In a previous article, we highlighted new research from the CIPD which had found that nearly half of working carers are struggling to balance their careers with their caring responsibilities, and that 24% of them had actively considered giving up their jobs. Today is the final day of Carers Week 2021, which runs from the 7th - 13th June 2021, and which is an annual campaign run by Carers UK to raise awareness of the challenges faced by unpaid carers, including the problem of balancing their working lives with their caring responsibilities. As part of Carers Week 2021, Carers UK has published some new research.
Carers Week 2021: New Research
In its new report commissioned for Carers Week 2021, Carers UK found that carers have lost 25 hours of support per month on average, as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, "72% of carers have not had any breaks from their caring role at all. Of those who got a break, a third (33%) used the time to complete practical tasks or housework, and a quarter (26%) to attend their own medical appointments. Three quarters (74%) reported being exhausted as a result of caring during the pandemic, and more than a third (35%) said they feel unable to manage their unpaid caring role."
The new research produced for Carers Week 2021 also looked at the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on working carers. The report found that: "The majority of working carers (55%) said they feel overwhelmed by their caring role, and three quarters (75%) said they feel exhausted as a result of their caring role. Carers highlighted that it has felt non-stop during the pandemic, with no breaks or space from either work or caring."
Paid Leave For Carers
As part of its wider remit, Carers UK looks to promote greater flexibility at work and paid leave for carers. Through its campaigning, the Government announced in the Queens Speech in December 2019 that it would be enacting legislation to introduce a statutory right to 1 weeks leave each year for working carers. Following this announcement, the Government launched a consultation on the proposal, which closed on the 3rd August 2020. Nevertheless, the Government has so far resisted moves to make the said leave, paid leave, and that campaign continues. In the meantime, the Government's formal response to the consultation is awaited.
Greater Support For Carers Required
The fact that carers have on avarege lost 25 hours of support per month is especially disturbing, given the implications that has in terms of carers balancing their working lives with their caring responsibilities. The greater the amount of support that is lost, the greater the likelihood of people having to give up work is. Moreover, new research by Hargreaves Lansdown found that having to give up work at the age of 50 to become a full time carer, can cost that individual almost £500,000.00 in lost earnings on average. There are obviously also tax take implications for the Government arising out of this. Hence, one would have thought that the Government would be doing more to prevent the hemorrhaging of support available for carers.
Furthermore, as the CIPD’s senior resourcing and inclusion adviser, Claire McCartney, pointed out in the CIPD's aforementioned report, "When working carers feel well supported by their employers, they are more likely to experience better wellbeing and are less likely to consider reducing their hours or quitting their job. Employers can address these issues by making sure they have a clear carer policy or guidance, by supporting flexible working and providing paid carers’ leave. Line managers need to feel supported to help empower carers to manage their work and caring commitments with simple and practical adjustments. This will not only benefit carers, but also their employers who may otherwise struggle to retain staff or see a drop in productivity."
