Working and caring - Print version

Working carers

It is thought that 5 million people are juggling working and caring in the UK, that's 1 in 7 in every workplace. On average, 600 people a day leave work to care because of these pressures. And if unsupported, many working carers face feeling exhausted, stressed, and struggling to manage their own health alongside their caring role. Sadly we know that many carers reach a tipping point and sometimes find it difficult to balance caring and working, meaning that people give up work or reduce hours so that they can care.

Your rights at work

Find out what support your employer offers family carers. See what company policies are in place and what support might be available to you in your place of work. Speak to your line manager or Human Resources department.

Locally the Carers Trust have produced Balancing Work and Care - A Guide for Working Carers [https://www.carerstrusthofe.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Balancing-work-and-care-1.pdf] which provides information on:

• Rights at Work
• Flexibility in the workplace
• Carer Passports
• Employment law support.

Finding work

Looking for work whilst caring or having cared for a long duration can feel like a daunting task. There might be things that you need to arrange prior to returning to work such as getting care or telecare in place. You might not recognise it but being an unpaid carer gives you a whole range of knowledge, experience and skills that will help you in a work, volunteering or a learning environment. There are many transferrable skills that come with caring and your skills are likely to be extensive.

Telling Jobcentre Plus you are a carer

If you are actively seeking work and in contact with the Job Centre, it is a good idea to tell your job coach that you are a carer. If you decide to tell them, they will work with you to look at flexible ways in accessing the Job Centre and any training requirements. They might also have suggestions on what types of jobs would suit you and your caring role, or point you towards more flexible workplaces.

You can ask your work coach if your Jobcentre Plus has a Carers Lead. This person will be an expert on carers and might be able to give you more support than your usual work coach. Contact JobCentre Plus [https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus/how-to-contact].

Coventry Job Shop

The Coventry Job Shop [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/employment-support/job-shop-services-people-looking-work]is a good place to start when looking for job opportunities. They provide extensive support to help people find work that suits their living arrangements, they can also help you explore any barriers that may exist whether that be health or financial barriers to accessing work. The Job Shop is based at:

You can call them on  024 7678 5740 [tel:02476785740] or send them an email [mailto:jobshop@coventry.gov.uk].  

Opening times: Monday to Friday, 9.30am (Thursdays 10.30am) to 4.30pm.

Young Adult Carers (16-25)

Carers Trust Heart of England supports young adult carers aged 16-25.

They can support by providing:

• Social events and trips
• Education and training advice
• Employment advice
• Access to someone to talk about any problems or difficulties you may be experiencing.

For more information and for details of grant eligibility criteria, please contact:

Email: youngcarers@carerstrusthofe.org.uk [mailto:youngcarers@carerstrusthofe.org.uk]
Phone: 024 7663 2972

Working Carers Support [https://www.carerstrusthofe.org.uk/working-carers/] - Carers Trust Heart of England

The Carers Trust have a dedicated Working Carers Support worker, who can help you when exploring returning to work, the practicalities and what support you might need to return to work and how to talk to employers about your caring role.

Phone: 024 7663 2972 option 1

Getting advice

The Carers Trust Heart of England have a dedicated Working Carers Support Worker. They can support you by:

• Explaining your rights at work
• Help you talk and explain things to your employer
• Looking after yourself
• Accessing Support that may be needed to help you work.

They can be contacted on 024 7663 2972 Option 1.

If you have a difficulty at work arising from your caring role and need employment advice you could:

• Contact your Trade Union if you are a member
• Contact Coventry Law Centre [https://www.centralenglandlc.org.uk/Pages/Category/coventry-legal-teams] to get advice over the telephone or for specialist advocacy and representation. Their services are only available for people living in Coventry.

Support for employers

If you are an employer and want to develop your approach to carers or understand more about your responsibilities towards carers there is support for you. Supporting carers can have a huge amount of benefit to a workplace, reduce sickness, prevent staff turnover and promote the general wellbeing of staff.

Our top tips for supporting carers in the workplace:

• Survey your workforce, find out who is caring and what the impact is on them
• Use our free Carer Aware training [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/carers-support/%22carer-aware%22] to increase managers and employees awareness of caring - it's free and easy to access and can form part of training processes
• Use Carer passports to help understand employees needs and make reasonable adjustments
• Create a carers support network
• Hold a caring in the workplace event - Carers Week (June) / Carers Rights Day (November) is a good opportunity to do this and you can get free resources to do so
• Talk about caring in the workplace
• Make sure you have carer-related work policies and a really consistent approach to supporting carers.

Working Carers support

The Carers Trust Heart of England offers support to Employers who want to understand more about how they can develop their approach to carers. They can be contacted on 024 7663 2972. We have developed a toolkit with templates of surveys, policies and access to training, which we welcome all employers to use. Bespoke sessions can also be offered to support workplaces who want to improve their approach to supporting their caring workforce.

The Carer Friendly Employer Programme

Carers Trust Heart of England have developed a Carer Friendly Employer Programme [https://www.carerstrusthofe.org.uk/carer-friendly-employer-program/] which is an accreditation for employers to sign up and commit to building a positive and inclusive workplace for all staff who are, or who will become carers.

To find out more about the program please contact them on 02476 632972 or email. [mailto:Comms@carerstrusthofe.org.uk]

Thrive at Work - Workplace Wellbeing Award

You may also be interested in undertaking the Thrive at Work Workplace Wellbeing Award. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/134/thrive_at_work/3105/thrive_at_work_workplace_wellbeing_overview] This award helps employers develop their approach to all areas of wellbeing in the workplace including carers. Throughout the year we will be facilitating carer in the workplace events for employers.

Carer friendly employers

The 2011 census identified 5.8 million people providing unpaid care in England and Wales in 2011, approximately one 10th of the population - 3 million of which were in full or part-time employment. Already 90% of working carers are aged 30 plus, employees in their prime employment years. Balancing work and caring responsibilities can be difficult without the right support and 2.3 million people have given up work for caring, and nearly 3 million have reduced hours. This is not only costly for individuals but also for businesses and the economy.

Carer Friendly Employers is a scheme supporting employers in the West Midlands to support carers in their workforce.

The materials include two information booklets, one for employers and one for employees with caring responsibilities. There is also a pledge that employers can display in the workplace to promote their commitment to supporting their staff.

Employers can download the Carer Friendly Employers [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/download/4470/carer_friendly_employer] materials free of charge.

Materials produced by West Midlands Carers Lead Network - West Midlands Association of Directors of Social Services [http://www.wm-adass.org.uk].