Many of us know someone who balances paid work with caring for a loved one, whether that is an elderly parent, a disabled child, a partner, a friend or a relative with long-term care needs. For those employees, the end of the working day may mark the start of another set of responsibilities: nursing, cooking, washing, lifting, travelling and providing vital emotional support, often with little rest.
For a significant number of employees, care is not an occasional task but an ongoing commitment that can feel like a second full-time role. It is frequently undertaken alongside emotional strain, financial pressure and fatigue. These carers are seeking to support someone they love while also meeting professional responsibilities and maintaining career development.
From April 2024, the Carer’s Leave Act 2023 introduced a statutory right in Great Britain for eligible employees to take up to one week of unpaid carer’s leave in any 12‑month period to provide or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need. National Carers Week, beginning on 8 June, is a timely moment for employers to acknowledge this framework and to recognise and support carers within their organisations in a considered and inclusive way.
What practical steps can employers take, during Carers Week and beyond?
Carer’s Leave Policy
A focused and accessible Carer’s Leave Policy is a practical foundation. Since April 2024, employees who meet the statutory criteria have a right to take up to one working week of unpaid carer’s leave in a 12‑month period to care for a dependant with a long-term care need. Awareness of this right may still be limited and some employees may feel hesitant about using it.
A policy refresh or launch can help by setting out, in clear and supportive terms, the statutory entitlement, how to request leave, examples of when leave may be appropriate, any enhanced contractual provisions your organisation offers, and information about other support such as flexible working, employee assistance programmes and wellbeing resources. The tone should be accessible and empathetic, not solely procedural.
Upskill managers
Line managers strongly influence whether employees feel able to discuss caring responsibilities. National Carers Week is an opportunity to remind managers about the statutory right to carer’s leave, flexible working rights, how caring responsibilities may affect attendance, performance and wellbeing, the importance of empathy and confidentiality, and the need to avoid assumptions about commitment or capability.
Managers may not always recognise when caring responsibilities are the underlying issue. Some employees may under‑report or mask the extent of their caring role because of concerns about stigma, career impact or being seen as less dedicated. Refresher training and practical guidance can equip managers to hold supportive conversations and to signpost appropriate routes for help.
It is also helpful for managers to consider that some absences recorded as sickness may be linked to caring demands. For example, a care arrangement may have broken down unexpectedly, a dependant may have had a medical emergency, the employee may be physically or emotionally exhausted, or prolonged disruption may have affected sleep and recovery. A compassionate, inquisitive approach can surface when an employee needs support as a working carer, while still addressing attendance issues appropriately and fairly.
Senior leadership support matters
Policies are necessary but not sufficient. Employees are more likely to seek support when they see genuine senior-level endorsement of carers’ rights and flexible arrangements. Visible leadership can include internal communications during National Carers Week, senior sponsors sharing messages of support, encouraging open conversations about caring responsibilities and reinforcing that employees will not be disadvantaged for exercising their rights.
Further information
For general guidance on supporting staff with caring responsibilities, employers may wish to consult publicly available resources, including UK Government guidance on carer’s leave rights, ACAS guidance on carer’s leave and flexible working, and Carers UK resources for working carers, alongside internal HR policies and legal advice from the Morgan LaRoche Employment Team.
