As Carers Week shines a spotlight on the millions of people balancing employment with caring responsibilities, the Government has launched a consultation that could reshape workplace support for unpaid carers and parents of seriously ill children.
The consultation, announced by Minister for Employment Rights Kate Dearden, explores a range of proposals designed to help people remain in work while managing significant caring responsibilities. Among the measures under consideration are paid carer’s leave, enhanced job protection and new rights for parents facing the devastating reality of a child’s serious illness.
The timing is particularly significant. With an estimated three million unpaid carers currently combining paid work with caring duties, campaigners have long argued that employment rights have failed to keep pace with the realities of modern working lives.
Why supporting working carers matters for employers
The case for action extends far beyond individual wellbeing.
According to Government figures, many carers are forced to reduce their working hours, postpone returning to work or leave employment altogether because of caring responsibilities. The resulting economic impact is estimated to cost the UK economy £37 billion every year.
For employers, the consultation raises important questions about how workplaces can better support a significant but often overlooked segment of the workforce.
The proposals being explored could improve both workforce participation and employee retention by offering greater flexibility and financial security to those with caring responsibilities.
Potential reforms include:
- The introduction of paid carer’s leave for the first time
- A new “right to return” to work following periods of intensive caring
- Enhanced guidance to help employers and employees understand carers’ workplace rights
- Additional support for parents of seriously ill children
The consultation forms part of a broader effort to ensure workplace policies reflect the realities employees face both inside and outside work.
Hugh’s Law brings focus to parents of seriously ill children
Alongside proposals for unpaid carers, the Government is also seeking views on what has become known as Hugh’s Law.
Named after Hugh Menai-Davis, who died from cancer aged six in 2021, the campaign has been led by his family and the charity It’s Never You. The campaign calls for stronger workplace rights and financial support for parents dealing with the immediate and long-term impact of a child’s serious diagnosis.
For many families, the emotional trauma of a child’s illness is compounded by concerns about employment, income and financial security. Campaigners argue that no parent should have to choose between caring for a seriously ill child and protecting their livelihood.
The consultation will explore whether additional leave and support provisions could help alleviate some of these pressures.
Carers Week highlights growing need for workplace support
The launch of the consultation during Carers Week reinforces growing recognition of the vital role unpaid carers play across society.
Speaking at a Carers UK event in London, Kate Dearden highlighted the challenges faced by those caring for elderly parents, partners with long-term conditions and seriously ill children.
The consultation follows years of campaigning from organisations including Carers UK, which has consistently called for stronger employment rights that reflect the realities of caring.
Carers UK Chief Executive Helen Walker described the consultation as a significant milestone, noting that too many carers currently face an impossible choice between remaining in work and providing care for loved ones.
With nearly 2.8 million unpaid carers already balancing work and care, she argued that helping carers stay in employment is both a social and economic imperative.
What could paid carer’s leave mean for employee wellbeing?
For employers and HR leaders, the consultation reflects a wider shift in how organisations are thinking about employee support.
Increasingly, employers recognise that employee wellbeing cannot be separated from employees’ responsibilities outside work. Financial pressures, caring responsibilities and family health challenges all have a direct impact on mental health, productivity and workplace engagement.
Some employers have already introduced enhanced support. TSB, for example, offers colleagues up to 70 hours of paid carers’ leave each year to help balance work and caring commitments.
Nicola Bannister, Chief Executive Officer, TSB, said:
“We have seen first-hand the positive impact our paid carers’ leave policy has had, giving colleagues access to an additional 70 hours of paid leave each year to help balance their work and caring responsibilities.
The Government’s consultation is a welcome opportunity to strengthen support for the millions of working carers across the UK”.
As conversations around flexible working, family-friendly policies and inclusive workplaces continue to evolve, some employers and campaign groups argue that paid carer’s leave could become an important component of future employee support strategies.
How employers and carers can shape future workplace rights
The Government is encouraging carers, parents, employers and workplace wellbeing professionals to contribute their experiences and perspectives to the consultation.
For employers, the process offers an opportunity to help shape future legislation while considering how workplace support for carers can strengthen attraction, retention and employee wellbeing strategies.
For carers and parents, it represents a chance to ensure lived experience informs future policy development.
The consultation remains open until 1 September 2026, with responses expected to play a key role in determining whether paid carer’s leave and additional workplace protections become part of the UK’s employment rights framework.
As Carers Week continues to highlight the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers across the country, the consultation marks what many campaigners hope could be a significant step towards creating workplaces that better recognise and support the realities of caring.
You can find out how to take part in the consultation here.
You might also like:
