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'Vital step forward' | Carer's Leave Act prompts more employers to introduce paid carer's leave for the first time
New research shows that many employers have gone above and beyond the statutory regulations to introduce...
Ariam Enraght-Moony
Chief People Officer, TSB
Concerted efforts at TSB to support working carers, such as two weeks of paid leave, are improving disclosure rates and tackling burnout...
Ariam Enraght-Moony
Chief People Officer, TSB
Concerted efforts at TSB to support working carers, such as two weeks of paid leave, are improving disclosure rates and tackling burnout...
An estimated 7 million people in the UK have an unpaid caring responsibility.
With many lacking the resources and support they need to juggle duties as a carer and as an employee, businesses have a crucial role to play in supporting their staff by providing personalised support, and where possible, paid leave that stretches beyond statutory requirements.
One such employer offering industry-leading caregiving support is British bank TSB. Ariam Enraght-Moony, Chief People Officer, says that carers deserve “every support possible to fulfill both their caring responsibilities and to maintain, and advance their careers.”
Enraght-Moony speaks to HR Grapevine about the company’s wide-ranging investment in supporting working carers including the provision of up to two weeks of paid leave; listening forums that offer a direct line between employees and executives; and the recent introduction of a one-stop-shop adult care support service that allows employees to “dip in and out” of the support they need.
What are some of the biggest challenges facing working carers?
First and foremost, there's a financial strain. Lots of people are undertaking unpaid carer’s leave, so there's a struggle to make ends meet, particularly with the rising cost of living. We've taken steps to minimise that and offer 70 hours of paid carers leave to our colleagues.
But categorically, the financial strain is not easy for someone who needs to navigate the complex social care system in the UK—it's not free and there are not very many statutory care services available to support carers.
The mental health and wellbeing of the carer are also always at risk when they take on the responsibility of trying to navigate the complex social care system or balancing work and care. Other family commitments and the social isolation of being a carer compound the personal impact this responsibility can bring on someone. So, it’s not an insignificant challenge, to say the least.
How have you worked together with TSB’s workforce to determine what support needs to be given?
We've got our long-standing listening forums for taking in feedback from our colleagues, and a colleague representation group from each part of the business. Individuals are identified, apply, and participate in the group we call ‘The Link.’ It's a listening forum where they have a dialogue with our executive committee as well as our board, but also advise our HR team on issues that are most salient for our colleagues.
At TSB, passports help carers to share their circumstances without any fear of judgement, agreeing and showing the reasonable adjustments the colleague has for their caring responsibilities
There’s also a colleague engagement survey that takes place twice a year and we've also built a carer’s network as well.
From a carer's perspective, the one thing that really came through from recent insights in addition to paid carer’s leave is the idea of flexibility, and how important it is to carers in terms of being able to adapt their schedule or their availability for work to meet their caring needs at urgent points.
We learned to make sure colleagues to have that open dialogue with their manager, to allow them to take that flexibility, and to recognise their right to do that.
What are some of the most impactful steps you’ve taken to support working carers in the last five years?
We started our relationship with Carer’s UK in 2020 and took the opportunity to learn and understand more about the needs of working carers. That same year we introduced a carer’s policy and introduced our 70 hours of paid carers leave.
In 2022 we put carers into our DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] disclosure data, so now we can understand the quantify the proportion of our colleagues who have caring responsibilities. Of those who responded, nearly one in 10 (8%) disclosed their caring responsibilities.
Most recently, in 2025, we launched a relationship with KareHero, making an adult care concierge service available as a benefit to all colleagues across TSB, whether or not they have disclosed their caring responsibilities.
So, if for any moment in time have caring responsibilities for an adult in your life, you know you have access to all manners of support including funding, support in putting in place a power of attorney, or guidance with navigating the adult care system and finding resources to support your loved one.
What are ‘carer’s passports’ and how do they work at TSB?
At TSB, passports help carers to share their circumstances without any fear of judgement, agreeing and showing the reasonable adjustments the colleague has for their caring responsibilities, and making sure carers have a dialogue with their line managers.
A passport includes who the relevant contacts are during an emergency, where the person they care for lives, and the availability they need to look after the person. It follows the colleague in whatever role change they may undertake in their time at TSB so they don't have to renegotiate those terms if they move to different parts of the business.
We also put a lot into our managers’ learning to make sure they're aware of the challenges caring responsibilities may present to a colleague. And we launched our carers network in 2020 as well, building a community of people who can share their lessons learned and experiences.
