Carers Trust and Simplyhealth have launched a new project that is set to disclose the true challenges unpaid carers face applying for jobs and in the workplace.
There are an estimated seven million people in the UK who care for a family member or friend with an illness, disability, mental health condition or addiction. The project focuses on unpaid carers who have a health condition and their experiences of paid work.
A systematic review by the Department of Work and Pensions revealed that carers with health problems are more likely to exit employment. Those who provide intense levels of care are between two and three times more likely to also suffer from ill health.
However, there is less understanding about the landscape of carer-friendly workplaces in the UK. The Carers Trust and Simplyhealth research will examine carers’ experience of balancing their health needs with employment, alongside what dedicated support exists nationally in the workplace to support their health and wellbeing.
The research findings will be revealed later this year, and this will lead to a set of recommendations for employers that will help them better understand what support is needed.
Rohati Chapman, Carers Trust’s executive director for Programmes, Policy & Impact, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Simplyhealth and Business in the Community on this important project. Carers tell us all the time about the challenges they face trying to balance caring at home with their paid employment. When unaddressed, that struggle can be costly to both employers and carers, but workplaces can play a vital role in easing the burden.
“This much-needed research will show us for the first time how much support is out there from employers, what the major challenges are and what can be done to improve help for unpaid carers joining, rejoining or balancing their caring with work.”
