Carers
Editor's message: Recognising and responding to the needs of employees with caring responsibilities can bring benefits for both employees and employers. By offering support and flexibility, you can help employees to stay healthy and engaged at work, reducing absence and employee turnover.
A new statutory right to carer's leave is expected to be brought into force in the future, although the exact timing for this is not yet known.
The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023. The Act itself does not bring the right to carer’s leave into force, but it gives the Government power to introduce regulations to do so. When the regulations are in force, carers will be entitled to at least one week of unpaid leave per year, to provide care or to arrange care.
When we have more certainty over the legislation, we will publish a new carer's leave policy explaining the rights of employees to carer's leave and a suite of template letters to help support employers with developments in this area.
Susie Munro, senior legal editor, employment law and compliance
New and updated
About this topic
HR and legal information and guidance relating to carers.
