Do you know your rights as a carer?
We all need care. We will all be a carer at some stage in our life. We need to value care more.
If you believe you are a Carer, then you do have protection in the workplace. Click below to learn more about your rights.
To find out more about how you can support our campaign, please contact Carolyn Magson, Caring Alliance Manager, caringalliance@bristolwomensvoice.org.uk.
ARE YOU A CARER?
Caring relationships can be formal or informal. Most of us care for someone else, our children, parents, siblings or other family members, friends or neighbours and are often caring for loved ones with illness or a disability. Caring is built on trust, support and compassion.
Yes
Yes
Do you know you have rights as a carer?
The Caring Campaign Alliance would love to hear more about what adjustments, and support would make your life as a working carer more manageable.
Know your Rights
- As a carer you are entitled to 5 days unpaid leave per year (Carer’s Leave Act 2023).
- The carers leave entitlement is 5 days in a rolling 12-month period and does not need to be taken consecutively.
- You are entitled to flexible working (section 19, Equality Act).
- You are protected by the Equality Act (section 13 and 6) if you care for a disabled person and are treated unfavourably because of this association or (section 15), if the employee is disabled themselves and a refusal of care leave exacerbates this disability.
- Employers must ensure, as far as reasonably practical the health, safety and welfare of employees at work. ‘Welfare’ includes mental health, which could include carers increased stress, exhaustion or burnout.
Did you Know? The Cost of Caring for Women
Every year, women in the UK are providing 23.2 billion hours of unpaid care worth an estimated £382 billion.
Across our city, women have told us, loud and clear, that economic inequality is their number one concern.
Every day, around 600 people give up work to care for a loved one, with women disproportionately affected. Research shows many female carers reduce their hours, turn down promotions, move into lower-paid roles, or leave employment altogether in order to juggle caring responsibilities.
There are 1.25 million ‘sandwich carers’ in the UK. These are people caring for an older relative as well as bringing up children, 68% are women.
80% of carers say that 5-10 days of paid leave would help them juggle work and care.
Career Stagnation: Among working-age carers in the UK, women make up 3.5 million of the total. To balance work with caring, 35% of working carers have had to reduce their hours, and 21% have taken lower paid or more junior roles
But carers do have rights in the workplace and with the right support should not have to make these sacrifices.
Bristol Women’s Voice has listened and is working with employers in Bristol to support carers more. Supporting carers in work is not only cost effective but promotes broader gender inclusion and equity.
For further information on employment rights, see our Z Card, created in collaboration with Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).
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