Help for working carers ‘could save firms billions’
‘I feel comfortable asking for time off’
BUSINESSES could save more than £8billion a year if they offered carers better working conditions, a study today reveals.
As much as £4.8billion would be saved in unplanned absences and £3.4billion in retaining employees, who are often forced out of their job as they struggle to balance work and caring for a loved one, says charity Carers UK.
Around 6.5 million Britons take on the responsibility of caring for elderly parents or disabled children.
Of these, three million are juggling their job with the treatment, tests and domestic chores needed by those they care for.
The demands become too much for one in five, who are forced to quit, with the expensive knock-on effect on industry and the wider economy.
Madeleine Starr, of Carers UK, said: “Workplace support for carers is becoming an increasingly important issue, with more focus on flexibility, productivity and, with an ageing population, the need to keep working for longer.
Strengthen
“We want Government to look at improving rights for carers at work.
“Not only does this make good business sense, it helps to strengthen families and communities, and improves health and wellbeing.”
Energy giant Centrica has cut its costs by £1.8million a year with a carers’ policy which provides paid leave and other support to help workers.
As many as 1,118 employees qualify for paid carers’ leave, the right to ask for flexible working and a workerled carers’s network.
Centrica also estimates cumulative savings of £1.3million by helping carers stay in work.
The parent company of British Gas and Hive is now urging the Government to give all carers the right to request flexible working from the day they start with a company, and a paid leave policy. The company has also joined forces with Carers UK in a three-year partnership to improve the lives of Britain’s carers.
Simi Dubb, director of diversity and inclusion at Centrica, said: “We’ve already seen the enormous benefit of adopting flexible policies for carers.
“It can make a huge difference to people if they feel supported at work and we can help minimise the stress that juggling both roles can cause.
“We want our employees to feel like they can manage to combine work with caring responsibilities wherever possible, which has helped us attract and retain a diverse and
CASE STUDY 1
SHARON Sherlock, 50, and her husband Ian, 55, from Cardiff, care for their daughter Alexis, eight, who suffers from developmental disabilities.
Mrs Sherlock works in the Welsh language customer services department at Centrica which has introduced a generous Carers’ Policy for staff with caring responsibilities.
This means Mrs Sherlock benefits from a 50/50 time policy which sees the company match any time used from her annual leave for hospital appointments or if Alexis is ill.
“I use this paid carers’ leave to help give me the added flexibility I need to look after Alexis and without the policy I would have struggled to do my job.
“A little while ago we were offered therapy worth thousands of pounds for Alexis free of charge but it meant taking Mondays off for quite a few weeks,” she said.
“But I was able to swap shifts and work flexibly to make up the hours.
“So far this year I have had to take my daughter to 30 hospital appointments and while I have used some of my holiday entitlement, the company has matched that time so I still have holiday left.
“What I also find important is the lack of stress and worry, I feel I am trusted. I feel comfortable asking for any time I need.”
skilled workforce.” It is anticipated that by 2037, the number of carers will increase to nine million.
They currently save the economy £132billion a year, an average of £19,336 per carer.
According to the charity, 58 per cent of carers are women and 42 per cent are men, while more than one million people are required to care for more than one person.