Tag: Carers UK

Carers Week: Unpaid carers in employment need further support to improve their health and wellbeing

  • 44% of carers in employment have had a mental or physical health condition develop or become worse since taking on caring responsibilities
  • 33% of current and former carers in employment say they have postponed or cancelled their own appointments, tests, scans, treatments or therapies
  • Findings mark the start of Carers Week which takes place from 9-15 June. The theme of this year’s Carers Week is ‘Caring About Equality’. 

Many of the UK’s unpaid carers who juggle employment responsibilities alongside looking after disabled, older or ill relatives need further support to stay in paid work and progress in their career.

New polling of over 2,000 members of the public for Carers Week 2025 found that working carers often struggle to prioritise their own health needs, and a quarter (25%) had reduced their working hours to care.

Forty-four per cent of carers in employment said they had a mental or physical health condition develop or become worse since they started caring – a higher proportion of carers in comparison to those not working (44% compared to 37%).

Carers and former carers in employment were also more likely to say they had postponed or cancelled their own appointments, tests, scans, treatments or therapies due to the demands of their caring role (33% compared to 27%).

Those cancelling appointments said they couldn’t find appointments at a time they could attend and were unable to take time off from paid employment for these. 40% of working carers said they needed more flexibility at work. Previous research by Carers UK has found that 600 people a day have given up work to care[1].

Carers UK and charity supporters Age UK, Carers Trust, MND Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, The ME Association and The Lewy Body Society are seeking to increase visibility and raise awareness of the inequalities carers face during Carers Week, which is a UK-wide awareness campaign.

TSB Bank is the headline sponsor for Carers Week 2025, which is also kindly supported by Regina UK and Centrica.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “Carers need more support to ensure they can remain in work with the same career opportunities. The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 gives employees the right to five days of unpaid leave, but this is just the start.

“An understanding line manager, flexible working and paid Carer’s Leave can all make a difference – helping employees to look after their own health and wellbeing, as well as the person they care for.

“When businesses invest fully in carer-friendly workplaces this brings benefits for employees and employers alike, resulting in the retention of valued staff and taking us one step closer to equality for carers in the workplace.”

Ariam Enraght-Moony, Chief People Officer, TSB said: “As the number of carers increases, so must our commitment to support them. At TSB, we’re proud to do just that, offering 70 hours of paid carer’s leave each year – plus wider support including access to a care management service to help navigate each step of the care journey.

“Our support isn’t just about attracting talent; it’s about retaining skilled colleagues and making sure no one has to sacrifice their career to care.

“I urge businesses to consider what more they can do to support colleagues who are carers too.”

You can read the full report here. 

28% unpaid carers across Scotland are living in poverty

ONE IN TWELVE IN DEEP POVERTY

28% unpaid carers across Scotland live in poverty, with 1 in 12 in deep poverty 

  • The rate of poverty amongst unpaid carers is 56% higher than those who do not provide unpaid care in Scotland.  
  • 8% of unpaid carers in Scotland live in deep poverty; 50% below the poverty line. 
  • As many as 100,000 unpaid carers in Scotland are living in poverty. 
  • Carers Scotland is calling for an increase in the value of Carer Support Payment and in its earnings-limit along with an increase in support for unpaid carers on means-tested benefits.

 

New research finds that unpaid carers in Scotland are significantly more likely to experience financial hardship compared to those who do not provide unpaid care. The report by WPI Economics for Carers UK, funded by arbdn Financial Fairness Trust, explores the drivers and extent of poverty amongst unpaid carers in Scotland, finding that 28% are living in poverty, with 8% classed as being in “deep poverty”. 

One of the main drivers of poverty highlighted in the report is the difficulty unpaid carers have combining paid work with their caring role. Many unpaid carers have to give up their careers or reduce their working hours as a result of their unpaid caring responsibilities, which can result in a loss of income and their ability to accumulate savings and pensions.  

Other drivers of carer poverty include high housing costs, lack of support and access to social care services and the inadequacy of social security.  

Fiona Collie, Head of Public Affairs and Communications for Carers Scotland, said: “It’s deeply disturbing and shocking to hear that as many as 100,000 unpaid carers in Scotland are living in poverty.

“Every day across the country, the care they provide helps to hold society together, and too many are finding themselves in precarious financial positions as a result. Relatively small increases to support can have a big impact on carers’ lives and lift many thousands out of poverty. 

“Many carers face huge challenges juggling paid work and unpaid care. We need better support for carers in paid work, and to see visible change for those facing high costs linked to caring by the planned National Care Service meeting the needs of unpaid carers and supports them to continue with paid work, where they are able to combine this with their caring role.  

“Carers who are struggling financially, caring for more hours, and caring over a longer period of time are under immense pressure. They urgently need proper support, new rights and legal protections to ensure that they are not penalised as a result of their caring role.” 

Vivienne Jackson, Programme Manager at abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, said: “The care system would collapse without the vital people who provide unpaid care.

“It’s not right that those who provide essential services to some of the most vulnerable people in our society are living in poverty. Government and employers need to work together to help lift carers out of poverty.” 

Carers Scotland is now calling on the both the UK and Scottish Governments to act on the detailed recommendations laid out in the report, including committing to reviewing Carer Support Payment to increase its low value, reducing complexity and to increasing carer top-ups for those on means tested benefits such as Universal Credit. 

The Scottish Government must also continue to develop and deliver its commitment to pilot a minimum income guarantee for unpaid carers in Scotland 

The charity also wants to see better support for carers who might be able to combine paid work with unpaid care, including increasing the earnings threshold in Carer Support Payment to 21 hours at the National Living Wage.   

Centrica encourages Government action on paid carers leave

  • Over five million people juggle caring responsibilities with work and 2.6 million are forced to stop working altogether
  • Centrica has changed its carers leave policy to help growing numbers of working carers
  • Centrica and Carers UK have written to the UK’s largest employers to encourage more support for carers

Centrica plc is working with Carers UK in a bid to help one million carers stay in or return to work by 2020. Continue reading Centrica encourages Government action on paid carers leave