Government papers: Employment support for carers
Key findings:
- More than three million carers (one in nine people in the workforce) juggle care with paid work.
- One third of working age carers are in full time employment, compared with almost half of non-carers.
- One in six carers have at some point given up work to take on caring responsibilities, and almost three million have reduced their working hours.
- The Committee says too many carers conclude that caring and work cannot be combined.
The report argues that more carers could be encouraged to enter, or stay in, the workforce if they could arrange flexible working or were better supported to take time off for expected appointments and unexpected emergencies.
