Research

Employers for Carers and Carers UK has carried out and produced a range of research reports which you will find in this section. You will find the latest research and evidence on the need for, and benefits of, supporting carers in the workforce. Most of the reports are available to download in pdf format.

Carers UK has released a new research report based on the findings from a survey completed by Employers for Carers (EfC) member organisations. The aim of the research was to help identify examples of good practice in promoting support for carers at work, including specifically to understand the role of carer champions in raising awareness and visibility. Since the pandemic, EfC member organisations have seen an increase in requests for flexible working arrangements and leave…
Carers UK has released a new report, Supporting Working Carers in COVID-19: Return and Recovery, based on the findings of a survey completed by Employers for Carers member organisations. Following on from our research last year, the report highlights the challenges that employers have faced and includes examples of how they have been recognising and addressing the specific needs of carers in their workforce. One in seven employees in the UK is caring for an…
Employers with established policies in place to support staff with caring responsibilities have been better able to meet the changing needs of their workforce during the pandemic, new research by Carers UK shows. A survey of 114 members of the Employers for Carers (EfC) business forum found the vast majority have been able to support their staff with caring responsibilities for older, disabled or ill relatives through the pandemic. The Covid-19 outbreak saw an additional…
Carers UK have released a new report, Supporting carers health and wellbeing in the workplace, based on the findings of a survey completed by almost 200 employer organisations. One in seven employees in the UK is caring for an older, disabled or seriously ill family member or friend and this number is set to increase; while supporting employees, who are also caring, to remain healthy, resilient and productive is becoming an increasingly significant issue in…
Research by Carers UK (2019) reveals that 2.6 million have quit their job to care for a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill, with nearly half a million (468,000) leaving their job in the last two years alone - more than 600 people a day.
With more and more people providing care for friends and family, the role played by government and employers in supporting longer working lives is becoming more crucial than ever.
Employers for Carers and Carers UK have undertaken targeted research into the impact of caring as a cause of isolation in the workplace. This study was undertaken between December 2014 and February 2015 to improve understanding of: how and why working carers can often feel lonely or isolated (either at work or at home) even when they may be part of a busy workplace or wider family unit how working carers can best be supported…
With our ageing population and workforce, dementia is becoming an increasingly significant issue in the workplace, with more and more people combining work with caring for a loved one. In recognition of this, Carers UK and Employers for Carers carried out an employer and employee survey between October 2013 and January 2014 to find out the impact of working while also caring for someone with dementia. This report sets out the key findings and emerging…
Today more and more parents are combining looking after young children with caring for older or disabled loved ones. This is sometimes called ‘sandwich caring’ or ‘dual caring’ and those who fall under this category are usually referred to as ‘the sandwich generation’. But this dual role can sometimes come at a cost and carers may suffer from ill health, face difficulties to access or stay in the labour market or experience financial hardship. Employers…
This ground-breaking report by Government, Employers for Carers and Carers UK, sets out the economic case for supporting the growing number of workers who also care for older or disabled relatives. Download the full report or read the report summary below. Alongside this report Employers for Carers has published a European Evidence Paper - Supporting Working Carers. This Research was commissioned for the Department of Health and Employers for Carers Task & Finish Group to…
Employers are increasingly recognising caring as a key issue for workforce retention, recruitment and resilience. In the current economic climate understanding why this matters for business has never been so important. To help understand these issues, Employers for Carers conducted an online survey targeted at employers in the UK during the period December 2012 - January 2013. The survey aimed to gather more information on the business benefits of supporting carers in the workplace.
This research examines the impacts on employers and employees of managing caring at a distance. With our ageing population and workforce – and increasing mobility through employment – managing caring at a distance is moving centre stage as a business issue. The research is based on a survey of around 1000 employees who have caring responsibilities at a distance, along with 50 major employers.
The University of Sheffield Hallam’s Social Inclusion Centre. Sue Yeandle, Cinnamon Bennett, Lisa Buckner, Lucy Shipton, Anu Suokas (Carers UK 2006) Research shows that the adoption of flexible working practices can save businesses’ time and money – with some companies reporting savings of over £1 million (full report, executive summary and statistical report).
Report 3: Diversity in Caring: towards equality for carers Report No. 3 highlights new evidence about carers in all their diversity and about how different groups of carers experience their caring situation, especially in relation to their ability to combine caring with paid employment. The CES study includes responses from ethnic minority carers, and extensive data about carers supporting someone living in a rural area, carers in difficult financial circumstances, and carers in poor health.…
Report 2: Managing Caring and Employment Report No. 2 is about how services are used by carers to support them in managing caring alongside paid employment. The report also explores the difficulties carers face when trying to combine work and care if services do not meet their needs or are not available, and considers the situation of carers who have had to give up work in order to care, or who are trying to return…