Lincolnshire exec fears workforce crisis without more support for unpaid carers

A Lincolnshire business executive is calling for urgent reform to stop unpaid carers being pushed out of the workforce.

Carers UK estimate over 600 carers quit work to look after older and disabled relatives every day in the UK.

Clare Hawkins is Director of Corporate Affairs and Executive Sponsor for carer's at Phoenix Group - the UK's largest long-term savings and retirement company.

She is calling for flexible working to be offered as standard, "we know that if you are trying to balance supporting caring responsibilities alongside holding down a job, then that's really hard," said Clare.

"One of the things that we know can make a massive difference for people to stay in work is to have flexibility.

"That could be flexibility in the hours that they work...in the number of days...or maybe in the location where they work."

New research from the Phoenix Group shows two in five working carers would not be able to remain in employment without the ability to work flexibly — a figure significantly higher than the national average of almost a third.

Despite this need, Clare says many carers are being left behind, with more than a third reporting their request for flexible hours has been rejected by employers.

"Companies are losing really skilled and experienced individuals," she said.

"Especially, as we see the peak of caring responsibilities happen for people when they're in their 50s.

"When they really have got a wealth of knowledge and experience that's that's adding value to their employers.

Clare also wants to raise awareness about carers entitlement to unpaid leave.

"Having access to carers leave when needed, can be a real game changer for people," said Clare.

"The Carers Leave Act introduced the entitlement to five days unpaid carers leave for everybody.

"We typically see people take only three days of that leave each year, and it's made a massive difference."