Working Rights for Unpaid and Informal Carers
Balancing work with a caring role can be very difficult. Being a carer is like having a whole other job - on top of an employee’s regular job and on top of their other family commitments, hobbies or interests. Working carers are often ‘sandwich carers’ – those caring for children and for elderly parents.
There is often a sense of isolation felt by an employee with a caring role as they struggle to ‘keep up’ with colleagues who do not have caring responsibilities and might lack understanding of what challenges a caring role brings with it. Caring can be unpredictable and hard to fit around a paid job. Many carers have to consider reducing their hours, or even giving up work in order to be there for the person they are providing care to.
In some circumstances, carer might have to find alternative employment that afford them more flexibility. The impact on the carer can be felt in several areas of their life. Financially their situation might change for the worse, even when the carer is happy to leave their paid position behind to look after someone. The emotional impact of leaving a job that you enjoy and that supports your own wellbeing can be difficult.
If you are a carer and want to remain in work there are steps that you can take to help you to manage.
Informal carers have statutory rights, which are laid out in law and apply to everyone, and contractual rights, which form part of the individual’s contract of employment.
