Topics

Carers

Susie Munro

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

  • Type:
    Leading practice guides

    Supporting carers (6): Information, advice and guidance

    Leading practice guidance detailing what information employers can signpost to help carers, particularly for those who are new to caring, as well as the support available for employers.

  • Type:
    Leading practice guides

    Supporting carers (4): The role of key stakeholders

    Leading practice guidance discussing the key stakeholders in making carer-friendly policies work, including the crucial role of line managers.

  • Type:
    Leading practice guides

    Supporting carers (5): Flexible working and leave arrangements

    Leading practice guidance exploring how flexible working and leave arrangements can help carers meet their work and, sometimes unpredictable, caring responsibilities.

  • Type:
    Leading practice guides

    Supporting carers (2): Identifying carers and their support needs

    Leading practice guidance discussing what action employers can take to encourage carers to identify themselves and the benefits of doing so.

  • Type:
    Leading practice guides

    Supporting carers (3): Policies and communicating support

    Leading practice guidance discussing the importance for employers of putting together a policy on carers to demonstrate their support for them, as well as the ways of raising awareness about the organisation's support for carers.

  • Type:
    Leading practice guides

    Supporting carers (1): The business case

    Enhanced by creating six separate guides on supporting carers in the workplace, to help you find the guidance you need. This initial guide focuses on how supporting carers to balance their work and caring commitments is likely to have a positive effect on your business' bottom line.

  • Type:
    Legal timetable

    Leave for carers

    Updated to reflect that the Act has received Royal Assent.

  • Date:
    3 February 2023
    Type:
    News

    Carer's Leave Bill passed by MPs

    The Carer's Leave Bill, which could see working carers get access to one week of unpaid carer's leave, has been passed by MPs.

  • Date:
    13 January 2023
    Type:
    Commentary and insights

    Employment law 2023: six key tasks for HR

    We look at what HR needs to do to meet its employment law obligations and prepare for the coming year.

  • Type:
    Editor's choice

    Coming soon to XpertHR

    Selected new and updated resources due to be published on XpertHR.

About this topic

HR and legal information and guidance relating to carers.