Carer’s Leave entitlement into a paid leave. The second would require employers with more than 250 employees to take into account the needs of unpaid caregivers in their workforce when developing equality action plans.
Carers UK says that these changes will make a significant difference, especially for women and low-income workers, who are likely to be caring parents. According to the charity’s survey, 80 percent of employees believe that paid Carer’s leave would help them balance work and caring responsibilities.
Unpaid Caregiver’s Leave is not widely available due to financial barriers
Carers UK’s survey released in November of 2024 found that 56 percent (or 57 million) working carers were unable take unpaid leave, because they could not afford to lose their income.
According to Carers UK’s modelling, the cost of introducing paid Carer’s Leave could range between PS5.5 and PS32million annually. The organization maintains that the cost would be offset by wider economic benefits, such as increased productivity and workforce participation.
Helen Walker, CEO of Carers UK said that many carers have to leave paid employment because of a lack in workplace support. This results in an economic cost.
Every year, the UK economy suffers a loss of approximately PS37 billion because unpaid caregivers are unable to work. “Without adequate support, many carers have no choice but give up their paid jobs to care for others, affecting their financial security, and resulting in the loss of valuable skills, experience, and knowledge to employers,” said she.
Caring for carers
Walker acknowledges that the Bill includes measures such as flexible working rights but warns they are not enough to meet the challenges facing carers.
The Bill includes some measures that are welcome, such as stronger rights for flexible working. However, we must be ambitious to make further changes. It is possible to create the basis for paid Carer’s Leave for those who are unable to use their current, unpaid rights.
She said that caregivers who quit their jobs often face financial problems in the long term. “Carers who lose their jobs are at a higher risk of poverty or long-term financial difficulties. We encourage this government to take advantage of the momentum created by the Carer’s Leave Act to go further and increase support for carers who are able to balance work and caring.
