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Dads are marching outside Parliament this week for better paternity pay but at the same time carers aren’t given any pay at all. HR Grapevine reports on the fairness exposed in the pay gap – carers, zero v parents, statutory levels. Is anyone celebrating?
Carers Week 2025 comes to a close on Father’s Day, 15 June - the theme this year is ‘Caring About Equality’ with the aim to highlight the challenges faced by unpaid carers. The new Carers Leave Act came into effect on 6 April 2024, it now offers employees the statutory right to take up to five working days of unpaid leave per year to carry out responsibilities but many say it’s a nonsense because it offers no choice for those that can’t afford to lose a week’s wages.
So while The Dad Shift organised fathers to picket outside the offices of the Department of Business and Trade in London and The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, drawing attention to what Alex Lloyd Hunter – Co-Founder of campaign group The Dad Shift sees as woeful paternity leave, for many the situation is starker for carers.
Unpaid leave for carers is like a slap in the face
For many employees occupying the ‘middle, no-mans land’ between caring for children and elderly relatives, the stresses and challenges are excruciating. Often it comes at a time when money through the door has never been more crucial with young dependants and so taking leave while welcome is like a slap in the face if it’s not then paid.
Carers UK’s research has also found that half of working carers were unable to take the leave because they could not afford to
Some employers are topping up but not enough.
A recent survey by Carers UK and Employers for Carers of 164 employers across England, Scotland and Wales found that 44% offer between one and 10 days paid carer’s leave that leaves 56%. A total of 51% now have a dedicated carer’s leave policy in place, compared to 23% before the introduction of the Carer’s Leave Act, showing the impact of the legislation and workplace trend which is something to celebrate but again is it enough?
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said, “The Carer’s Leave Act 2023 gave 2.3 million working carers the right to five days of unpaid leave and we have been encouraged by its positive reception. However, Carers UK’s research has also found that half of working carers were unable to take the leave because they could not afford to. We are really pleased to see a growing number of employers recognising the business and employee benefits of supporting carers to go beyond the Act to offer paid Carer’s Leave.”
