Carers Scotland says the Carer’s Leave Act will bring vital support to the almost quarter of a million carers across Scotland to take up to a week’s leave a year.

Workers with unpaid caring responsibilities are now entitled to take up to five days unpaid leave with the new act which came into force on Saturday.

Carers Scotland says this milestone enshrining the right to a week’s unpaid leave marks a vital step forward in employment rights, highlighting the importance of support for those juggling caring responsibilities.

A recent report from the charity revealed that Scotland’s unpaid carers are being left behind in employment, with 32% of those of working age sharing they had to give up work completely.

Sue McLintock, who manages the Carer Positive Employer Awards for Carers Scotland, said:

“This is such an important development in employment rights and recognition for carers.

“The Carer’s Leave Act brings vitally needed employment support to nearly a quarter of a million carers across Scotland and will help many people who may currently be struggling to remain in employment because of the challenges they face with caring responsibilities outside of work.

“Having this statutory entitlement to take time off will remove much of the stress many carers experience in their workplace, providing them with confidence, security, and practical support.

“The flexibility in how this is taken is important too – it might be a day or two following a hospital discharge, half a day to take someone to a clinical appointment, or a full week if required.”

Ms McLintock adds that this entitlement could make a difference to how supported Scotland’s carers feel to continue working:

“The new right could be the difference in enabling a carer to stay in employment, which is not only crucial for carers and their families, but also for employers who might otherwise lose skilled and valuable members of staff.

“In short, the Carers Leave Act will benefit a great many carers, support staff retention across organisations, and benefit the wider economy.”

Unseen and undervalued

The legislation was first introduced in the House of Commons by Wendy Chamberlain MP in 2022, who said she’s excited to see the time has “finally arrived” for the legislation to be enforced.

Ms Chamberlain added that unpaid carers continue to be undervalued:

“This is vital progress in improving carers’ employment rights and will help to offer some more flexibility to balance work and caring.  

“Becoming a carer is something that can happen to any one of us. It can take many forms: from day-to-day physical caring, making medical appointments or doing the shopping for a housebound elderly neighbour. Caring or being cared for is something that almost everyone will experience at some point in their life.  

“The work unpaid carers do is so vital yet is it extremely underappreciated.”

She explained that the need to better recognise the hard work of caring is a key reason she led the Carer’s Leave Act through parliament.

Ms Chamberlain added that the change “would not have been possible” without incredible organisations and charities who supported the development of and advocated for the legislation.

Chris O’Shea, Group Chief Executive at Centrica – owner of British Gas – added that the “amazing work” of carers is mostly unseen.

While carers face ‘devastating’ financial hardship, cutting back on both food and heating amidst the cost-of-living crisis, Mr O’Shea says paid carer’s leave alongside flexible working makes a difference for staff and employers:

“Juggling a job and caring can be a real struggle, emotionally and financially, which is why we’ve worked with Carers UK for the last twenty years to help demonstrate the economic case for supporting carers in the workplace.

“At Centrica, we provide paid carer’s leave, flexible working and a support network for our working carers. Not only is it the right thing to do, there is a clear business case for supporting carers, including better colleague satisfaction and retention.”

He adds that this new legislation will make a big difference for carers across Scotland and the UK.

Carolynne Hunter, a mother and carer for her daughter Freya who lives with severe complex health needs, previously shared her fuel poverty concerns.

She told BBC Radio Scotland this weekend that the legislation is “quite promising”, adding:

“I work three days a week and it means I’m not going to have to use my annual leave in order to be with Freya to get tests she needs done.

“And I need my annual leave to be able to rest from work. Even when I’m off work and on annual leave, I’m still looking after Freya, I always am, even when I’m working.

“I work from home but I’m always on call. I always need to be there so carer’s leave is really important to me, I know it’s only a week but it helps.

“Until Freya was five, I worked as a software engineer and then I had to give up work to look after her and I wasn’t supported to continue to work – and that had a massive detriment to my mental health and wellbeing.”

Employers in Scotland can get advice on this new legislation, and other ways they can support staff who are carers here or by contacting the Carer Positive team info@carerscotland.org.

Read more: Carers at a health and poverty tipping point; Employment support needed for Scotland’s carers; Insight: The health benefits of being able to work; Carers facing full force of health and care crisis; 20 years of Voluntary Health Scotland

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