- Work Hard
- 8th Oct 2025
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Caring for loved ones while working? Face2faceHR Newcastle reveals what you’re legally entitled to
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Everyone has struggles at home – whether it’s juggling full-time work while caring for elderly parents or supporting a partner with health challenges. Too often, people suffer in silence.
As our HR expert in residence, Kathryn Rodgers knows first hand that life is rarely straightforward:
“I’m a perimenopausal single mum and business owner, spinning a lot of plates,” Kathryn says. “Having my parents nearby has always been invaluable – from mopping up my tears during my divorce to school pick-ups with an ice cream stop for Finn.
“But over the past year, both Mum and Dad have faced serious health challenges and the caring roles have flipped. Suddenly, hospital appointments, GP visits and batch cooking have landed in my diary alongside client calls.
“I’m grateful I have the flexibility to be there for them – but not everyone does. That’s why it’s so important to know what support is available to carers in the workplace.”
THE RISE OF THE WORKING CARER
More than 3.7 million people in England and Wales juggle paid work with caring for a loved one. This could mean looking after children with additional needs, supporting elderly parents, or caring for a partner with a long-term illness.
Unlike childcare, caring for someone with health needs is often unpredictable – it can arrive overnight, change suddenly and bring huge emotional as well as practical demands.
That’s why the law now offers carers more protection than ever before.
THE CARER’S LEAVE ACT (APRIL 2024)
- Employees are entitled to one week’s unpaid leave per year to provide or arrange care for someone with a long-term care need.
- The leave can be taken flexibly – in full or half days – to fit around planned commitments.
- It’s available from day one of employment.
- You’re protected from dismissal or detriment for taking it.
– Some employers go further and offer this leave as paid, worth checking your company policy.
FLEXIBLE WORKING RIGHTS (APRIL 2024)
- You can now request flexible working from your first day in a job.
- You’re entitled to make two requests a year.
- Employers must consult with you before rejecting a request.
- You no longer have to explain how your request would impact the business.
This could mean adjusted hours, hybrid working or compressed weeks – practical options that make a big difference for carers.
TIME OFF FOR EMERGENCIES
- All employees can take time off to respond to an unexpected emergency involving a dependant.
- A dependant could be a partner, parent, child, grandchild or anyone who relies on you for care.
- The time off is unpaid (though some employers pay at their discretion).
- There’s no set limit to how many times you can use this, but it must be unplanned.
Think: a child suddenly taken ill at school or a parent admitted to hospital.
PARENTAL LEAVE
If you’ve been with your employer for at least a year, you’re entitled to unpaid statutory parental leave:
Up to 18 weeks per child (including adopted children), which can be used at any time until the child’s 18th birthday.
The entitlement applies per parent, not per job. If you change employers, you’ll need to inform your new employer of any leave already taken.
Leave is usually taken in blocks of a week, with a maximum of four weeks per child per year, unless your employer allows more flexibility.
For disabled children, parents can take leave in smaller blocks (days or hours) rather than whole weeks.
PROTECTION FROM DISCRIMINATION
Under the Equality Act 2010, carers are protected from discrimination and harassment because of their association with someone older or disabled. That means:
- You can’t be refused a job or promotion because of your caring responsibilities.
- You can’t be harassed or treated unfairly at work because of them.
WHY IT MATTERS
Caring can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s also exhausting. Without support, carers face burnout, financial hardship or being forced to leave work altogether.
Work isn’t just about the paycheque – it’s also a lifeline for carers, offering identity, routine and social connection outside of caring. And for employers, supporting carers means happier staff, reduced absence and better retention.
KATHRYN’S TIPS TO TAKE AWAY
- Know your rights: Don’t be afraid to use them.
- Check your contract: Some employers enhance the legal minimum with paid leave or extra support.
- Talk to your employer: If you feel able, be honest about your situation – many are more supportive than you might think.
And if you’re an employer? Flexibility is key. Show understanding, create a carers’ policy, and train managers to support people properly.
Because while we do all have the same 24 hours, some of us are spinning far more plates than others.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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