Unpaid Carers Across Scotland Granted New Employment Rights As Groundbreaking Carer's Leave Act Now In Force

9th April 2024

Workers with unpaid caring responsibilities in Scotland will be entitled to take up to five days unpaid leave when the new Carer's Leave Act came into force on Saturday 6th April 2024.

Carers who are also in paid employment can find it difficult to balance their job with caring responsibilities at home. Unfortunately, many carers will cut their hours or leave employment due to the pressures, which can impact their wellbeing and quality of life.

The new rights are particularly important as previous research from Carers UK shows around 600 people a day give up work to care. Caring can affect workers of any age however the peak age for caring is between 46 - 65 and therefore will often include employees who have built up valuable knowledge and experience over their working career. Support from within the workplace can help retain these members of staff and attract new talent.

For the first time, employees who are carers will be able to take up to 5 days unpaid leave to better balance work with caring responsibilities. Employees can take time off in full or half days, or in a whole block of five days. Those taking time off will have the same employment protection associated with other forms of family-related leave, such as protection from dismissal as a result of having taken the leave.

Carers UK and Carers Scotland who led the campaign for those juggling paid employment and unpaid care, has seen support for the new legislation from employers, unpaid carers, other stakeholders, unions, representative bodies and unpaid carers.

Sue McLintock, who manages the Carer Positive Employer Awards for Carers Scotland said, "This is such an important development in employment rights and recognition for carers. The Carer's Leave Act brings bringing vitally needed employment support for nearly a quarter of a million carers across Scotland and will help many people who may currently be struggling to remain in employment because of the challenges they face with caring responsibilities outside of work.

"Having this statutory entitlement to take time off will remove much of the stress many carers experience in their workplace, providing them with confidence, security and practical support. The flexibility in how this is taken is important too - it might be a day or two following a hospital discharge, half a day to take someone to a clinical appointment, or a full week if required.

"The new right could be the difference in enabling a carer to stay in employment, which is not only crucial for carers and their families, but also for employers who might otherwise lose skilled and valuable members of staff. In short, the Carers Leave Act will benefit a great many carers, support staff retention across organisations, and benefit the wider economy".

Chris O'Shea, Group Chief Executive at Centrica, owner of British Gas, said, "Carers do amazing work, most of it unseen. Juggling a job and caring can be a real struggle, emotionally and financially, which is why we've worked with Carers UK for the last twenty years to help demonstrate the economic case for supporting carers in the workplace.

"At Centrica, we provide paid carer’s leave, flexible working and a support network for our working carers. Not only is it the right thing to do, there is a clear business case for supporting carers, including better colleague satisfaction and retention. The introduction of five days statutory carer’s leave through the Carer’s Leave Act is a great step forward and will make an enormous difference to all working carers in the UK'."

Wendy Chamberlain MP, who introduced the Carer’s Leave Bill in the House of Commons, said, "It has been a long process since I first presented my Private Member’s Bill in 2022 but I am so excited that 6th April has finally arrived which means that the Carer’s Act will come into force. This is vital progress in improving carers’ employment rights and will help to offer some more flexibility to balance work and caring.

“Becoming a carer is something that can happen to any one of us. It can take many forms: from day-to-day physical caring, making medical appointments or doing the shopping for a housebound elderly neighbour. Caring or being cared for is something that almost everyone will experience at some point in their life.

“The work unpaid carers do is so vital yet is it extremely underappreciated. This hard work should be better recognised which is a key reason why I led the Carer’s Leave Act through Parliament. The Act gives carers up to 5 days of unpaid leave a year.

“I’ve met with some incredible organisations over the last two years, and I would like to deeply thank Carers UK with whom I worked closely with throughout the process of getting this bill passed. It would not have been possible without their support."

Employers in Scotland can get advice on this new legislation, and other ways they can support members of staff who are carers, by visiting www.carerpositive.org or by contacting the Carer Positive team (info@carerscotland.org) .

In addition, Carers UK has created new information and advice resources which can be accessed at https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/work-and-career/the-carers-leave-act-2024/