More than a quarter (27%) of organisations with paid carer’s leave introduced this after the Carer’s Leave Act came into effect, which became law on 6 April 2024, according to research by Carers UK and Employers for Carers.
Its survey of 164 employers across England, Scotland and Wales also found that 44% offer between one and 10 days of paid carer’s leave, which is more than the legal right to five days of unpaid leave to provide or arrange care for a disabled, older or ill relative or friend.
Half (51%) now have a dedicated carer’s leave policy in place, compared to 23% before the Act’s introduction, while 51% are monitoring how many employees are carers and 65% are capturing data on how much leave is being used.
Whilst 88% have not experienced challenges with the implementation of the Act, the fact the five days statutory leave is unpaid means some feel this can be difficult to access for some employees.
Just under a quarter (23%) have seen an increase in staff joining workplace carer networks since the Act came into effect. Despite this, 76% have not specifically raised awareness or provided training to managers about it, and 67% are not monitoring its benefits.
Helen Walker, chief executive at Carers UK, said: “Juggling work with caring responsibilities isn’t easy and without the right support, this can take its toll. The implementation of the Carer’s Leave Act was a vital step forward for millions of working carers, empowering them to ask for support in the workplace. It’s positive to see that the Act has inspired employers to make tangible changes for carers. A growing number have gone above and beyond, enhancing their leave to paid leave.”