The Carer’s Leave Act: one year on

What impact has the Act had and what more can employers do to support working carers?

The Carer’s Leave Act came into force in April 2024, introducing new rights for carers in the workplace.

At a Carers Scotland event one year on, the industry came together to look at what the legislation has meant for employers and what more can be done to support working caregivers.

What did the Act introduce?

The Act gives workplace carers the right to take up to a week of unpaid leave a year to provide or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need.

Employees are entitled to carer’s leave from their first day of employment, and employment rights (such as holidays and returning to their job) are protected.

A dependant is a spouse, civil partner, parent, child or anyone living in the same household as the employee – excluding a lodger, tenant or employee.

A person needing ‘long-term care’ can be defined as someone who requires care for their old age, someone with a disability (as defined in the Equality Act 2010), or someone who has a physical or mental illness or injury that requires, or is likely to require, care for more than three months.

A right to paid carer’s leave

According to Carers UK, feedback from employers has been generally positive:

88% of responding organisations said that they had not experienced any challenges with the implementation of the Act
33% thought the Act had increased the understanding and awareness of unpaid carers in the workplace
Data is being used to inform wider DEI strategies, focusing on inclusivity and employee lifecycles.

But while the Carer’s Leave Act was a big step forward in recognising the challenges of carers, potentially benefiting the 7.42 million employees juggling work and care, there is much more that can be done to ensure that caregivers in the workplace receive the support they need.

Carers UK’s State of Caring 2024 report found that 56% of working caregivers cannot afford to take unpaid carer’s leave, so continue to face exactly the same challenges as before.

This is particularly true for those on low pay, and women, who provide the bulk of unpaid care.

That’s why Carers UK has launched a campaign calling for the government to build on the Act and introduce a new statutory right to paid carer’s leave for all employees who have unpaid caring responsibilities.

Good for your people, good for your business

Employers who already offer paid carer’s leave say it brings significant economic and cultural benefits to their organisations, as well as to their employees.

As the workforce continues to age, including caregivers in DEI initiatives will become ever-more important, not only to simplify their lives, but also to aid retention, boost performance, and create a more inclusive workplace culture.

It’s crucial for employers to encourage carers to use their leave.

It’s also important to continue having conversations with your people about how best to support them.

Does flexible working actually negate carer’s leave? Especially if someone just needs to start or finish early/late to accompany a family member to an appointment.

These are all questions that need to be addressed as part of an ongoing conversation with caregivers – because, ultimately, looking after your people boosts your bottom line.

"Supporting carers in the workplace is good for business,” said Stephanie Leung, founder and CEO of KareHero.

“It creates better inclusion from a DEI perspective and it helps unlock productivity if you can support people with what they need.”