The Work and Pensions Committee has called on the government to introduce a day-one right for carers to request flexible working, following its investigation into employment support for carers.
The Committee found that more than three million carers juggle care with paid work, with one-third of working carers in full-time employment, compared with almost half of non-carers. Its research also found that one in six carers have given up work at some point to take on caring responsibilities, and almost three million had reduced their hours.
In its report, the Committee found that too many carers were concluding that caring and work could not be combined. However, more carers could be encouraged to enter, or stay in, work if flexible working and support for unexpected emergencies was provided.
Currently employees have to work for six months with a single employer before being allowed to request flexible working. The Committee argued that this policy is at odds with the government’s rhetoric on the benefits of flexible working to the economy. Although the government has accepted the case for statutory carer’s leave, to ensure such a provision is affordable for all carers, the Committee says it must be paid time off.
“They [carers] contribute hundreds of billions of pounds in unpaid work to our economy which is not counted on any Treasury balance sheet,” said Frank Field MP, Chair of the Work and Pension Committee. “Ensuring work pays and that employers adapt to accommodate caring is not just good for the carers: it is necessary for the whole economy. Government should lead on both practice and policy.”
The Committee also recommended introducing a statutory five days’ paid carer’s leave; acting as a model-employer itself – at present only six government departments are members of the Employers for Carers forum; and that the Carers Allowance should be withdrawn gradually as income rises. Currently the Allowance – £64.60 per week – is withdrawn in full as soon as carers earn more than £120 a week. The earnings threshold should also be linked to rises in the National Living Wage.
