On Tuesday 11th February, Employers for Carers hosted an insightful webinar on building the business case for paid carer’s leave, packed with actionable insights and real-world examples. Whilst the implementation of the Carer’s Leave Act 2023 was a significant step forward in acknowledging unpaid carers, Carers UK research shows that many cannot afford to take their statutory right to unpaid carer's leave. 

Helen Walker, our CEO, kicked off the session, highlighting Carers UK’s 60th anniversary and the need for continued progress on carer equality. Paid leave is essential for employee retention, well-being, and productivity. Speaking to our latest employer survey report; ‘The Carer’s Leave Act 2023: Six months on’, it is positive to see that 44% of the surveyed organisations have some form of paid carer’s leave available (between one and ten days). Interestingly, out of those organisations, just over a quarter (27%) have introduced this paid carer’s leave for the first time since the introduction of the Act.  

We heard directly from our valued EfC member organisations, Sodexo, Thales UK and Hertfordshire County Council. Iman Abdi (Sodexo), Chloe Milham (Thales UK) and Melanie West (Hertfordshire County Council) all openly and honestly shared how their organisations made the move to paid carer’s leave detailing challenges and successes. All three attested to the benefits of implementing paid carer’s leave and the noticeable shifts in workplace culture already evident.  

The session concluded with a highly engaged Q&A with questions around carer passports, data collection and potential barriers.