Unpaid carers urgently need more support to balance paid work with caring

Carers Scotland launches their State of Caring in Scotland 2024 research report.

Carers Scotland recently launched new research, State of Caring in Scotland 2024: Paid work and access to employment for unpaid carers’, on the impact of caring on employment and access to employability support. 

There are an estimated 270,000 people in Scotland who currently juggle paid employment with caring for someone who is disabled, has an illness or long-term condition or who needs extra help as they get older. One in four (40%) of carers in full-time employment provide care for a family member or friend for over 35 hours a week.

However, 34% of working age carers stated that they had been forced to leave their jobs at some point in their career due to the pressures of combining work with their caring role. In addition, four in 10 (42%) carers currently in paid work have reduced hours and 21% of carers have had to take on a lower paid or more junior role to fit around their caring responsibilities.

Being able to be in paid work alongside a caring role can provide important financial security for unpaid carers, not only to help with the day-to-day costs of living and the additional costs they face in their caring role but also to support their health and wellbeing and give the ability to save for their future. We know that not being in employment means a significant loss of income for carers, and the biggest driver in why 28% of carers live in poverty in Scotland. The research found that more than two thirds (69%) of carers who had reduced hours or given up work because of caring had skipped meals and 67% told us that they were worried about living costs and managing in future.  A third (34%) of working age carers have not been able to save as much, or indeed anything, for their retirement

In addition, more than three in five (64%) carers in employment said that support services were not there when they needed them and nearly one in 10 (9%) carers said they have been treated unfavourably in employment. In recent years the introduction of the Carer’s Leave Act and the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act, have been encouraging steps towards better workplace support for unpaid carers. However, 53% of carers were not able to afford to take Carers Leave because it is unpaid.

Carers need more support than is currently available to remain in and to return to employment, with more action needed by both governments, employers and local authorities to build the foundations of social care, financial support, flexibility and employability advice that will help both carers and our economy to thrive. Carers Scotland have included a range of recommendations alongside this research on the ways in which governments, the public sector, and employers on how they can better support unpaid carers to access and stay in work.

Read the full report here.

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