Report

Creating a Britain that works and cares

This report from UK think tank the Centre for Social Justice proposes several key policies to facilitate carers’ participation in the labour market.

In 2021-22 alone, nearly 400,000 carers had to leave their jobs to care for older or disabled family members. Despite this, there’s a strong desire among carers to engage in paid employment, with a majority indicating they would work if adequate support were provided. Supporting family carers in their employment could potentially save the UK economy £6 billion annually.

Despite over half of local authority budgets being allocated to adult social care, the system’s limitations are stark, with only a fraction of those requesting support receiving it, often to their dissatisfaction. The lack of a national carer register exacerbates the issue, leaving many without access to necessary benefits and support. The CSJ and Opinium’s survey of 1,530 working-age carers revealed that 41% are contemplating exiting the workforce or reducing work hours due to caregiving demands, signalling a significant economic and personal toll.

The disruption to employment for carers results in broader economic costs, including decreased productivity, higher absenteeism, and diminished employee engagement, costing the UK economy approximately £3.5 billion annually. Nonetheless, the survey indicates that with appropriate support, a significant portion of carers would either return to work or increase their working hours.

The report proposes several key policies to facilitate carers’ participation in the labour market, including: Delivering 10 hours of free home care to those they are looking after Providing £2000 for home adaptations Raising the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold Mandating five days of paid leave for carers in the workplace.